UltraDMA CRC error rate below ttheshold value in SMART

Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its
threshold value.
Should I start worrying ?

strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37 celsius,
whereas the other maxtor shows 18 celsius.... same mounting position,
same air...

Osiris wrote:

Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its threshold value.

Should I start worrying ?

Nope, that is normally a problem with the cable.

The usual causes are a ribbon cable longer than the legal 18", one
of those stupid standard flouting round cables, or just a bad cable.

strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37 celsius, whereas
the other maxtor shows 18 celsius.... same mounting position, same air...

18 sounds impossible, presumably its summer there and
that is below the ambient temp, which flouts basic physics.

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 22:59:54 +0200, Osiris
wrote:

Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its
threshold value.
Should I start worrying ?

Are you sure you know how to use that software?

Usually the issue is when the error rate goes well ABOVE the
threshold value, not well below it.


strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37 celsius,
whereas the other maxtor shows 18 celsius.... same mounting position,
same air...


Get rid of hard disk inspector and do two things.

1) Run the HDD manufacturers' diagnostics.

2) Try filling the drive with data then copy it back
elsewhere and do some CRC checks on it.

The drive manufacturer is the one who knows when a drive has
a problematic state that should trigger a Smart warning and
that is how they set it up. If there were more reliable
early warning signs, they'd simply use them to trigger the
SMART warning earlier. Hard Disk inspector seems to be a
product without a need.

kony wrote
Osiris wrote

Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its threshold value.
Should I start worrying ?

Are you sure you know how to use that software?

Usually the issue is when the error rate goes well
ABOVE the threshold value, not well below it.

strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37
celsius, whereas the other maxtor shows 18 celsius....
same mounting position, same air...

Get rid of hard disk inspector and do two things.

No need, its not a bad way of looking at the SMART data.

1) Run the HDD manufacturers' diagnostics.

Wont help with UltraDMA CRC error rate.

2) Try filling the drive with data then copy it back
elsewhere and do some CRC checks on it.

Wont help with UltraDMA CRC errors. They get corrected at
the ATA protocol level, so you wont see CRC errors in the files.

Thats the whole point of the ATA UltraDMA CRC system,
correcting errors in files transferred over the cable.

The drive manufacturer is the one who knows when a drive
has a problematic state that should trigger a Smart warning
and that is how they set it up. If there were more reliable
early warning signs, they'd simply use them to trigger the
SMART warning earlier. Hard Disk inspector seems to
be a product without a need.

It allows the SMART data to be inspected. Thats
a lot better than a mindless SMART pass/fail.

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 18:52:07 -0400, kony wrote:

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 22:59:54 +0200, Osiris
wrote:

Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its
threshold value.
Should I start worrying ?

Are you sure you know how to use that software?


I learned by now, that the SMART software is unequivocal.
Data is now standard most of the time.

Usually the issue is when the error rate goes well ABOVE the
threshold value, not well below it.

I read that is is not supposed to be lower...
Some software says its ok, some the opposite...


that's why I check here too.
Ultimately, it is all my own decision/error.



strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37 celsius,
whereas the other maxtor shows 18 celsius.... same mounting position,
same air...


Get rid of hard disk inspector and do two things.

1) Run the HDD manufacturers' diagnostics.

Maxtor does not do much in that field.


2) Try filling the drive with data then copy it back
elsewhere and do some CRC checks on it.

The drive manufacturer is the one who knows when a drive has
a problematic state that should trigger a Smart warning and
that is how they set it up. If there were more reliable
early warning signs,

there may be...
and the drive is some 3+ years old, working long hours/weeks.
Has been running for a year continuously... day/night.
before that normal daily use a few years...
So no tears, if my data stay safe... copied etc.

they'd simply use them to trigger the
SMART warning earlier. Hard Disk inspector seems to be a
product without a need.

On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 09:08:34 +1000, "Rod Speed"
wrote:

kony wrote
Osiris wrote

Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its threshold value.
Should I start worrying ?

Are you sure you know how to use that software?

Usually the issue is when the error rate goes well
ABOVE the threshold value, not well below it.

strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37
celsius, whereas the other maxtor shows 18 celsius....
same mounting position, same air...

Get rid of hard disk inspector and do two things.

No need, its not a bad way of looking at the SMART data.

You imply a need to look at it.


1) Run the HDD manufacturers' diagnostics.

Wont help with UltraDMA CRC error rate.

2) Try filling the drive with data then copy it back
elsewhere and do some CRC checks on it.

Wont help with UltraDMA CRC errors. They get corrected at
the ATA protocol level, so you wont see CRC errors in the files.

While that is true, what are you concluding to need help?

You do realize that a perfectly working disk subsystem has 0
CRC errors, zero also being "well below it's threshold
value". Based on the info provided, we not only have no
reason to suspect a problem, but the beginnings of evidence
that there isn't one.


Thats the whole point of the ATA UltraDMA CRC system,
correcting errors in files transferred over the cable.

.... and the point of a tire inner tube might be to repair a
tire but you'll have to find a tire that needs one.


The drive manufacturer is the one who knows when a drive
has a problematic state that should trigger a Smart warning
and that is how they set it up. If there were more reliable
early warning signs, they'd simply use them to trigger the
SMART warning earlier. Hard Disk inspector seems to
be a product without a need.

It allows the SMART data to be inspected. Thats
a lot better than a mindless SMART pass/fail.

.... only if you think you know more about that particular
drive than the manufacturer who set the SMART thresholds for
pass/fail in the first place.

kony wrote
Rod Speed wrote
kony wrote
Osiris wrote

Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its
threshold value. Should I start worrying ?

Are you sure you know how to use that software?

Usually the issue is when the error rate goes well
ABOVE the threshold value, not well below it.

strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37
celsius, whereas the other maxtor shows 18 celsius....
same mounting position, same air...

Get rid of hard disk inspector and do two things.

No need, its not a bad way of looking at the SMART data.

You imply a need to look at it.

I'm happy to state that explicitly. Plenty of drives are too conservative
on the SMART pass/fail and you can get useful information from the
actual data, most obviously with this data and the temperature too.

1) Run the HDD manufacturers' diagnostics.

Wont help with UltraDMA CRC error rate.

2) Try filling the drive with data then copy it back
elsewhere and do some CRC checks on it.

Wont help with UltraDMA CRC errors. They get corrected at
the ATA protocol level, so you wont see CRC errors in the files.

While that is true, what are you concluding to need help?

God knows what you 'think' that pathetic excuse for a sentance
is about. Your 'suggestion' to check the CRC of files is completely
useless when the whole point of the ATA UltraDMA CRC system
is to resend the data when an UltraDMA CRC error shows up.

You do realize that a perfectly working disk subsystem has 0
CRC errors, zero also being "well below it's threshold value".

Irrelevant to your 'suggestion' to check the CRC of files when
the whole point of the ATA UltraDMA CRC system is to resend
the data when an UltraDMA CRC error shows up.

Based on the info provided, we not only
have no reason to suspect a problem, but
the beginnings of evidence that there isn't one.

Irrelevant to your 'suggestion' to check the CRC of files when
the whole point of the ATA UltraDMA CRC system is to resend
the data when an UltraDMA CRC error shows up.

Thats the whole point of the ATA UltraDMA CRC system,
correcting errors in files transferred over the cable.

... and the point of a tire inner tube might be to repair
a tire but you'll have to find a tire that needs one.

Never ever could bull**** its way out of a wet paper bag.

The drive manufacturer is the one who knows when a drive
has a problematic state that should trigger a Smart warning
and that is how they set it up. If there were more reliable
early warning signs, they'd simply use them to trigger the
SMART warning earlier. Hard Disk inspector seems to
be a product without a need.

It allows the SMART data to be inspected. Thats
a lot better than a mindless SMART pass/fail.

... only if you think you know more about that particular drive than the
manufacturer who set the SMART thresholds for pass/fail in the first place.

Wrong again. You can choose to be conservative when you see a
substantial number of reallocated sectors, and decide that that is
usually evidence of a drive that is either dying or which isnt being
cooled adequately or which isnt getting a decent power supply etc.

And can see from the SMART temp that the
drive needs better cooling, etc etc etc.

In the particular situation being discussed, you can check whether a standard
flouting cable is being used, and try different cable if its within specs etc.

I learned by now, that the SMART software is unequivocal.
Data is now standard most of the time.


typo: now=not

Osiris wrote:
Hard Disk inspector reports a 40 Gb (Maxtor 6L040J2) the UltraDMS CRC
error rate (index 199) value in the SMART table is well below its
threshold value.
Should I start worrying ?

strange enough, it is the drive that shows a temp of 37 celsius,
whereas the other maxtor shows 18 celsius.... same mounting position,
same air...
To be frank, Maxtor are not a very reliable make of drive. Many
including myself have had problems at one time or another. Currently my
Dell is consistently giving my Maxtor (40GB) a SMART error on booting
up, whereas Maxtor's own drive test shows a 'pass'. This has been going
on for months now, but no HDD failure as yet. The concensus of opinion
on Dell forums, where Maxtor is the make of drive usually supplied with
the PC, is don't replace it with another Maxtor.

Osiris wrote:
I learned by now, that the SMART software is unequivocal.
Data is now standard most of the time.


typo: now=not

That is just plain wrong, most of the data is standard.