Error message at boot : Hard Disk:SMART Status Bad, Backup and replace

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  1. Posts : 68
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit SP1
       #1

    Error message at boot : Hard Disk:SMART Status Bad, Backup and replace


    Hi everyone.

    Recently, I've had problems with my computer running Windows 7 64-bit SP1. It took a long time to get from Starting Windows to my desktop. And it was extremely slow when using the computer. It took forever to open a folder or a file. This morning, I switched on my computer and I got this error message at boot:

    3rd Master Hard Disk:S.M.A.R.T. Status BAD, Backup and Replace

    I'm guessing my hard drive is damaged? Any way of repairing the hard drive? What are the next steps I should take? And in the event that it can't be repaired, any way to salvage the files inside?

    Thank you for reading and hope you can help!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 3,487
    Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual boot
       #2

    Back up the drive and replace it. It may run long enough for you to get your data off of it. I would recommend that you put a fresh install of Windows on your new drive. Yours is probably corrupt from the bad drive. I would just back up important data anyway, never mind the programs. You'll need to reinstall them anyway.

    There's no real way to fix the drive, and even if you could, it would be uneconomical. Throw it away.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 2,774
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #3

    +1 for Mellon Head! Follow MH's advice accurately and quickly. Time's running out on this hard-drive.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thank you for the replies, Mellon Head and RolandJS.

    I'm going to try what you suggested. The thing is, how do I go about backing up? Do I have to do it using a system repair disc and access it from there? Or I try to boot into Windows on the damaged drive?

    Also, would you advise making an image of this drive using Acronis? Or would that be corrupted like you mentioned?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3,487
    Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual boot
       #5

    First unhook the bad drive. If you have a drive with Windows on it, boot from that and copy all of your pictures, documents, etc. to another drive. Just the stuff you want to save.

    Don't bother copying Windows or any of your programs. They are likely corrupted anyway. That's why you shouldn't bother doing a system image or an Acronis backup. There's no point in copying a potentially corrupted drive.

    Just save what's important if you are able to.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 2,497
    Windows 7 Pro 64 bit
       #6

    Too late now but the best time to backup your data is BEFORE problems develop. After may be too late.

    You are fortunate to have SMART warnings. Not everyone is do lucky. Many drives fail with no warning or apparent cause. In some cases there is no user recovery of data, at least not without a great deal of work. This includes relatively new drives that were not abused in any way.

    I had one drive that was working fine one day, the next it was not even recognized by the BIOS. There is no software that can recover data from such a drive. I had backups of all important data and did not investigate further.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 68
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Mellon Head said:
    First unhook the bad drive. If you have a drive with Windows on it, boot from that and copy all of your pictures, documents, etc. to another drive. Just the stuff you want to save.

    Don't bother copying Windows or any of your programs. They are likely corrupted anyway. That's why you shouldn't bother doing a system image or an Acronis backup. There's no point in copying a potentially corrupted drive.

    Just save what's important if you are able to.
    Unfortunately this is my only drive with Windows on it. Would I be able to do the copy and paste from recovery console method that is posted in one of the tutorials ? I was thinking of buying a new drive and doing that. Important thing is I want to minimise any further damage to the drive.

    LMiller7 said:
    Too late now but the best time to backup your data is BEFORE problems develop. After may be too late.

    You are fortunate to have SMART warnings. Not everyone is do lucky. Many drives fail with no warning or apparent cause. In some cases there is no user recovery of data, at least not without a great deal of work. This includes relatively new drives that were not abused in any way.

    I had one drive that was working fine one day, the next it was not even recognized by the BIOS. There is no software that can recover data from such a drive. I had backups of all important data and did not investigate further.
    Yes I was too complacent about backing up. Always kept putting it off and I've learnt my lesson.now many main aim is just to save the most important stuff.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 3,487
    Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual boot
       #8

    shank said:
    Unfortunately this is my only drive with Windows on it. Would I be able to do the copy and paste from recovery console method that is posted in one of the tutorials ? I was thinking of buying a new drive and doing that. Important thing is I want to minimise any further damage to the drive.
    Buy a new drive, and install a fresh copy of Windows on it With the Windows key from the computer. Do all of the updates and get it completely ready. Then plug in the old drive and pull just the data off of it that you are able to salvage. No Windows files, no programs, just the data. Once you've done that, throw the old drive away. Re-install your programs onto the new drive and you're good to go.

    Remember, you want to use the old drive as little as possible until you get your data off of it. You have a better chance of recovering the data that way.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 68
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Mellon Head said:
    Buy a new drive, and install a fresh copy of Windows on it With the Windows key from the computer. Do all of the updates and get it completely ready. Then plug in the old drive and pull just the data off of it that you are able to salvage. No Windows files, no programs, just the data. Once you've done that, throw the old drive away. Re-install your programs onto the new drive and you're good to go.

    Remember, you want to use the old drive as little as possible until you get your data off of it. You have a better chance of recovering the data that way.
    Thanks! I just bought a new ssd and finished installing windows on it. It runs so fast! Now comes the problem. If I plug in my old drive, it stops at starting windows for a long time, even though boot device is set to my new ssd. If I unplug it, windows starts normally. And when I plug in my old drive once it's booted to windows, it doesn't get recognised. Does it have anything to o do with ahci?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 68
    Windows 7 Professional 64 bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Any help? I don't understand why Windows doesn't boot when the old drive is plugged in. Is it because it's got errors and that's affecting the boot up? Because a few years ago I had another drive which had issues and when I installed Windows on another drive, Windows booted up fine and then I was able to access the files that were on that old hard drive. Not sure why this time it gets stuck on starting Windows.
      My Computer


 
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