WD Sata Issues, Need Your Help!

[Toolboxx]

I need some help with my SATA drive and need an expert! Most of the time I consider myself to be pretty damn good but every now and then I run into an issue and cannot figure it out. I?m been stressing for weeks...I need your help!

I have an WD1200JD SATA drive connected directly to the SATA controller on a Gigabyte 8IPE1000 Pro MB as a data drive (have a 36GB Raptor as the boot drive). The problem is the 120GB drive does not show up in My Computer or Disk Management anymore.

Once or twice a week the drive shows up in My Computer but then disappears for no reason. When it's there, the data is accessable but stutters when playing video, etc, & it runs really freakin slow! Since then, I purchased a Silicon Image PCI SATA card, replaced the SATA cables and reinstalled Win XP with no luck!

I ran DLG and got the following error: FAIL 03- Read SMART Attribute command error on drive 1!

See screen shots of benchmarks?between the Raptor (green) & the WD1200JD(yellow).

Screen1

Screen2

Crap transfer rates!

Any suggestions? Please?

 

[yezhou]

I'm not sure of the problem, but I'd definitely say backup your data on that drive ASAP.

 

[lkm]

yeah, i had a similar problem with an IDE drive. first thing i would suggest is the power wiring. Make sure the power connector is the one that is heading to the missing drive is the first connection or better yet the only one. If that doesn't fix is, post up you system stas and your power supply.

 

[Toolboxx]

Thanks, I think each drive is using it's own power connector 'rail', but I'll double check.

Specs:
Intel P4 2.6 HT
Gigabyte 8iPE1000 Pro
2x256 Kingston HyperX DDR400 (Dual Channel)
Lite-On DVD 16x
Lite-On CD-RW 52x
WD 36Gb Raptor Sata
WD 120JD Sata
ATI Radeon 9500 Pro
ATI TV Wonder PCI
NEC 17" LCD
4 80mm Case Fans
Antec True Power 330W

I've had this setup for about a 1 1/2 years, not sure why this started happening...

 

[Dahak]

Aslo seeing as you ran the DLG tests and it gave you a smart error, i'd back up any data on it and rma it. Western Digitial gives you 2 options 1) is an advanced rma, which you have to give you cc number, they send you a new drive, then you send the dead one back, cc is for insurance that you send the old one. Or the standard rma, where you send in the old one first and get a replacement one.

 

[stevty2889]

It really sounds like the drive itself is the problem. It should still be under waranty, so I would back up the important data and RMA it..

 

[imported_rod]

Yeah, it looks like the drive is the problem. RMA it.

RoD