GA-X58A-UD5(rev. 2.0) and Problem WD 2TB Hard Drive

[ChrisR]

Model Name : GA-X58A-UD5(rev. 2.0)
BIOS Ver : FC2 (Beta version supplied direct by Gigabyte)

CPU : Intel i7-960
Memory : Kingston 6 x 4GB DDR3 x 1333 (Kingston KVR1333D3N9K3)
Power Supply : 1000W Coolermaster Silent Pro Gold PSU
Video card : Asus model ENGT240
Hard Drive (Main): Intel X25-M SATA 160GB solid state hard drive
DVD : Sony DRU-870S DVD/CD rewritable drive
Screen : Iiyama ProLite E2200WS
Other kit : USB mouse, USB keyboard,
Operating System : Windows 7 (64-bit )


I have successfully built my computer and installed Windows 7 (64 bit). I had a little bit of a problem with the original PSU (covered under another thread), but my system is now up and running like a rocket.

That is until I add a Western Digital 2TB hard drive (WD20EARS). [Not brand new but bought a few months ago and used as an external SATA drive on my old system].

Connections :

Intel SSD is attached to SATA2_0    (Identified at IDE channel 0 master)
Sony DVD is attached to SATA2_1    (Identified at IDE channel 0 slave)
WD drive is attached to SATA2_2    (Identified at IDE channel 1 master)

BIOS FC2 is set to defaults except as follows :

Advanced Frequency Settings - SPD set to 10.0 to increase memory frequency from identified 1066MHz to 1333MHz.

Advanced BIOS Features - Full Screen LOGO Show - Disabled.

Problem :

The WD hard drive is identified and can be used by Windows (set to drive I:).

I have installed and checked the disk using the WD Disk Align utility. I have deleted the partition and recreated with the Windows Disk Management several times. [Identified as a healthy primary partition 1863.01GB NTFS].

However, copying from drive I: to drive C: initially is acceptable, but rapidly reduces transfer rates to a painfully slow rate (KB/second and not MB/second).

Use of file managers (Explorer or PowerDesk) is initially OK, but then the system virtually seizes up with no visible progress and a ‘Not Responding’ message from Windows.

Using Task Manager to shut down programs that have apparently stopped takes an age.

Shutting Windows down can take 15 minutes or more.

Windows is also identifying problems with the disk on bootup, insists on checking the disk and then usually finding problems.

And this is all on an almost empty hard drive.

I would like to know if this is likely to be a faulty WD drive, a SATA set up problem or other BIOS issue. Can anyone advise me on how to proceed from here?

Regards

Chris

[Dark Mantis]

Hi again

The first and easiest thing to check is the cabling to the drive. I would advise just swapping it out for new.

Have you run chkdsk on the drive thoroughly?

Are you using AHCI or IDE mode on the drive now that it is internal?

[jdvoracek]

Advanced Frequency Settings - SPD set to 10.0 to increase memory frequency from identified 1066MHz to 1333MHz.

I have installed and checked the disk using the WD Disk Align utility. I have deleted the partition and recreated with the Windows Disk Management several times. [Identified as a healthy primary partition 1863.01GB NTFS].

I would like to know if this is likely to be a faulty WD drive, a SATA set up problem or other BIOS issue. Can anyone advise me on how to proceed from here?

WD Disk Align reads and reports the SMART data on the HD, correct?  So the HD thinks it's healthy?

Any clues in the Windows 7 Event Logs - error messages?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766042.aspx

Memory errors can show up in very funny ways.  Sometimes you need to adjust timings and/or voltages running memory over 1066 in X58 mobos, even if the memory is rated faster.  As a last resort, try using the HD with memory at 1066.

Good hunting!

[ChrisR]

Thanks for the rapid replies.

I did swap the Gigabyte blue SATA cable for a red SATA cable bought from Misco in May this year with the WD drive. I will try one of the spare Gigabyte blue SATA cables tonight.

Disk running on IDE mode as per BIOS default.

I will also retry CHKDSK with a thorough scan.

Both WD Disk Align and Windows 7 seem to think the disk is fit and healthy. I will run both again and check.

I will review the Windows 7 Event Logs. Last time I did not pick up anything significant.

Lastly I will try running the memory at 1066MHz.

Thanks for the advice.

Chris

[Dark Mantis]

OK just let us know how you get on with the testing.

[ChrisR]

Problem hardware is a Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 3.5" SATA hard drive.

Although Windows 7 is able to partition the disk and is reporting the drive as healthy, it is encountering serious disk input-output errors and a very slow performance. WD Align also appears to think the drive is OK.

Results of more testing:

I tried setting the Windows CHKDSK running last night. It started relatively quickly, but on viewing the following morning, CHKDSK was at a standstill and only about 10% of the drive appeared to have been scanned. I halted that test.

I have been able to check the drive using the Western Digital Lifeguard Diagnostic software. Results:

   SMART status check passes without problem.

   The Quick Test gives a Fail result 'Status code = 07 Failed read test element,
   Failure checkpoint = 99 unknown test, SMART test did not complete'.

   The Extended Test fails with the message '08-Too many bad sectors'

I then attempted to partition the disk using Acronis Disk Director 11 rather than using Windows 7 Disk Management. However, the Acronis operation also fails because of disk errors.

Conclusion:

The WD drive is defective and the problem is not BIOS settings or memory issues. I am now in the process of returning the drive to the vendor for a replacement or refund. I will see if I can get hold of a replacement drive tomorrow and install, I will then confirm that it is just the drive.

It is clearly very disappointing that on my first computer build, so many components turn out to be defective.

Thanks for your help.

Regards

Chris

[Dark Mantis]

The Western Digital Green is not a drive I would recommend for a boot drive. Because of it's designed power saving mode mof operation it will keep dropping out when not being used constantly. You may be saving the world but it will give you a right headache as you are finding. The drive itself may or may not be faulty but I would only use one for a data backup drive personally.

[Lsdmeasap]

The Western Digital Green is not a drive I would recommend for a boot drive. Because of it's designed power saving mode mof operation it will keep dropping out when not being used constantly. You may be saving the world but it will give you a right headache as you are finding. The drive itself may or may not be faulty but I would only use one for a data backup drive personally.

+1

I agree for sure, I have seen many issues with WD green drives in generally and especially when they are used for a main OS drive.

Get a WD blue or Black for your OS Boot drive.