Windows detected a drive failure

[ajones]

System: Asus P5E-VM-HDMI, Win 7 Pro 64bit, Q6600, Coolermaster GeminiII, Corsair HX 620, Corsair P64 SSD, 2x HD501LJ Spinpoint T166, Asus 6850 DirectCu, 4x2GB Corsair TwinX XMS2

Drive was bought back in Oct 2009; 64GB CMFSSD-64GBG2D 2.5inGen 2
(out of warranty - 3 years)

The error being reported by Windows at boot up seems kinda fatal...

What can I check / do etc? or do I need to resign myself to the fate that I need to replace the SSD after <5 years?

[peterb]

Er, what error is windows reporting?

[ajones]

Er, what error is windows reporting?

You know sometimes Windows is really helpful in these errors reports? Well, I haven't been able to check system logs yet, but I get this window popping up that says.... (are you ready for this?)

Windows detected a hard drive failure

and indicates that the SSD is the drive at fault. No other information is given.

[SUMMONER]

Download and run HD Tune, select the drive in question and click on health. Look for yellow/red marked lines.

[peterb]

You know sometimes Windows is really helpful in these errors reports? Well, I haven't been able to check system logs yet, but I get this window popping up that says.... (are you ready for this?)



and indicates that the SSD is the drive at fault. No other information is given.

Ah, one of those helpful Windows messages!

Summoner has suggested HD tune, which also allows you to look at the MART data.

[ajones]

Odd.

HD Tune is not reporting anything in the Health tab - it's blank. Running the Error Scan, returns with 0 bad blocks - everything green

The Corsair SSD Toolbox does reveal the Smart parameters. SMART status is FAILED, but none of the SMART attributes are FAILED....

SMART status	ID	Attribute	Value	Threshold	Raw Value	Worst	Status
INFO	09	Power On Hours	97	0	10502	97	N/A
INFO	0C	Power Cycle Count	96	0	3162	96	N/A
INFO	AF	Unknown Attribute	100	10			N/A
INFO	B0	Unknown Attribute	100	10			N/A
PASS	B1	Unknown Attribute	17	17			OK
PASS	B2	Unknown Attribute	83	10			OK
PASS	B3	Unknown Attribute	97	10			OK
PASS	B4	Unknown Attribute	97	10			OK
INFO	B5	Unknown Attribute	100	10			N/A
INFO	B6	Unknown Attribute	100	10			N/A
PASS	B7	Unknown Attribute	100	10			N/A
INFO	BB	Unknown Attribute	100	0			N/A
INFO	C3	Hardware ECC Recovered	200	0	0	200	N/A
INFO	C6	Offline Scan Uncorrectable Count	100	0	0	100	N/A
INFO	C7	UDMA CRC Error Rate	253	0	0	253	N/A
PASS	E8	Unknown Attribute	83	10			OK
INFO	E9	Unknown Attribute	36	0			N/A

The only SMART attribute that looks dodgy, is B1 (count 17, threshold 17).

[SUMMONER]

Rather odd. May be the controller inside the SSD is failing. Have you tried connecting it to another computer (not to boot, just to read the SMART data)?

I am assuming that you are using the SSD as a boot drive and that all your important files are on your 2 HDDs?

To be on the save side I would recommend that you do a Windows system backup/create a startup disc. This will allow you to restore Windows/applications, as they currently are, to a new SSD, should the need arise.

how to use Windows Backup and Restore

I have had 2 SSDs fail on me in the past 3-4 years, a OCZ Vertex 2 and a Crucial M4. One stopped being detected and the other became incredibly slow at reading data.

[ajones]

Am not too worried about the system failing to be honest. The new system I've built is ready to replace the problematic pc which will then get recycled. It more a case of having to muck about with the Windows license should I change the system disk.

Bit disappointed that its not latest 5 years mind, but then I can get a bigger drive today for a fraction of the price I paid for the P64.