# Western Digital Tests OK - Now What?



## Rhughes (Jan 14, 2001)

In my previous thread, I discussed a problem with a "failing" Western Digital 160GB drive in my T-60 (I thought originally it was a Maxtor.) Pixelization finally got so bad the picture was not watchable. I tried all the quick fixes like cleaning contacts, making sure all connectors are seated, etc. Nothing helped.

So, I bought a new Seagate 160GB and installed it in the T-60. All pixelization problems immediately vanished. The T-60 is now working perfectly.

Wanting to get a replacement drive from WD, I ran both the Seagate and the Western Digital long test diagnostics to identify the problems. Both tests resulted in zero errors. What would cause a drive to be completely flaky in a DVR, but pass all the diagnostic tests? Any suggestions as to how to proceed? I don't trust the drive, and not sure I even want to use it in a computer, but it is still under warranty.


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## Barryrod (Mar 17, 2006)

How did you install the new one? Did you copy the old one to the new one or install brand new image to the new drive?


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## funtoupgrade (Mar 15, 2005)

Lot's of times, reimaging a drive will get rid of the issues you were having with the old drive. Reimage it and give it a try. The drive manufacturer is not going to replace it if it passes their diagnostic test.


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## Rhughes (Jan 14, 2001)

Barryrod said:


> How did you install the new one? Did you copy the old one to the new one or install brand new image to the new drive?


I first copied the image to the computer C: drive, then copied it back to the new drive.


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## Barryrod (Mar 17, 2006)

Rhughes said:


> I first copied the image to the computer C: drive, then copied it back to the new drive.


Maybe corruption that was not copied over with the image file. I would install the image back onto the old drive just to see if it works now.


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## Rhughes (Jan 14, 2001)

Barryrod said:


> Maybe corruption that was not copied over with the image file. I would install the image back onto the old drive just to see if it works now.


Thanks. I will do that, then rat-hole it away in case I need it.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

You can also go Hitachi's web site and download the Drive Fitness Test. Choose the Exerciser option for 10 loops. This will take a few days to run. This will either cause the HD to completely die or you will get no errors, which means the HD is good and the image you used is bad.


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## Rhughes (Jan 14, 2001)

funtoupgrade said:


> Lot's of times, reimaging a drive will get rid of the issues you were having with the old drive. Reimage it and give it a try. The drive manufacturer is not going to replace it if it passes their diagnostic test.


Well, here's what happened. I wrote back and forth to Western Digital tech support and explained that it was a failure in a Sony DVR. They said send it back. I said, but I heard that I couldn't send it back unless it failed their diagnostics. They said send it back anyway.

It went today by UPS. I took the long choice so I didn't have to use a credit card. They wait until they get mine, then send me a replacement. They even have a deal with UPS to save money on the shipping. Printed out a discounted UPS shipping label, packed it up, and off it went! Pretty painless.


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## 1283 (Sep 8, 2000)

Rhughes said:


> They even have a deal with UPS to save money on the shipping.


Even with the UPS discount, FedEx Ground is usually cheaper.


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## Rhughes (Jan 14, 2001)

c3 said:


> Even with the UPS discount, FedEx Ground is usually cheaper.


It was only $4 something, and it has the RMA No. pre-printed, etc. Plus I would have had to drive a lot farther to get to the FedEx terminal. Neither pick up where I live.


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## Rhughes (Jan 14, 2001)

Barryrod said:


> Maybe corruption that was not copied over with the image file. I would install the image back onto the old drive just to see if it works now.


As I stated in an earlier post, I sent the WD drive back for replacement. Will have to wait until another arrives.

I still have slight pixelization problems. Mostly when recorded programs first start to play. I don't think it is the new drive, and I am now suspecting that the old drive was OK. Just the image was corrupted in some manner.

It's possible that copying the image off the original drive, then putting it on a new drive solved most of the problems. If there is still a small amount of corruption on the image, will saving it again and re-copying it possibly solve that? I don't understand how that would work, but some posts have indicated that doing that operation can solve a bad image problem.

If I can't get rid of the last of the pixelization problems with a re-copy, then what? Do I find another image somewhere and try that? Another thread offered the possiblity that one of the tuners is getting flaky. Or maybe half of the LNB or the multi-switch or.......................... I don't really think the problem is in the dish or the multi-switch as another receiver (non-TiVo) on the same antenna works fine with zero pixelization.

The new drive with the copied image solved 99% of my pixelization problems. I would like to get rid of that remaining 1%.


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## 1283 (Sep 8, 2000)

Rhughes said:


> Mostly when recorded programs first start to play.


If it's just at the beginning, it is definitely not a drive problem.


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