Is there a smart way of identifying a bad(?) harddrive?

[oRBIT]

I've got 3 * 12TB WD RED Plus (pretty new) in my DS923+, sometimes I get this noise in my NAS. I'm pretty confident it's one of the drives since I recently replaced the NAS itself.
Check attached video (raise volume) and you'll hear some kind of irregular tone. It's only heard once in a while and now it's been weeks since I heard it the last time until today. I restarted the NAS today and the tone disapperead.
Is there a genius way of identifying the drive that's causing the noise? The only way I can think of is to rip one of the disks out at a time (and let the NAS complain that the storagepool is bad), but since this sound is only heard sometimes I might have to have the disk pulled out for weeks before noticing it.
The drive statuses in DSM doesn't mention anything special.

 

[Jan Janowski]

I guess Synology NAS is Not warning you of a drive failure?
Even with recent removal of Smart Data, You can get to smart data via DS FINDER App. I’d start there to compare the drive’s data, one to the other.
If no cause is found and drives are healthy yet noisy, you can quiet them with fuzzy Velcro pieces posted before, at bottom of tray, to metal chassis, or on feet bottom.

 

[oRBIT]

Here we go again. Hear the odd tones in the attached video appearing from time to time. I've got three drives in a SHR-setup but I've got no clever idea how to identify which drive. SMART data (limited) says nothing. Any smart ideas?

This video was recording during a Handbrake encoding session, Handbrake was reading a large file from my NAS and encoding to my local PC. When the encoding ended, the noiseproblems stopped. When manually copying the large file from NAS to PC, there was no noise similar to that one I recorded.

 

[Birdy]

To detect which Drive it is, you could, for example, put a screwdriver in the middle of the Drive Tray (at the front of course) and your ear against the screwdriver handle.
Do this on all 3 and where the sound is the loudest, is the Drive you looking for.

 

[strikes2k]

I guess I'm old school but HD noise has never been a good indicator of drive failure to me, but I grew up in the Seagate ST-251 era. Doesn't mean I LIKE HD noise but I've had noisy hard drives that lasted forever and very quiet ones that failed. My main thing is having good backups because a drive can fail at any time regardless of noise level.

 

[Birdy]

It's about a very strange noise and, I'm old school too (hence the screwdriver)

 

[Telos]

The only way I can think of is to rip one of the disks out at a time (and let the NAS complain that the storagepool is bad), but since this sound is only heard sometimes I might have to have the disk pulled out for weeks before noticing it.

Shutdown the NAS. Remove and connect the drive to a PC using a powered USB dock (or powered SATA cable). Run it through its OEM's diagnostic software (extended tests). If good, test the next drive. Given the length of these tests, you should be able to detect audible performance as well.

 

[oRBIT]

Shutdown the NAS. Remove and connect the drive to a PC using a powered USB dock (or powered SATA cable). Run it through its OEM's diagnostic software (extended tests). If good, test the next drive. Given the length of these tests, you should be able to detect audible performance as well.

Hm perhaps that's a good idea. Since all drives are WD Red Plus, I found a software called "Western Digital Dashboard", could this be it?

EDIT: Trying it. Seems I only can do S.M.A.R.T. tests with it..

 

[Telos]

Western Digital Support | Western Digital

Find detailed answers to your support questions for your Western Digital, SanDisk, WD_BLACK, or WD storage product.

support-en.wd.com

 

[oRBIT]

Western Digital Support | Western Digital

Find detailed answers to your support questions for your Western Digital, SanDisk, WD_BLACK, or WD storage product.

support-en.wd.com

It doesn't support WD Red Plus drives for some reason, only DAS-drives.

 

[Telos]

It doesn't support WD Red Plus drives for some reason, only DAS-drives.

I just tried 2 drives (both working Reds)... one ran and the other was unnoticed. Seems like WD dumbed down what was once a decent tool.

 

[jeyare]

Post in thread 'Do you recognize this repetitive HDD sound? Looking for help...'
Do you recognize this repetitive HDD sound? Looking for help...

none of the disk manufacturers for the retail market provide:

• more than smartctl encapsulated in the GUI of the "native" disktool
• I have my own experience with WD support, I wouldn't expect rocket science there. Low cost driven service.

open Search on this forum, search for "smartctl", I described more about it here a long time ago
or official link with documentation and more deep dive knowledge base :

smartmontools

www.smartmontools.org

when you like more GUI based tool, this is more complex graphical interface for the smartctl:

GSmartControl · Hard disk drive and SSD health inspection tool

GSmartControl Hard disk drive and SSD health inspection tool GSmartControl is a graphical user interface for smartctl (from smartmontools package),...

gsmartcontrol.shaduri.dev

 

[Coop777]

none of the disk manufacturers for the retail market provide:

• more than smartctl encapsulated in the GUI of the "native" disktool
• I have my own experience with WD support, I wouldn't expect rocket science there. Low cost driven service.

open Search on this forum, search for "smartctl", I described more about it here a long time ago
or official link with documentation and more deep dive knowledge base :

when you like more GUI based tool, this is more complex graphical interface for the smartctl:

Nice find..however, do drive manufacturers recognize the results of that tool concerning drive warranties and replacements?

 

[Jan Janowski]

Years ago, I had a WD RED go bad (According to Synology - Bad Blocks emails received 3-5 times.
Called WD Support. They didn’t have Synology written down on their flip cards they were reading from, but suggested their software. Yes, pull drive, add to PC, run WD TEST SOFTWARE. If Pass: No Warranty replacement. But, IF it fails - Then call back! They didn’t trust anybody but themselves!
I did (pull it out), test on PC, it failed, I called, and THEN they issued an RMA Exchange, IF I put up a CC to cover lost drives in shipping! It got there, no charge!

Second, and RMA Drive died 15 months later. Same symptoms: Bad Blocks being reported. After new drives fixed NAS, both removed drives failed WD TEST SOFTWARE. Took out my frustrations with sledgehammer.

Cliff Notes: If Synology tells you you have bad blocks more than once…….. Believe them! Solution: ??? Throw Money at it!

 

[jeyare]

Nice find..however, do drive manufacturers recognize the results of that tool concerning drive warranties and replacements?

a clear water into this complex problem:
1. Complaints originating from the Retail market do not even reach the manufacturer. I mean those where 2nd level support should be provided by the vendor. All these retail complaints end up in a pre-written communication script for this segment (If/Then) at the 1st line support level, often outsourced by foremen on a low-cost basis. Therefore, such a claim channel is ideal for full automation without human assistance. No need a brain. Simple, uniform answers to simple questions are enough.

2. However, if complaints (SLA based contract) do reach a higher level, then smartools is just one of a series of diagnostics. That's where the bigger firmware level part comes into stage.

 

[jeyare]

more here:

Forums - HDD LAND

vBulletin Forums

www.hdd-land.com

https://www.hddgod.com/

for the low level test/repair procedures like:

• head alignment test
• servo calibration
• …

 

[jeyare]

Years ago, I had a WD RED go bad (According to Synology - Bad Blocks emails received 3-5 times.
Called WD Support. They didn’t have Synology written down on their flip cards they were reading from, but suggested their software. Yes, pull drive, add to PC, run WD TEST SOFTWARE. If Pass: No Warranty replacement. But, IF it fails - Then call back! They didn’t trust anybody but themselves!
I did (pull it out), test on PC, it failed, I called, and THEN they issued an RMA Exchange, IF I put up a CC to cover lost drives in shipping! It got there, no charge!

Second, and RMA Drive died 15 months later. Same symptoms: Bad Blocks being reported. After new drives fixed NAS, both removed drives failed WD TEST SOFTWARE. Took out my frustrations with sledgehammer.

Cliff Notes: If Synology tells you you have bad blocks more than once…….. Believe them! Solution: ??? Throw Money at it!

I don't remember the last time I complained about drives, I'm investing in Seagate Exos and HGSD (WD Ultrastar) enterprise hdd level.
My oldest still reliably running drives are Seagate Constellation. And they still remember the onset of the epoch of the iPhone.

 

[Coop777]

I don't remember the last time I complained about drives, I'm investing in Seagate Exos and HGSD (WD Ultrastar) enterprise hdd level.
My oldest still reliably running drives are Seagate Constellation. And they still remember the onset of the epoch of the iPhone.

I've been running on the HGST Deskstar and now WD Ultrastars for 10+ years. What made you choose the Seagate Exos?

 

[jeyare]

Few positive experiences

 

[Coop777]

Few positive experiences

That's good to know. I have hesitated moving away from the Ultrastars knowing the brand and longevity...always nice to have a plan b..or c.