Dr. Blip's PC-Doctor Forum
General Category => Ask Our Experts => Topic started by: ChrisM on July 15, 2007, 08:48:20 pm
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I recently purchased a new Seagate Barracuda hard drive for more storage space. I used Acronis True Image 10 to create a clone of my old Samsung drive. Using brand new SATA cables, I installed the drive and it booted up fine. I ran PC-Doctor 5 for windows and it came back with an error when doing the short SMART test, the error code was HD521-2W. I did the test on my old Samsung drive and it passed the test. The new Seagate drive will pass both the short and long HDD tests if it is connected as the slave drive and not the primary. I downloaded Seagate's Seatools and it does not report an error.
What's going on? What does that code mean (besides I should replace my drive)? Why does it pass as a slave? ....help :'(
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Chris,
The error code is generic and returned under a large number of problems. Given that the Seagate tools do not report the issue could mean one of three things : The issue is intermittent. There is a bug in PC-Doctor 5. Seagate has a bug in their product. Either way I would like to help you solve your problem even if it means I have a problem.
If you click on the "View the detailed test log" link on the test page (with the failure) you should get more information about the error. Please post what the error is in the log for the Short SMART Self-Test.
Also, at the top of the program there should be a green question mark icon (unless you have an older version of PC-Doctor, see below). If you click this icon there is a drop down with a "Version Information" option. Click version information and report what the program says for "Product Version". This field should look something like 5.0.4545.0
If you have an older version of PC-Doctor 5, the version information is on a link on the left side of the program.
Does this issue only occur or the short test, but not the extended test? Can you cause the failure to occur on the short test 100% of the time with PC-Doctor 5?
Thanks
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Here is the Short SMART test of the Seagate hard drive when configured as a slave:
2007-07-16 19:04:41 CST
Test Name: Short Self-Test
Device Name: Hard Drive - ST3500630AS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Event Type: Test Started
Description: -
Time: 2007-07-16 18:59:10 CST
Engine Exit Code: ---
Event Type: Informative Message
Description: The self test operation completed successfully.
Time: 2007-07-16 19:00:16 CST
Event Type: Test Finished
Description: Passed
Time: 2007-07-16 19:00:16 CST
Engine Exit Code: 0
Here is the Short SMART test of the Seagate HDD when configured as the primary drive:
2007-07-16 19:28:19 CST
Test Name: Short Self-Test
Device Name: Hard Drive - ST3500630AS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Event Type: Test Started
Description: -
Time: 2007-07-16 19:15:17 CST
Engine Exit Code: ---
Event Type: Error Message
Description: An error occurred while attempting to stop the self test operation.
Time: 2007-07-16 19:17:53 CST
Error Code: HD521-2W
Event Type: Informative Message
Description: The SMART self-test operation timed out. Please ensure that no other process is performing disk operations and run the test again.
Time: 2007-07-16 19:17:53 CST
Event Type: Test Finished
Description: Failed
Time: 2007-07-16 19:17:53 CST
Engine Exit Code: 4
The SMART Extended self-test does not fail but does not complete, I left it at 19% and 2.5hrs later it was still at 19%. The computer does not freeze, the program seems to lock up though. Here is the log file for the extended test:
Test Name: Extended Self-Test
Device Name: Hard Drive - ST3500630AS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Event Type: Test Started
Description: -
Time: 2007-07-16 19:35:41 CST
Engine Exit Code: ---
Event Type: Error Message
Description: An error occurred while attempting to stop the self test operation.
Time: 2007-07-16 22:29:35 CST
Error Code: HD521-3W
Event Type: Informative Message
Description: The SMART extended self-test operation was aborted.
Time: 2007-07-16 22:29:35 CST
Event Type: Test Aborted
Description: User Aborted
Time: 2007-07-16 22:29:35 CST
Engine Exit Code: 5
This test seems to hang at 19% then jumps to 100% with a fail. The same programs are running during this test as when configured as the slave although they aren't running off of the Seagate drive but instead are on the Samsung. The same programs run when testing the Samsung HDD as the primary as the two drives are exact clones. The short test fails every time when the HDD is configured as the primary drive.
The version of PC-doctor that I have is 5.00.3187.03
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Chris,
There is no problem with your drive.
It sounds like you are running the operating system and PC-Doctor from the Seagate drive when the test times out. Disk accesses while a SMART Self-test is running can affect the time a test takes to complete; This is likely the reason you are seeing different behavior when running the Seagate as the master or slave drive.
The version of the product you are using is improperly returning a FAIL result under a timeout condition. This issue has been fixed in newer builds (Your build is based on code from Sept 2005). Timeouts are not failures, it just means that our diagnostic thinks the test is taking too long and will never complete - so it attempts to cancel the test.
We have run into problems (especially on larger drives) where applications accessing the disk prevent SMART Self-Tests from ever completing. Disk access cause the drive to preempt the self-test, and then after servicing the command they resume the test. Most drives handle the preemption well, but some drives do not and will never finish a SMART Self-test depending on drive activity.
The build you have installed predicts a timeout on a SMART Short Self-Test if the recommended polling time (reported by the drive) exceeds a factor of 2.5. Your drive has a polling time of 1 minute. The first test completes in 1 minute, 6 seconds so no timeout. The second time you run the test with the Seagate attached to the master controller, the test decides to quit after the test has not completed after 2 minutes, 36 seconds (exceeding the 2.5 factor).
The value of 2.5 was found to be a bad timeout on some drives and newer builds use the value of 6.0. A timeout can still occur but is much less likely to occur.
If you go into the PC-Doctor 5 installation directory, you can modify the timeout factor by opening pcdrsmart.p5i and finding:
Test.SMARTShortSelfTest.TimeOutFactor.value = 2.5
and changing the value from 2.5 to 6.0.
About the Extended Self-Test :
The test is likely still running but is running much slower than normal. Normally the extended test on a drive that size will take a little over 2.5 hours. Does the Seagate disk tool take longer in the master configuration and does it finish the test?
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The Seagate test does finish the extended self test when master or slave. The time difference appears to be the same although the Seagate SeaTools program is a bootable program so Windows is not running at all.
I will try modifying that file and see what happens. What you are saying though makes perfect sense.
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I am having the same issue.
I am using the PC-Doctor that comes with Windows 7. I found the file PCDRSMART2.P5i and changed the timeout value on both the Short and Extended Smart self-tests, since neither can be completed in time on my computer.
However, there is a line at the top of the file that reads:
Do Not Modify this file. It will be over-written during compilation.
I changed it anyway, and restarted the diagnostic test. The test ended abruptly as usual, and resulted in FAILED.
Is there another way of changing the timeout that won't get overwritten??
Thanks!
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longreeno,
What is the make and model of your computer?
The PCDRSMART2.P5i is not overwritten at run time. The message you are seeing is an internal note for when we compile the executable. If you change it, run PC-Doctor and go back and look your changes will be intact.
Try using the value of 6.0. If this does not work we can look into the particular OEM build you are running and give specific information, which is why I asked for the make and model of your system.
-Fred
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It is a HP Pavilion Elite HPE-140f. I am running Windows 7 64 bit
I actually changed both the Short and Extended timeout values to 600. The extended test was already a 6 and the short one was originally a 2. The changes appear to have saved but when I run the test again, I always get the same result. The extended test normally takes 235 minutes but only lasts about 2 minutes before it fails on my PC.
I just bought the computer in March and am experiencing sudden crashes. I thought this test might help determine if it's my hard drive. HP sent me a new one but I am reluctant to install it until I know for sure that the old one is bad.
By the way, the error code I receive is HD521-3W
Thanks for your help.
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longreeno,
HD521-3W is SMART Extended Self test failed.
If this test fails / aborts after only a couple of minutes there is indeed something wrong with the drive. I would backup the data and replace it with the new one HP sent you.
Taking longer than the allotted time is one thing failing after 1-2 or even 10 minutes is quite another.
-Fred
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so then are you saying that the timeout value of 6.o should have worked for my particular make/model for the extended test? I would like to actually complete the test and see the results before changing the drive.
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longreeno,
Yes it should have completed. Even with the original value is should have run for 30 or 40 minutes before it quit.
The SMART Extended self test is a test the drive performs on itself, not something PC-Doctor does to it. PC-Doctor kicks it off and waits a pre-determined amount of time for the test to finish and pass results back to program.
This test is aborting shortly after being started, the drive itself is giving up testing itself, there is nothing further we can do. Increasing the amount of time PC-Doctor waits for a result won't help when the test aborts itself after a few minutes.
-Fred
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I will take your advice and change the drive. Looks like I have alot more work ahead of me. I appreciate all of your help.
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longreeno,
You're welcome, I hope everything goes well.
-Fred
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well here I am back again!
I changed out the hard drive to the new one HP sent me. Thought everything was ok. Then I had another crash, same as before. I did a System Stress Test and it crashed. This test runs 5 Test Run tests all at the same time, so I couldn't tell which one was causing the crash. So, I ran each test separately and they all passed. Is it possible that the PC would pass all these tests but when they are run simultaneously, it crashes? If so, what does this indicate?
Very frustrating...
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longreeno,
Run the extended memory tests from DOS. This is termed the create Bootable diagnostics and is on the left side menu. Your system may also have diagnostics available from the recovery partition via <F9>. Testing memory from within Windows is not that reliable. Here is some info:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c00849402 (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c00849402)
The reason I am going in this direction is you may have an issue with your RAM. All disk I/O goes through system memory on SATA systems and this may have caused the previous issue and could be causing the present issue, at least this is the only thing I can think of. It would fit that as more tests are run more RAM is used and you could then be accessing the "bad" area.
Please let me know what you find. ???
-Fred
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I created a bootable media dvd and performed the Diagnoostics from there. It was difficult getting into it. I had to press Ctrl-Alt-Del then F9 and enter quickly because the HP logo and toolbox just sat there without even the mouse pointer seen. Anyway, it performed the following tests: CPU, Memory, HD, DVD, Boot Path. It passed them all.
Can you think of anything else I could try? Appreciate your time and suggestions.
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longreeno,
The bootable media CD is different than the F9 method. F9 gets you into the "inrom" build located on the recovery partition. Not the boot from CD.
Place the CD you created in the system, boot to it, and then run the extended advanced pattern memory tests. I would run all the tests but first concentrate on the memory, it is the most likely culprit.
If you don't find anything wrong, look into the drivers, these could be causing the crash also.
You should also get HP Support working on this.
-Fred
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I see what you mean about the F9 method. I was able to enter it without the disc. However, for some reason, I am not able to boot from the disc I created. Every time I try it, it gets stuck on the HP logo (with the toolbox in upper left corner). The mouse does not function at all, nor do any keys. All I can do at this point is Crtl-Alt-Del. I see a bunch of words flying by. It goes so fast I can't read it. It says something about "Caldera" and then "Unable to control address", then it brings me back to the HP logo again. I tried many times. Is there another way of booting from the dvd?
Thanks!
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longreeno,
Try reburning it but to a CD. The boot image is for a CD not a DVD.
-Fred
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Fred-
I tried it again using a CD-RW this time and had the same exact result.
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Longreeno,
It is either a bad download or a bad CD/DVD Burner. It sounds like it is trying to Boot up, Caldera DOS is what is used, the can not controll Line A20 is common but it should continue to boot and go to the PCDR Menu.
Try going again to the HP site, go to your model and download a fresh copy of the bootable diagnostics. I don't know what else to tell you, we need to get the program loaded up to diagnose the issue.
-Fred