Is my hard drive dying or is it an OS issue?

Question

Our tech doesn't think it's a hardware failure and is planning to reinstall windows. I ran chkdsk and it didn't find anything, but I keep seeing other oddities. Examples below:

DSIM Error

C:\Windows\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.3.9600.17031

Image Version: 6.3.9600.17031

[==========================100.0%==========================]

Error: 1117

The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log

SFC Error

Beginning system scan.  This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found integrity violations. Details are included
in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Note that logging is currently not supported in
offline servicing scenarios.

Bitlocker Error

Again, a full CHKDSK on boot showed no errors. I haven't been a tech for a long time, but everything else makes it look like a hardware issue. How can I better determine if it is a hardware issue?

Check your hard drive for SMART errors How can I read my hard drive's SMART status in Windows 7?, and What is the easiest method of checking SMART status for your hard drive? — DavidPostill, Mar 17 '16 at 15:37
That led me to http://www.hdtune.com/ which I ran and it did show bad blocks. Thanks! Would you post an answer recommending that utility (or another) and I will accept it? — THE JOATMON, Mar 17 '16 at 15:41
Check before the SMART response, and after yes, it's probable that your "tech" is right. You will go to install again from scratch windows... on a new Hard Disk! :-). Seriously check the SMART response. — Hastur, Mar 17 '16 at 15:41
Well the answer could just say "Use a SMART compatible tool like X or Y to find out for sure." Then you could explain why this would detect an error whereas CHKDSK did not. — THE JOATMON, Mar 17 '16 at 15:49
See, two people already did it :). Waiting for @DavidPostill to answer. — THE JOATMON, Mar 17 '16 at 15:50
@DevilsAdvocate Pick one of the lucky others to get the points ;) — DavidPostill, Mar 17 '16 at 15:52
Done and done. Also updated my question in response to the close vote for unclear what you are asking — THE JOATMON, Mar 17 '16 at 15:53
I think @Xavierjazz is a little confused. ;) People can suggest products in answers (as long as they explain how to use them to solve the problem at hand). We just can't ask questions like "Can you recommend a product that does XYZ?" :) — Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007, Mar 17 '16 at 16:05
No, I understand, I just poorly phrased my attempt to give a little guidance. I don't speak for anyone. I'll just remove my comment. :) I didn't vote to close. — Xavierjazz, Mar 17 '16 at 16:16

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:16

4

Before reinstalling windows or any other OS, in cases like yours you should check the response of smart.

S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology; often written as SMART) is a monitoring system included in computer hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs) that detects and reports on various indicators of drive reliability, with the intent of enabling the anticipation of hardware failures. ^[wikipedia]

If you want to remain generic in your learning, smartmontools is available for Windows, Linux, Mac, etc. Or, if you prefer a more cozy GUI, you can go with hdtune or any of the solutions proposed in the questions below.

For more info on the subject, check out these other SuperUser questions:

For a comparison of S.M.A.R.T. tools you can start from the wikipedia page about it

Comparison of S.M.A.R.T. tools

edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:16

Community

1

answered Mar 17 '16 at 15:50

Hastur

18,942

Status: The SSD has damaged blocks. Thanks! – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 15:54
Maybe you can still mark all them and save the disk... or maybe not, but you can see. – Hastur Mar 17 '16 at 16:01
Back in the day a bad sector often meant an impending head crash. What causes a "Damaged Block" on a drive with no moving parts? Is it more at risk? – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 16:04
1

@DevilsAdvocate "да нет наверное" Seldom foreign languages can provide appropriate expression absent in your own: "yes,no, of course". For different reasons but, maybe, with the same ending. It should depend from the model, the amount of errors, the rate of new failures... but if you have a growing number of bad blocks you can imagine the end by yourself with not so more need of additional info. Good Old times the ones when the HDD warned you with its clicks (you can listen some example from the link) – Hastur Mar 17 '16 at 16:23
@Hastur It is an SSD: Marking bad blocks doesn't work on SSD's like it used to do on old-fashioned harddisks. Even modern classic harddisks (non-SSD) can no longer "mark" bad blocks. In stead the internal controller in the drive automatically replaces the bad blocks with good blocks from its spare capacity. By the time a bad block shows to the OS a modern disk is already beyond saving, because the controller doesn't have any spare blocks left: Backup your data and get rid of the failing disk asap. – Tonny Mar 17 '16 at 16:57
@Tonny I understood: it doesn't change the meaning and sadly neither the ending. Whatever it is the reasons that causes a growing number of "bad blocks", less lossy speaking of "Reallocated Sectors Count" it is not a good sign, no matter if for a physical damage to the disk surface or a failed flash memory transistor. (Btw the 0x05 it is quickly and often referred as bad sectors counter see wikipedia for example). About this I strongly disagree: you have not to backup in case of problem, you have to backup always :) However thanks for the spot,it makes more clean the whole mechanism. – Hastur Mar 18 '16 at 09:19

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 17 '16 at 15:49

2

Try downloading Acronis Drive Monitor which will give you an overview on the SMART results for your drive. This might show you an error somewhere

answered Mar 17 '16 at 15:49

lwilson876

99

Is my hard drive dying or is it an OS issue?

2 Answers2