All hard drives have inherent defects. These defects relate to the media, a high tech metallic film, "sputtered" [as in a spitting action] on to a disc [usually metal but the latest IBM, model 120GXP, are made of glass - v high tech], a process perfected by the Japos from which they made alot of money as it applies to the manufacture of anything related to very thin metallic plating/coating but without the hassles of electro-plating [chrome plating etc].
These defects are mapped out, together with extra [redundant] backup media, after the assembly process. Media defect management is the name of the game in hard drive manufacture.
As long as the defect is manageable during the declared projected life of the hard drive, it is deemed passed for sale.
A few factors determine the manageablity of media defect. Temperature, integrity of the sputtering, from batch to batch, [as in video & audio tapes], even-ness of the substrate [ie BS word for the platter], for example. When the media cannot retain data within a given error algorithm/formula, you get f**ked Windows!!
The HDD Bios will manage the defect throughout its projected life, replacing small defects with redundant media automatically. Its when the defect becomes unmanageable, that's when it's deemed unserviceable.
In my case, it seems to be an IBM design fault as many have experienced it, the media defect is kept manageable when the access time is increased, which effectively is what "Low Acoustics" is doing.
By slowing the drive heads, thereby increasing average access time, the media is read slower. In reality, the drive serviceable life is being reduced. Data is always read, it's the degree of error that makes it OK or not. The error, quoted as how many times per millions, is based on error-correction formula [an algorithm in BS]. If it fails that, it's returned as error and if it's within say, Windows, the error will be trapped by some prearranged Windows error code.
The time for deep pockets is when it "cannot be read". The data loss is so great, that the error formula, as preprogrammed into the HDD Bios, is told to give up. Data is always there, it's whether its worth the time to read it. Data recovery houses can always pick things up and remake the jigsaw - up to a point.
My drive is on the borderline, I'll say. Put it to low acoustics to use it for say, a couple of months, or stress it to kill it quickly and get a replacement.
Those who say a virus kills the drive do not know enough about hard drives. A virus CAN stress a HDD to death but it can take months or with a borderline drive, a few hours, but a virus cannot just short out some electrical component, say. Don't forget, a virus is just a software program, nothing more. It cannot bypass a HDD design, unless that HDD design has some dumb, amateur circuitry design.
It's like, say, wiring a 12V motor from a 230/110-24/12V transformer. Unless there is an auto-step up/down slider that can be programmed through software, it cannot be changed except manually. IC circuitry is mainly switching voltage [5V/0V] except those that drives the mechanicals like the platter motor and the drive heads actuator [similar to a speaker/vioce coil design].
Nothing is impossible but within the bounds of possibility, a HDD killer virus cannot overspin the platter motor as that is feedback monitored. It will have to be one that keep the heads working overtime, until death.
These defects are mapped out, together with extra [redundant] backup media, after the assembly process. Media defect management is the name of the game in hard drive manufacture.
As long as the defect is manageable during the declared projected life of the hard drive, it is deemed passed for sale.
A few factors determine the manageablity of media defect. Temperature, integrity of the sputtering, from batch to batch, [as in video & audio tapes], even-ness of the substrate [ie BS word for the platter], for example. When the media cannot retain data within a given error algorithm/formula, you get f**ked Windows!!
The HDD Bios will manage the defect throughout its projected life, replacing small defects with redundant media automatically. Its when the defect becomes unmanageable, that's when it's deemed unserviceable.
In my case, it seems to be an IBM design fault as many have experienced it, the media defect is kept manageable when the access time is increased, which effectively is what "Low Acoustics" is doing.
By slowing the drive heads, thereby increasing average access time, the media is read slower. In reality, the drive serviceable life is being reduced. Data is always read, it's the degree of error that makes it OK or not. The error, quoted as how many times per millions, is based on error-correction formula [an algorithm in BS]. If it fails that, it's returned as error and if it's within say, Windows, the error will be trapped by some prearranged Windows error code.
The time for deep pockets is when it "cannot be read". The data loss is so great, that the error formula, as preprogrammed into the HDD Bios, is told to give up. Data is always there, it's whether its worth the time to read it. Data recovery houses can always pick things up and remake the jigsaw - up to a point.
My drive is on the borderline, I'll say. Put it to low acoustics to use it for say, a couple of months, or stress it to kill it quickly and get a replacement.
Those who say a virus kills the drive do not know enough about hard drives. A virus CAN stress a HDD to death but it can take months or with a borderline drive, a few hours, but a virus cannot just short out some electrical component, say. Don't forget, a virus is just a software program, nothing more. It cannot bypass a HDD design, unless that HDD design has some dumb, amateur circuitry design.
It's like, say, wiring a 12V motor from a 230/110-24/12V transformer. Unless there is an auto-step up/down slider that can be programmed through software, it cannot be changed except manually. IC circuitry is mainly switching voltage [5V/0V] except those that drives the mechanicals like the platter motor and the drive heads actuator [similar to a speaker/vioce coil design].
Nothing is impossible but within the bounds of possibility, a HDD killer virus cannot overspin the platter motor as that is feedback monitored. It will have to be one that keep the heads working overtime, until death.
