ATI failed to read data from disk, real or bogus?

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Mrkvonic, Jun 17, 2009.

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  1. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    I get this one: Error: E000101F4 - Failed to read data from the disk.

    I've read the other posts, so I understand the gist, but:

    ATI reports different sectors each time, one error per backup, then it proceeds and completes successfully and validates the backup successfully. No problem with computer performance or any other errors whatsoever.

    First time, the error is sector 757, 175.
    Second time, the error is sector 757,189.
    Third time, the error is sector 757, 182.

    Always a single sector, no more, no less, continues normally.

    It's a 200GB WD disk running XP, 3.5 years old, SMART data ok, WD utility check passes ok, chkdsk passes ok (clean, no bad sectors), no issues in event viewer, no indication of system problems, disk problems, nothing at all.

    So the question is, is this a real problem?

    What is the meaning of the different sectors reported - glitch? Or a multiple disk sector issue, but then, with so many bad sectors, I'd expect chkdsk to show something ...

    ATI has been running on this host for the last 3 years reliably, no issues, this is the first one. Please do not suggest to upgrade the drivers or the software or something alike as everything is the same as before, except the error that cropped yesterday.

    Real? What do you think?

    Cheers,
    Mrk
     
  2. K0LO

    K0LO Registered Member

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    Mrk:

    Does the error occur in both versions of TI; the Windows version and when booted to the Linux recovery environment?

    You seem to have ruled out disk issues. Have you run Memtest86+ on your RAM? The last two inexplicable software problems that I've had were due to bad RAM.
     
  3. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    There have been disk errors revealed when using TI that don't show up with other diagnostics. Not the usual situation though. A case I'm thinking of had the problem revealed in the Acronis Report Utility which can be downloaded via this link:
    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=55317

    It is mentioned just before I. Problems under Windows

    The report provides a lot of info about your disk structure and so you have to read the report carefully. That's about all I know about it.

    Running a RAM test is also a good idea but if TI is detecting a CRC presented by the HD as its source of the error then it more likely is a disk issue.

    I don't think the TI Validate is a good indicator of the integrity of the archive regarding source read errors. The Validate reconstructs and compares checksums present in the archive. This only shows that the archive is consistent with itself.
     
  4. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Thanks for your responses. Will check from live CD today.
    If the disk really has errors ... maybe it's a time to buy a new one ... :(
    Mrk
     
  5. cranheim

    cranheim Registered Member

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    I was having a similar problem running ATI 2009 on my 7 yr old Dell. The sector errors were mainly around 14,339,xxx. I would get sector errors during two out of three full backups. CHKDSK /r ran clean several times. I replaced my PC 80 GB drive with another the same size. Since then, I have created two full backups without any sector errors. It may be too soon to say it is positively fixed, but so far, all is well.
     
  6. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Ok guys, an update!!!

    I booted from UBCD4WIN live CD (with ATI plugin) and indeed, chkdsk found a single bad sector, pointing to shimgvw.dll file (windows fax and image viewer) and fixed it. I have then booted back into Windows and ran ATI as usual, no errors, backup has completed smoothly.

    So, all is well. Well, I have a bad sector on a disk, which is something I will have to think about. Not a disaster, but not an optimal situation either, but for a disk that has been churning 24/7 for a 1,000 days plus, seems ok ... BTW, it's the cooler of the two disks, by whole 6-8 degC across the entire life cycle, go figure ...

    Second, ATI did not lie, which is good. It has reliably backed up the last 100+ times and continues to do so. It did not most accurately map the bad sector, but quite close.

    Third, it is always great to have live CDs about, especially apps like Bart or UBCD4WIN for Windows users. Simply priceless. Then, the whole range of Linux live CDs.

    Anyhow, things look normal again. No more error after chkdsk from live CD. The big question is, does anyone have experience vis-a-vis disk life expectancy and the first bad sector, if any? I know that seek errors mean the disk is going to kaput within 3 months or so, but bad sectors can also be a problematic file, which does not surprise me in this case.

    Time to consider taking that nehalem extreme edition that I have in my drawer and plastering 12gb ram on it and running a 64-bit linux ...

    Thanks all. Back to business as usual.

    Cheers,
    Mrk
     
  7. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    I think the best thing you can do, apart from buying a new HD now, is to monitor the situation and make appropriate backups. When another bad sector appears then I'd definitely replace the drive.

    If the head came down and caused the damage then there could be small (but large compared to the flying height) pieces floating inside the drive. Sooner or later these are likely to collide and bring the head down perhaps causing more damage. Just no way of predicting the future.
     
  8. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    I keep weekly backups to 7 disks, including 4 external, plus monthly backups to DVDs, two copies each time :) full, all copies in the last 3-4 years retained ...
    Mrk
     
  9. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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  10. tbWSF

    tbWSF Registered Member

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    I had a similar situation while running acronis and sector read errors on a 300GB IDE drive.

    I ended up using SpinRite to resolve the problem and I've been retesting occassionally with HD tune and have had no more issues since fixing that spot on the disk.
     
  11. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Important update!!

    Two weeks later, ATI complained again about a bad sector, again wiggling to and fro a few sectors every other backup attempt.

    I ran chkdsk using built-in Windows utility, every possible chkdsk and disk error tool from live CD, WD diagnostics - nothing clean and smooth as a baby's ass.

    So, I decided to uninstall ATI 9, reboot, clean the registry, reinstall and try again.

    After I reinstalled ATI, it complained that the scheduled backup procedure it had was made by a later verison and could not handle it - strange, because it was made by this same version. I deleted it.

    And then, the backup proceeded smoothly, no errors.

    I have now come to the following conclusions:

    1. ATI reports back sectors, but always a slightly different number.
    2. One bad sector was truly found, but no others.
    3. ATI complains about its scheduled backup.
    4. Reinstall of ATI helps.

    ===> Most likely the program got corrupted somehow, which is strange ... but possible, it seems, since ATI folks do recommend installing latest drivers and such.

    I would like to know how something like that can happen.

    Anyhow, I think my HD is ok ... at least ...

    Cheers,
    Mrk
     
  12. tbWSF

    tbWSF Registered Member

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    On another system this last week, I did a backup and TI 2009 reported a bad sector read. I confirmed a bad spot in HDTUNE full scan. The solution in this case was to use CHKDSK /R in the recovery console which flagged the cluster with the bad sector as bad. Did a full backup again with no errors. Of course HDTUNE still reports the error since it scans the entire disk.

    So in my case, it was a true error. I would suspect you have an intermittent disk error and would suggest running HDTUNE (full scan read mode) frequently to keep an eye on it.

    On my disk the quick scan in HDTUNE did not see any issues, so I recommend the full scan for checking ALL sectors.
     
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