HDD failing? Need advise.

[Outro]

Hello all,

Recently my laptop started freezing randomly when using programs and started making buzzing sounds while watching a movie or anything else. So I ran a HDD diagnostic tool. Is the drive practically dead and is there something I can do to fix it? Any other suggestions also are greatly appreciated.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

It's ill. "Practically dead" is a matter of opinion. It could die today, but it could have died at any moment without warning beginning with the day you bought it.

It can limp along in that state for an unknown period of time.

Drives come with a fixed number of "spare" good sectors. If the drive tries to write something to one of the bad sectors, that bad sector would be automatically replaced with one of the spare good sectors. Which is good, but there are only a limited number of spares. The data in that bad sector would be lost. Which is bad, unless you are indifferent to the contents of the drive.

I'd assume the worst and at least back up anything I cared about on it.

Personally, I'd replace the drive.

You can always just run it until it literally will not start, depending on your level of patience and indifference.

 

[LMiller7]

Your symptoms are likely being caused by the "Current Pending Sector" problems. These are sectors that the drive has attempted to read but failed. As the data in the sectors is unknown it is not possible to remap them at this time. Some may be remapped eventually but by then there will likely be more. Such problems tend to get worse as time progresses.

Backup all important files ASAP. You have a windows of opportunity to backup your data which may close at any time. There is no way to fix such problems.