Question:

How can I salvage a hard drive that shows “danger” status in CrystalDiskInfo?

I have a hard drive that I purchased from Carrefour in Spain and used as an external storage device for my PS4. It is still under warranty, but I want to know if there is any way to recover the data on it or fix the problem. The hard drive displays a “danger” status in CrystalDiskInfo, which indicates that it has some serious issues. What are the possible causes and solutions for this situation?

Answer:

CrystalDiskInfo is a free software that monitors the health and performance of hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs) using the Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) system. SMART is a feature that is built into most modern HDDs and SSDs, and it collects various parameters and statistics about the drive’s operation, such as temperature, spin-up time, read/write errors, power-on hours, etc. CrystalDiskInfo analyzes these parameters and assigns a health status to the drive, ranging from “Good” to “Caution” to “Danger” to “Bad”.

If your drive shows a “danger” status in CrystalDiskInfo, it means that it has one or more critical SMART attributes that are out of the normal range, and that the drive is at a high risk of failure. Some of the common attributes that can trigger a “danger” status are:

• Reallocated Sectors Count: This indicates the number of sectors that have been remapped by the drive’s firmware due to read/write errors or physical damage. A high number of reallocated sectors means that the drive has a lot of bad sectors that can cause data loss or corruption.
• Current Pending Sector Count: This indicates the number of sectors that are waiting to be remapped by the drive’s firmware. These sectors may have been detected as unstable or unreadable, and the drive will attempt to recover them or replace them with spare sectors. A high number of current pending sectors means that the drive is having trouble reading or writing data, and that it may fail soon.
• Uncorrectable Sector Count: This indicates the number of sectors that could not be recovered or remapped by the drive’s firmware. These sectors are permanently lost and can not be accessed by the user. A high number of uncorrectable sectors means that the drive has severe physical damage or defects that can not be fixed.
• CRC Error Count: This indicates the number of errors that occurred during data transfer between the drive and the host (such as the motherboard or the external enclosure). These errors are usually caused by faulty cables, connectors, or ports, and they can result in data corruption or loss.
• Offline Uncorrectable Sector Count: This indicates the number of sectors that were marked as uncorrectable when the drive was scanned in an offline mode. This attribute is similar to the uncorrectable sector count, but it only reflects the sectors that were tested when the drive was not in use. A high number of offline uncorrectable sectors means that the drive has latent defects that may surface when the drive is in operation.

The exact threshold values for these attributes may vary depending on the drive model and manufacturer, but generally, any value above zero is considered a warning sign. CrystalDiskInfo uses a color-coded system to indicate the severity of the attribute values, with blue being normal, yellow being caution, and red being danger.

So, what can you do if your drive shows a “danger” status in CrystalDiskInfo? Here are some possible steps:

• Back up your data as soon as possible: This is the most important and urgent thing to do, as your drive may fail at any moment and you may lose all your data. You can use a backup software or a cloning tool to copy your data to another drive or an online storage service. You can also try to recover your data using a data recovery software or a professional service, but this may not work if your drive has too many bad sectors or errors.
• Check your cables and ports: If your drive shows a high CRC error count, it may be due to a faulty cable or port. You can try to replace the cable or use a different port or enclosure to see if the error count decreases. You can also try to update your drivers or firmware to ensure that your drive is compatible with your system.
• Run a disk check or a repair tool: If your drive shows a high number of current pending sectors or reallocated sectors, it may be due to logical errors or file system corruption. You can try to run a disk check or a repair tool to scan and fix any errors on your drive. You can use the built-in Windows tool (chkdsk) or a third-party software (such as HDDScan or HD Tune) to perform this task. However, be aware that this may not work if your drive has too many physical defects or damage, and it may even worsen the situation by stressing the drive further.
• Replace your drive or claim your warranty: If your drive shows a high number of uncorrectable sectors or offline uncorrectable sectors, it means that your drive has irreparable damage and it is likely to fail soon. In this case, the best option is to replace your drive with a new one or claim your warranty if it is still valid. You can check the warranty status of your drive by contacting the manufacturer or the seller, and you may need to provide the serial number or the receipt of your purchase.

In

conclusion, a “danger” status in CrystalDiskInfo is a serious indication that your drive is failing and that you need to take action immediately. You should back up your data, check your cables and ports, run a disk check or a repair tool, or replace your drive or claim your warranty, depending on the cause and the severity of the problem. By doing so, you may be able to salvage your drive or at least prevent further data loss or damage.