Is fixdisk stuck in a loop?

[armadale9]

I have just bought a second hand HDR Fox T2. It records and plays back but the disk test failed with error 5 and reformatting has not cleared it. I have loaded the Custom Firmware and eventually got fixdisk with automatic correction (-y) running via WebIF and Webshell. It has constantly been showing for about 2 hours:

Running short disk self test
Error at LBA 0
/dev/sda:
re-writing sector 0: succeeded

This just keeps repeating. Does this mean it is stuck in a loop or is it really correcting all these errors? What should I do and how do I get out of it if it is stuck?
I am beginning to think the disk may on its way out.
Many thanks to any replies.

 

[Black Hole]

So flip in the HDD from your dead one.

 

[armadale9]

Yes I could do that, but is fixdisk actually doing anything? Do you think the disk is failing?

 

[Black Hole]

LBA 0 is tricky, it's where the partition table and (maybe) the logical block defect mapping lives. Others know a lot more about this than I.

 

[armadale9]

Thanks for that. Does anyone else have any ideas?

 

[Black Hole]

So flip in the HDD from your dead one.

 

[prpr]

Do you think the disk is failing?

Post the SMART stats. and you may get a vaguely sensible reply.
If you don't, then you certainly won't.

 

[Trev]

Do you think the disk is failing?

From the information available, the answer is 'Yes' or 'No'.

 

[armadale9]

Thank you for your help. I will add the stats that I think you are referring to. Any help gratefully received.

 

[MartinLiddle]

I would say that the reallocated sector count is very high and it is probably time to replace the hard drive.

 

[armadale9]

Thanks very much. I assume fixdisk will not help then?

 

[Black Hole]

If LBA 0 has gone west, I don't think it can. Like I said before, you have an easy solution.

 

[armadale9]

Thank you all for your help. This forum is really great.

 

[MartinLiddle]

Thanks very much. I assume fixdisk will not help then?

It certainly can't reduce the reallocated sector count which strikes me as very high for a disk with less than 7,000 power on hours.

 

[Black Hole]

Yes, my HDR1 is 70,000 hours with zero reallocated.

 

[Ezra Pound]

It has also been power cycled (on average) every 23 minutes throughout it's life which is a little unusual

 

[Black Hole]

That might not be so odd if the owner had it mostly on standby and just waking up to make or play a recording, as might be typical consumer use.

 

[prpr]

I assume fixdisk will not help then?

It's not worth wasting the time on, no. Get a new disk. That one's had it.

 

[armadale9]

Thanks everyone. I decided to contact the seller and report the disk problem. He has agreed to a refund so problem solved.

 

[Black Hole]

He has agreed to a refund so problem solved.

To be picky, a refund does not solve the problem – fitting another HDD solves the problem.

You have a dead HDR-FOX with a good HDD, and a good HDR-FOX with a dead HDD. You need both to make one working unit. If you've agreed a partial refund on the basis that the HDD was not advertised as not working, that's fine, but a full refund seems harsh on the vendor if you want to make use of the rest of the item rather than send it back or bin it.