Harddrive Failing, advice is appreciated

Rainbow_7 · Jan 15, 2017

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Intel i7-4770 CPU 3.40 GHz
nVidia GeForce GTX 780
Windows 7 SP1
Kingston RBU-SC4 SCSI Disk Device 120GB (Solid-state, boot disk)
ST3000DM ST3000DM001-1CH1 SCSI Disk Device 3TB (storage and software)
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I was playing a game last night and started experiencing periodic app hangs. At first I thought I thought it might have been the game, but I checked a second game, and a similar issue arose. Then I thought maybe Steam was the problem, so I rebooted my PC - only to discover, in short order, that other programs were starting to experience random (App Hang B1) errors as well. S then I'm thinking: virus, or hardware issue. At a friend's request, I recently installed a new media player (Kodi) and was a little paranoid about it, so I've been running AV scans every couple days for the last week or two - last scan was yesterday night, everything was clean, but just to be safe I started scanning again. I also plugged in my brand new backup drive to move a few ore files over - I'm usually pretty good about backing up data every few months, and I got that new external harddrive for Christmas, so the majority of stuff on my D: drive (the ST3000DM) has been freshly archived. I figured I'd throw on an episode of Ash vs Evil dead while I waited (MPC started app hanging, too).

And then all hell broke lose.

Blue screen of death, followed by THE WORST NOISE I ever heard my computer make. Buzzing, grinding, whining noise which, amateur guess, was presumably my harddrive having a stroke.

So, now I'm like 92% sure it's something to do with my harddrive. I rebooted into safe mode (no problems), finished backing up a few files (no problems?), ran another AV scan with Malwarebytes (no threats detected), and rebooted again.

What do I do next?

I've not got much experience troubleshooting harddrives. STS3000DM001 is my D drive; I downloaded CrystalDiskInfo and I'm trying to check the SMART status, but for some reason CDI says my drive is "Unknown".

-edit- fuckballs. Rebooted again, got a BIOS message saying the SMART status was bad, managed to scan with some program called GetSmart and confirmed the D drive was about to fail. Still need advice on how best to proceed; never had my main storage drive fail, not sure what to expect or how best to replace it with a minimum of headache. e.g. is this simply going to be a matter of buying a new one off Newegg, sticking it in my tower, and proceeding like nothing happened? Will I need to wipe/ reinstall Windows? Again, never swapped out a failing primary storage drive, any advice is appreciated.

Ironsounds · Jan 15, 2017

Hello... Yes grinding and clicking, smart data from the HD means problems...

Basically you need a New OS drive first and a OS install on it... if you have things on the HD you want to recover later, I would suggest stop using it right now (unplug it)... it can be added/searched later to recover what you can from it B /

Typically I would use a smaller SSD for the OS and use a larger drive (SSD/HD) for a DATA drive... how you want too re-configure your system is up to you and $$$ available. B /

I would suggest getting your install media together for the OS and drivers downloaded and ready for a NEW OS/hardware install before hand... this can also be done on another computer.

Rainbow_7 · Jan 15, 2017

Ironsounds :

Thanks! Maybe I wasn't clear, but your suggestion is how I've got my drives set up right now; I have a separate OS drive already, and the larger (failing) drive is for my data and software. All of my OS files are located on the smaller Kingston RBU-SC4 Solid-State, and a check with CDI indicates that this drive is fine (I've made a number of symbolic link paths from C:\MyDocuments\etc to the D drive, not sure if that will cause problems as I never touched any system files). With that in mind, should I be good to go on the OS boot disk front at least?

By "unplug it", do you mean open up my tower and physically remove the failing drive? It's not an external harddrive (although I've got three such drives for storage ATM).

Ironsounds · Jan 15, 2017

Hello... Ok...good... NO OS install is needed B ) you have a separate SSD OS drive... all you need to do is replace that bad data drive and give your OS permission to use it... then transfer/re-create the folder structure and files like before... or create a new structure?

Yes... open the case and un-plug the power from it and data cable from it... B / it's condition could cause other problems with your system?

As long as you replace the folder structure/files in the NEW D: drive... your symbolic link paths will still be good... all the OS cares about is if a D: drive is there and the Folder name/file is in that location.... the OS doesn't care if you have a different brand or larger/smaller drive there. B )

Will you need any thing off of the BAD drive? B / if not... toss it?... destroy it... open it up as a learning tool... remove the very powerful magnets in it and have some magnetic fun B )

Rainbow_7 · Jan 16, 2017

Ironsounds :

I need (want?) just about everything on the drive, but my most recent backup was made just after Christmas, so pretty much all of my "irreplaceable" data is safe and current. There's some stuff I wasn't planning on backing up but would like anyway just in case, so I've had the rest of my harddrive content transferring all last night and today too. Doing it in bits and pieces, most difficult-to-replace stuff first, so I don't overstress the drive and cause a failure sooner. To be honest, I'm a little paranoid about data and a bit of an information hoarder, so I'm worried that, two years from now, I'll realize there was some irreplaceable file in some obscure folder which never got backup up - assuming the drive doesn't fail completely before I can swap it out, would it be worth moving the failing drive into an external storage casing so that I can access it "just in case"? Or is that just asking for trouble? I've got an external casing already - it's in my closet, currently mounting my highschool harddrive, which has worked since 2004. (go figure) I wouldn't use the harddrive anymore - just keep it around, in case I realize I missed something.

Anyways, thanks for your help. One last quick question: can you recommend a good tutorials on swapping out harddrives? It's been ages since I cracked my tower open, and while I'm sure I can handle it, I always get terrified that I'll rip out the wrong thing or forget to make an important connection or cause a voltage spike that shorts out my motherboard etc etc. An instructive video or something would set my mind at ease...!

Ironsounds · Jan 16, 2017

Hello... of course... that's a another good option... not having it plugged in to your current system is my best advice here, as it could have power surges from the platter motor or the electro mechanical arm/read heads trying to move (clicking and grinding sound) B )

Well... always unplug the PS from the wall first... and wait about 5 mins for all Power to drain. Basically just one Power Connector, one Data Connector and 4 screws... usually getting to all the four screws is the tuff part, depending on the case, and mounting area. Some of the connectors Could have a "release tab" Some do not B / be aware of this if your having a problem re-moving one of them.

Basically watch a few Utubes on it... because of the different type of cases styles and mountings systems that you can encounter... Also if you have a 'Brand Name" case... there can be videos on their Website or Utube too.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=remove+a+Hardrive
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=install+a+hard+drive

*** If you are experiencing dry air and static electricity in your Home... always touch something metal and grounded (household appliances) before touching your Computer parts, to release your Body static charge... walking around with socks, shoes or slippers on carpet can turn you into high voltage capacitor. So have a place to discharge yourself to "Ground" before/while working on your computer B )

After you get the Hardrive replaced with the new D drive and boot back into your OS, you will need be logged in as administrator and give permission to the OS to use the new drive.

1) Right click Computer-Manage-storage-Disk Management...
2) Right click the Graphics area below, for the NEW drive... (complete partitioning and formatting for the drive if needed)...
3) And "Mark Partition as Active"

Rainbow_7 · Jan 19, 2017

Ironsounds :

OK! thanks, I got my old HD out, slotted a new HD in, rebooted my computer. The drive does not appear yet, but I'm following your numbered steps. When going into "Disk management", the system asks if I want to partition as MBR or GPT. It suggests GPT for drives >2TB (my new drive is 5TB) but cautions about GPT compatibility issues with older versions of Windows (I am running Win 7).

Advice?

-edit- for some reason, both Firefox and IE are giving me certification errors each and every time I try to connect to a search provider - whether that's DuckDuckGo, Google, or something else. Content providing websites and bookmarked forums seem fine. Not sure if that could possibly have anything to do with the new harddrive...?

Ironsounds · Jan 19, 2017

Hello... WOW 5TB... Well Win7 will be fine with GPT... Well some people like more than one Partition for organization and some don't... you have room to for 4 partitions of over 1TB each... or a single Partition of 5TB's.... it depends on you... if you want to sub-categories for your DATA to certain drive letters B / Like a Music partition? on "M" drive... and a Movie partition on "N" drive... etc.

There is no right or wrong answer here, just customization for your eyes only... but I warn you... changing a partition later can cause any DATA on the drive to be lost. B )

I don't know how many "symbolic link paths" you created? but all those programs can be re-created or Re-installed later once you get the New drive in the system... and the OS/Apps should fix these problems... there could be many APPs that might need to be re-installed due to HD/Data drive replacement.

Rainbow_7 · Jan 19, 2017

Ironsounds :

Yeah, it was on sale and I figured why the hell not; if I need to be a new HD, might as well make it an upgrade. Probably going to stick with a single GPT partition then... assuming it all works.

Wish me luck, and thanks for your help!

Ironsounds · Jan 19, 2017

Hello... After you created the partition... I would suggest creating these Folders on it to mimic the C:\ folder structure... Documents, My Music, Program Files, Program Files (x86), Temp.

These are common folders used by APPs when installed on the C:\ drive... so re-creating these right off and installing the NEW APPs "custom install" to the proper D:\Program files OR Program Files (x86) Folder... might reduce the need for creating any "symbolic link paths" B / I find my D:\ APPs installs work very well this way... Also you will have a "Visual copy" of the C:\ drive, and typical APP install areas. B )

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Harddrive Failing, advice is appreciated

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