100% Health/Perf. But Errors 0x71

[Wallabee]

Hello:

The WDC hard drive shows 100% health and performance but I get either error 0x71 or error 27 when I try to run a test. Also, the hard drive doesn't show on My Computer or on the bottom left. The C: drive is there but this drive is not. I want to try to format the WDC drive if I can get it to show on My Computer. I'd appreciate any help. Thank you.

[hdsentinel]

Hello,

Thanks for the information.

As I see, the hard disk has problems, just they are virtually cleared by the "Offset" column(s) on the S.M.A.R.T. page as indicated by the "+/-" symbol next to the Health % value.
As you may read in the Help -> Hard Disk Tests -> General Information about the hardware (short / extended self tests):

"... In some cases, these hardware tests are not available, not supported or they results error quickly even in relatively low number of problems. ..."

As described in this Help section, the Disk -> Surface test function can be used in this situation to verify and fix the hard disk.
I'd suggest using Disk -> Surface test -> Reinitialise Disk Surface test function as this is the best way to clear the complete hard disk and make it more usable (a simpler function may be (incorrectly) called "low-level format" in some software).

After that, you may create a new partition in Windows and quick format it to make it visible in Windows. I suspect it may had a previously corrupted partition / RAID management data which causes WIndows that it can't recognise the drive properly, which will be also cleared by the Disk -> Surface test -> Reinitialise Disk Surface test.

Also you may use Report -> Send test report to developer option as then it is possible to check the complete status of the hard disk.

[Wallabee]

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, I couldn't even get the drive to run the Surface Test. All I got was Error 27 over and over again. I will send the test report.

[hdsentinel]

Thanks!

Not surprising: as I checked in the report, there are 600+ bad sectors and other problems reported with the drive, just you tried to "hide" these problems to get a false "perfect" drive.
Excuse me but it is not really used the good way: first it is required to test the hard disk, fixing the problems (if possible) by the hard disk tests and THEN clearing the errors to restore the hard disk health, as described on http://www.hdsentinel.com/faq_repair_ha ... _drive.php
it seems now the opposite is happened.

I'm afraid that the hard disk may have even more problems - this is why the sectors can't be accessed at all (even by the tests).
You may try to use Disk -> Surface test -> Reinitiliase Disk Surface test but before starting the test, in the new window select Configuration -> Sequential backwoard test and un-select the currently selected Sequential test, see attached image.



This way you may test if (at least) the end of the drive is usable or if the drive is completely failed.
But I'm afraid if the very first area can't be used, then the hard disk may have no partition table created and the drive may remain un-usable.

[Wallabee]

OK. I misunderstood the use of S.M.A.R.T. Thank you for the clarification.

[hdsentinel]

Excuse me for the confusion. The S.M.A.R.T. function of hard disks is designed to log all problems / events occur in the lifetime of the hard disk drive.
It means that it saves all bad sectors, spin retry issues, data communication problems and so.
Just when the situation is stable (verified by the tests) it is possible to acknowledge the problems in Hard Disk Sentinel, if you prefer to eliminate the displayed problems and want to be alerted about possible new issues.

However, the damaged hard disk surface, heads or other components are not replaced, they're still used in the hard disk - and if previously lots of errors reported, the drive will likely fail quickly - even if the "Offsets" used to improve the displayed health % value.