I have a laptop that I am trying to install 8.1.1 on and during the install it started giving this message "SMART failure predicted on hard drive". After many hours of cleaning and formating the drive, It won't even let me install windows 7. It says that it can't install because the drive is bad. Is there any way to fix it using the cmd prompt? Can I turn off the S.M.A.R.T. function? Remap bad sectors? I know the best way to fix it is to install a new HDD/SSD, but the unit is very old and I don't want to put any money into it. It's just a testing machine, so I don't care if it dies for good. Maybe that time is now.
Thanks Bytebuster, I am continuing to look at the post you gave me (& Google) I looked in the Bios and can't find a way to disable S.M.A.R.T. The make/model info: Toshiba A75-S211 serial #Z4381281K Bios v1.60 HDD IC25N080ATMR04-0-(PM)
I had to install new drive. Got it running with 8.1.1 WMC. Running well except for one issue with the Qualcomm Atheros AR5004G Wireless Network Adapter. I need to install drivers, but don't know how to do it in "Compatible mode" (since it is very old). I have downloaded the latest drivers (Atheros driver 10.0.0.274 for AR5004G) but don't know how to install them. All I see are some .sys and .inf files. What am I missing? Thanks
Google this: install driver inf file OR 1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the INF file name. A shortcut menu will appear. 2. Click Install.
Thanks for the info, It appears that it did install, but now I got BSOD is says "irql not less or equal" I think it installed because I can go into safe mode, then device manager and there is no flag on the device. I then go into driver details for the device and it shows the current version of driver. It is an old unit without PAE, NX, etc., so I have patched all that with Jan's patch (which works great), but now can't get past this. I am currently rebooting with windows 7 disk, then will go into the setup and re-patch it to see if that will work. I remember when I installed 8.1 on this same unit, I had to install this driver in compatible mode. There was not that option when I did right click > install
If the code is 0x0000000A, then it usually means core unstable due to overclocking. That one likes to get me when gaming.....
I don't have the BSOD anymore. I installed a new hard drive and it is running well with the latest 8.1.1. If I could just figure out how to get the wireless network adapter working
oh oh! uh uh! bad news. you just tripped the S.M.A.R.T. its not possible to reset S.M.A.R.T. with ordinary softwares/tools. You need special tools (hardware) to reset smart. using those tools you can pass the HDD arm controller the ATA commands to reset the S.M.A.R.T. values. and with that you may also reset and or reallocate the p-list/g-list. This process is also called factory reset/reservicing. once you do it. your old hdd will be like a brand new refurbished HDD. sparkle and clean clean... just an ordinary firmware upgrade doesnt reset smart like good old ATA/PATA days. The controller these days are highly advanced arm cpu controlling almost everything in the hard drive, operating @250-400 MHz option 2, you can find the jtag pin/pad outs and then may be rewrite the tables. good luck with your hard drive. i think with normal tool you can not fix it anyway and/ anyhow. and yes you can use hdparm to reset/zero out the IO of those sectors but it will still at some point later pop its head out. 4 of my drives are dead and 1 drive of mine have got only 28 hours befores it chokes and dies. hdparm write sector didnt fix the error and smart cant be reset using hdparm. thanks! -paul
Thanks Paul for the thorough explanation. I enjoy the challenge of working on these old machines and learning from the very talented people here. I just purchased a new drive an have it running the latest version of windows. The only thing I can't get to work now is the wireless network adapter?