Green Caviar: High Load Cycle Count after short operation time

[psyways]

Hello !

Just logged in, to ask for your opinion:

Do I need to change the LCC ? Power on Time : 28,

Or just go back to my local computer store?

[azthreadartist]

I too have had a "green" attack.

A WD15EARX drive came in a ASUS desktop I purchased in November of 2011. 

In late January, the computer reports I/O errors in KERNEL32.dll.   More and more programs were affected and we contacted ASUS technical support.  After many hours of using the ASUS suggested trouble shooting processes, including a clean boot with a new admin user and using msconfig.exe to delineate any possible Microsoft Services issues, the hard drive only became less responsive until it would only boot to the Safe Mode with no desktop or task bar.

ASUS will NOT exchange the hard drive for another.   They want the desktop returned in total.  We have installed a new hard drive to continue company operations and all we want is a replacement drive from ASUS.   No joy.

With the comments here on this message thread, it may just be better to "eat" the bad drive and eventually add a second, new hard drive and use it as a mirror (RAID 1) drive.

Since this drive was part of an OEM product, it seems that it is not eleigble for Western Digital's standard warranty and must be replaced by ASUS, which as mentioned is not an option with their RMA department

My feeling is that there must be an alternative solution.

Threadartist

[psusi]

Have you checked the SMART status of the drive to be sure it is failing?  If so, then ask to speak to an Asus supervisor.  It is utterly unacceptable for them not to replace a drive that failed within 90 days.

[Woolala]

Is it confirmed WDIDLE works with the WD30EZRX drive?

I'm near 8000 CCL already.........

So, does it work? And does it void the warranty?

[nerdpeak383]

A quick report that the WD5000AZRX also suffers from the same symptoms, but WDIDLE can be used to set the interval. I've tested this myself by increasing it to 300 seconds.

[Zakhar]

Hi, does this issue also affect the new series of "red" disks, like the WD30EFRX?

I hope is doesn't... and if so, it will prove that for a long lasting disk, we certainly don't need the "retract the head after an absurdely short amount of time" feature!

[Yatti420]

I wanted to add some of my drives to the list..

2 x WD20EARS and a brand new Gateway computer with a slow green drive for a primary OS?

I'll add some references aswell..

Hitachi HDS721010CLA332

SMART ATTRIBUTES:
 ID	Description                         	Status    	Value     	Worst     	Threshold 	Raw Value 	TEC                 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1	Raw Read Error Rate                 	OK        	100       	100       	16        	0         	N.A.                
  2	Throughput Performance              OK        	134       	134       	54        	100       	N.A.                
  3	Spin Up Time                        	OK        	130       	130       	24        	25789661463	N.A.                
  4	Start/Stop Count                    	OK        	100       	100       	0         	3234      	N.A.                
  5	Reallocated Sector Count            	OK        	100       	100       	5         	0         	N.A.                
  7	Seek Error Rate                     	OK        	100       	100       	67        	0         	N.A.                
  8	Seek Time Performance              	OK        	132       	132       	20        	34        	N.A.                
  9	Power On Time                       	OK        	97        	97        	0         	21552     	N.A.                
 10	Spin Retry Count                    	OK        	100       	100       	60        	0         	N.A.                
 12	Power Cycle Count                   	OK        	100       	100       	0         	266       	N.A.                
192	Power off Retract Count             	OK        	97        	97        	0         	3889      	N.A.                
193	Load Cycle Count                    	OK        	97        	97        	0         	3889      	N.A.                
194	Temperature                         	OK        	171       	171       	0         	35 C      	N.A.                
196	Reallocation Event Count            	OK        	100       	100       	0         	0         	N.A.                
197	Current Pending Sector Count       OK        	100       	100       	0         	0         	N.A.                
198	Uncorrectable Sector Count          	OK        	100       	100       	0         	0         	N.A.                
199	UltraDMA CRC Error Count            OK        	200       	200       	0         	3523      	N.A.                

ST3250410AS

SMART ATTRIBUTES:
 ID	Description                         	Status    	Value     	Worst     	Threshold 	Raw Value 	TEC                 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1	Raw Read Error Rate                 	OK        	100       	253       	6         	0         	N.A.                
  3	Spin Up Time                        	OK        	98        	97        	0         	0         	N.A.                
  4	Start/Stop Count                    	OK        	97        	97        	20        	3118      	N.A.                
  5	Reallocated Sector Count            	OK        	100       	100       	36        	19        	N.A.                
  7	Seek Error Rate                     	OK        	81        	60        	30        	123136915 	N.A.                
  9	Power On Time                       	OK        	80        	80        	0         	17888     	N.A.                
 10	Spin Retry Count                    	OK        	100       	100       	97        	0         	N.A.                
 12	Power Cycle Count                   	OK        	100       	100       	20        	350       	N.A.                
187	Reported Uncorrectable Errors       OK        	100       	100       	0         	0         	N.A.                
189	High Fly Writes                     	OK        	100       	100       	0         	0         	N.A.                
190	Temperature Difference from 100  OK        	52        	38        	45        	5336137776	N.A.                
194	Temperature                         	OK        	48        	62        	0         	48 C      	N.A.                
195	Hardware ECC Recovered             	OK        	68        	54        	0         	5574      	N.A.                
197	Current Pending Sector Count       OK        	100       	100       	0         	0         	N.A.                
198	Uncorrectable Sector Count          	OK        	100       	100       	0         	0         	N.A.                
199	UltraDMA CRC Error Count           	OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
200	Write Error Count                   	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
202	Data Address Mark Errors            	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                

WDC WD20EARX-22PASB0 (No idle change - This is a primary OS drive)

13:13:59 18-Aug

SMART ATTRIBUTES:
 ID	Description                         	Status    	Value     	Worst     	Threshold 	Raw Value 	TEC                 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1	Raw Read Error Rate                 	OK        	200       	200       	51        	0         	N.A.                
  3	Spin Up Time                        	OK        	172       	163       	21        	6366      	N.A.                
  4	Start/Stop Count                    	OK        	100       	100       	0         	69        	N.A.                
  5	Reallocated Sector Count            	OK        	200       	200       	140       	0         	N.A.                
  7	Seek Error Rate                     	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
  9	Power On Time                       	OK        	100       	100       	0         	77        	N.A.                
 10	Spin Retry Count                    	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
 11	Calibration Retry Count             	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
 12	Power Cycle Count                   	OK        	100       	100       	0         	67        	N.A.                
192	Power off Retract Count             	OK        	200       	200       	0         	28        	N.A.                
193	Load Cycle Count                    	OK        	200       	200       	0         	925       	N.A.                
194	Temperature                         	OK        	116       	113       	0         	34 C      	N.A.                
196	Reallocation Event Count            	OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
197	Current Pending Sector Count       OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
198	Uncorrectable Sector Count          	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
199	UltraDMA CRC Error Count            OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
200	Write Error Count                   	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                

 WDC WD20EARX-22PASB0

 17:09:19 19-Aug

SMART ATTRIBUTES:
 ID	Description                         	Status    	Value     	Worst     	Threshold 	Raw Value 	TEC                 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1	Raw Read Error Rate                 	OK        	200       	200       	51        	0         	N.A.                
  3	Spin Up Time                        	OK        	172       	163       	21        	6391      	N.A.                
  4	Start/Stop Count                    	OK        	100       	100       	0         	72        	N.A.                
  5	Reallocated Sector Count            	OK        	200       	200       	140       	0         	N.A.                
  7	Seek Error Rate                     	OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
  9	Power On Time                       	OK        	100       	100       	0         	105       	N.A.                
 10	Spin Retry Count                    	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
 11	Calibration Retry Count             	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
 12	Power Cycle Count                   	OK        	100       	100       	0         	70        	N.A.                
192	Power off Retract Count             	OK        	200       	200       	0         	28        	N.A.                
193	Load Cycle Count                    	OK        	200       	200       	0         	1186      	N.A.                
194	Temperature                         	OK        	116       	113       	0         	34 C      	N.A.                
196	Reallocation Event Count            	OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
197	Current Pending Sector Count       OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
198	Uncorrectable Sector Count          	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                
199	UltraDMA CRC Error Count           	OK        	200       	200       	0         	0         	N.A.                
200	Write Error Count                   	OK        	100       	253       	0         	0         	N.A.                

 WD20EARS-00MVWB0 (Good Drive - Rare/No Use - No Idle change)

HD Tune: WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0 Health

ID                               Current  Worst    ThresholdData     Status   
(01) Raw Read Error Rate      200      200      51       0        Ok       
(03) Spin Up Time                253      163      21       1183     Ok       
(04) Start/Stop Count            100      100      0        670      Ok       
(05) Reallocated Sector Count200      200      140      0        Ok       
(07) Seek Error Rate             200      200      0        0        Ok       
(09) Power On Hours Count    85       85       0        11021    Ok       
(0A) Spin Retry Count            100      100      0        0        Ok       
(0B) Calibration Retry Count   100      100      0        0        Ok       
(0C) Power Cycle Count          100      100      0        171      Ok       
(C0) Power Off Retract Count   200      200      0        142      Ok       
(C1) Load Cycle Count           196      196      0        13516    Ok       
(C2) Temperature                 117      97       0        33       Ok       
(C4) Reallocated Event Count  200      200      0        0        Ok       
(C5) Current Pending Sector    200      200      0        0        Ok       
(C6) Offline Uncorrectable       200      200      0        0        Ok       
(C7) Ultra DMA CRC Error Count  200      200      0        23       Ok       
(C8) Write Error Rate              200      200      0        0        Ok       

Power On Time         : 11021
Health Status         : Ok

 WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0 (Bad Drive)

HD Tune: WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0 Health

ID                               Current  Worst    ThresholdData     Status   
(01) Raw Read Error Rate      1        1        51       83405    Failed   
(03) Spin Up Time                253      165      21       1091     Ok       
(04) Start/Stop Count            99       99       0        1612     Ok       
(05) Reallocated Sector Count 199      199      140      19       Ok       
(07) Seek Error Rate             200      200      0        0        Ok       
(09) Power On Hours Count     85       85       0        11031    Ok       
(0A) Spin Retry Count            100      100      0        0        Ok       
(0B) Calibration Retry Count    100      100      0        0        Ok       
(0C) Power Cycle Count           100      100      0        171      Ok       
(C0) Power Off Retract Count    200      200      0        144      Ok       
(C1) Load Cycle Count            153      153      0        141214   Ok       
(C2) Temperature                 119      98       0        31       Ok       
(C4) Reallocated Event Count  189      187      0        11       Ok       
(C5) Current Pending Sector    198      197      0        938      Ok       
(C6) Offline Uncorrectable       200      200      0        7        Ok       
(C7) Ultra DMA CRC Error Count 200      200      0        66       Ok       
(C8) Write Error Rate               200      200      0        193      Ok       

Power On Time         : 11031
Health Status         : Failed

I've now set my WD20EARS remaining drive to /D to disable the "head parking".. It's going back in my NAS shortly.. What is the general rule with these green drives regarding LCC now (300 seconds vs disabled)? I am going to RMA the bad drive..

Thanks,
Yatti

[Theo25]

Hi , i was very lucky to find this information cause i had no idea about this problem.

i have a 1,5 yo wd20ears which is on 40.000 LCC  and ofcource i wdidled it to stop this thing. it was set parking every 8 sec.

i have 2 questions to ask the more experienced users.

1.you think with 40.000 LCC the damage has been already done ?

 2.can i use the wdidle3 on wd20earx ?

thanks !

[WD10EARS]

Yattit420

Why on earth would you RMA the drive?

Hey people YOU BOUGHT A WD GREEN DRIVE

SO THIS MEANS ITR HAS A DIFFERENT HEAD PARK TIME !

THIS DOES NOT EQUAL = YOU HAVE A BROKEN HARD DRIVE.

Seriously guys, the drive was DESIGNED to work the way it does

so whats with the 30 pages of people posting,

"i just noticed i have this problem too.. better RMA the drive" comments ?

Use the tool and change your head parking time and get over it..

I came in here to read about problems with Green drives and i see a flood of noobs

crying their drives is working as INTENDED by western digital.

Unlike most people i did a 2 minute google search before buying mine.

And unless your a moron you would have seen the usual info pretty quick..

So to people that don't know any better there is no such thing as a Green drive model

with OUT this so called broken hard drive (head park) issue.. they ALL are like that.

edit:

i wanted to add that in my quick google search before i bought the drive

it was VERY clear these green drives are SLOW. (compared to many other drives)

So i see a huge amount of comments about people returning their drives because they are kinda slow

or because they found out about the head parking time out issue that can be changed with the DOS tool wdiddle.exe.

So sorry about my comment here i'm just surpised.

Its like buying a crappy car and then saying your gonna return it cause it was crappy LOL

what do expect ?

[christianhberg]

Then tell me why the same drive modells behave differentially resulting in differenct LCC's under the exact same power on times?