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Thread ID: 124334 2012-04-20 03:34:00 Reallocated sectors pcuser42 (130) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1270913 2012-04-20 03:34:00 Is it safe to use a hard drive where SMART reports a Reallocated Sector Count of 2? It's the only spare hard drive I have that I can use in a computer I want to sell :p pcuser42 (130)
1270914 2012-04-20 04:06:00 Personally I think it's a lottery, it's possible for a hard drive to have a couple of faulty sectors and be otherwise fine and it's just as possible that it's the first signs of impending failure. I don't know if there's software designed to stress test a hard drive but I'd be tempted to look for some to put the drive though it's paces and see if any more faults develop.

At the very least I'd delete everything, and run the manufacturers diagnostic tools through every test. On top of that I'd do a Zero fill and a full format (not quick).
If it gets through all that without developing new faults it might be ok.

I once had a drive lockup during an overnight download back in the dial-up days and kill a single sector. It's was still going strong last I heard and has never had another fault, I've lost track of how many years that is.
dugimodo (138)
1270915 2012-04-20 04:35:00 As said it can be a lottery. If the PC is to sell I would not be happy doing so as it could come back to bite you on the rear end. mikebartnz (21)
1270916 2012-04-20 05:19:00 As said it can be a lottery. If the PC is to sell I would not be happy doing so as it could come back to bite you on the rear end.

I am including the Windows CD and driver CD it came with originally just in case.

EDIT: I also did a zero-write on the drive before posting this and the SMART data in HDAT2 remained unchanged. SeaTools says SMART passes.
pcuser42 (130)
1270917 2012-04-20 08:02:00 SMART is OK, but not completely reliable.
The drive is dodgy, it may last a while, on the other hand it may not. It's not if it will fail but when.
pctek (84)
1270918 2012-04-21 00:11:00 I am including the Windows CD and driver CD it came with originally just in case.
How does that help them with lost data when it dies. As far as I am concerned you are a dodgy trader if you are prepared to sell it like that.
mikebartnz (21)
1270919 2012-04-21 00:25:00 As far as I am concerned you are a dodgy trader if you are prepared to sell it like that.

Only as a last resort. If I can get a healthy drive I'll use that.
pcuser42 (130)
1270920 2012-04-21 00:38:00 If I can get a healthy drive I'll use that.
No excuse. Even though Thailand had it's flooding there are still plenty around.
mikebartnz (21)
1270921 2012-04-21 00:49:00 A second hand drive around 80Gb is about $30~$35 with a 3 month warranty, you should be able to make that back on the sale.

I dont think its good practice to sell a computer with a known HDD fault that will fail at any time. I would also not like to be the buyer unless you are going to state that it has a faulty HDD that will fail at any time. But that will hurt your sale price.
Iantech (16386)
1270922 2012-04-21 01:12:00 No excuse. Even though Thailand had it's flooding there are still plenty around.

Plenty on Trade Me, fortunately.
pcuser42 (130)
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