Initializing hard drive fails with Windows 10 or AOMEI Partition Assistant

hard-drive format

5,296

The hard drive has failed. If NTFS format says too may bad clusters (it did) then you cannot even use a portion of it. The drive is now unreliable and must be replaced.

5,296

Sephi

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Sephi over 1 year

I have a Toshiba 1TB 2.5" (MQ01ABD100) HDD I want to format and I don't care what is already on the disk, I just want it erased and functional.

Windows 10 Disk Management: initialization (MBR or GPT) fails with message "incorrect function", then all options on this disk are greyed out (Initialize disk, New volume, etc.).
AOMEI Partition Assistant: initialization fails with message "Failed to initialize this disk", while formatting to NTFS fails with "Code 202: Failed to format NTFS due to too many bad clusters".

Finally, I quick scanned it with HD Tune and ALL sectors are seen as damaged (all sectors? I don't think this is the reality). I think this disk was previously encrypted or something and I need to flash or crack whatever needs it.

Previous attempts were performed while the disk was connected via a USB adapter, with the new tests [below] performed with the disk connected directly via SATA.

hdparm -I:

ATA device, with non-removable media

Model Number:       TOSHIBA MQ01ABD100
Serial Number:      xxxxxxxxx
Firmware Revision:  AX1A1U

Transport:          Serial, ATA8-AST, SATA 1.0a, SATA II Extensions, SATA Rev 2.5, SATA Rev 2.6
Standards:
Supported:          8 7 6 5
Likely used:        8

Configuration:      Logical     max    current
cylinders             16383   16383
heads                    16      16
sectors/track            63      63

CHS current addressable sectors:    16514064
LBA    user addressable sectors:   268435455
LBA48  user addressable sectors:  1953525168

Logical  Sector size:                   512 bytes
Physical Sector size:                  4096 bytes
Logical  Sector-0 offset:                 0 bytes

device size with M = 1024*1024:      953869 MBytes
device size with M = 1000*1000:     1000204 MBytes (1000 GB)
cache/buffer size  = 8192 KBytes

Form Factor:                        2.5 inch
Nominal Media Rotation Rate:        5400
Capabilities:                       LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
Queue depth:                        32

Standby timer values:               specd by Standard, no device specific minimum
R/W multiple sector transfer:       Max = 16 Current = 16
Advanced power management level:    254

DMA:                                sdma0 sdma1 sdma2 mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5
  Cycle time:                       min         = 120ns
                                    recommended = 120ns

PIO:                                pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
  Cycle time:                       no    flow control = 120ns
                                    IORDY flow control = 120ns

Commands/features:
Enabled Supported:
  * SMART feature set
  * Security Mode feature set
  * Power Management feature set
  * Write cache
  * Look-ahead
  * Host Protected Area feature set
  * WRITE_BUFFER command
  * READ_BUFFER command
  * NOP cmd
  * DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
  * Advanced Power Management feature set
    SET_MAX security extension
  * 48-bit Address feature set
  * Device Configuration Overlay feature set
  * Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE
  * FLUSH_CACHE_EXT
  * SMART error logging
  * SMART self-test
  * General Purpose Logging feature set
  * WRITE_{DMA|MULTIPLE}_FUA_EXT
  * 64-bit World wide name
  * IDLE_IMMEDIATE with UNLOAD
  * WRITE_UNCORRECTABLE_EXT command
  * {READ,WRITE}_DMA_EXT_GPL commands
  * Segmented DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
  * Gen1 signaling speed (1.5Gb/s)
  * Gen2 signaling speed (3.0Gb/s)
  * Native Command Queueing (NCQ)
  * Host-initiated interface power management
  * Phy event counters
  * Idle-Unload when NCQ is active
  * DMA Setup Auto-Activate optimization
    Device-initiated interface power management
  * Software settings preservation
  * SMART Command Transport (SCT) feature set
  * SCT Write Same (AC2)
  * SCT Error Recovery Control (AC3)
  * SCT Features Control (AC4)
  * SCT Data Tables (AC5)

Security:
  Master password revision code =     65534
  supported
  enabled
  locked
  not frozen
  not expired:                        security count
  supported:                          enhanced erase

  Security level maximum
  238min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
  238min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT.

  Logical Unit WWN Device Identifier: 5000039651b06f24
  NAA:                                5
  IEEE OUI:                           000039
  Unique ID:                          651b06f24
  Checksum:                           correct

I see enabled and locked in the security part of the output; does this prevent me from using the disk?

smartctl -t long:

=== START OF OFFLINE IMMEDIATE AND SELF-TEST SECTION ===
Sending command:  "Execute SMART Extended self-test routine immediately in off-line mode".
Drive command     "Execute SMART Extended self-test routine immediately in off-line mode" successful.
Testing has begun.
Please wait 255 minutes for test to complete.
Test will complete after Fri Dec 27 04:03:34 2019

smartctl -a: (done a night after the previous long self-test)

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Toshiba 2.5 HDD MQ01ABD...
Device Model:     TOSHIBA MQ01ABD100
Serial Number:    xxxxxxxxx
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000039 651b06f24
Firmware Version: AX1A1U

User Capacity:    1,000,204,886,016 bytes [1.00 TB]
Sector Sizes:     512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
Rotation Rate:    5400 rpm
Form Factor:      2.5 inches

Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   ATA8-ACS (minor revision not indicated)
SATA Version is:  SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)

Local Time is:    Fri Dec 27 07:55:27 2019 UTC
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled


=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:                 (0x00)  Offline data collection activity was never started.
  Auto Offline Data Collection:                 Disabled

Self-test execution status:                     (   0)  The previous self-test routine completed without error or no self-test has ever been run.
Total time to complete Offline data collection: (  120) seconds.

Offline data collection capabilities:           (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
  Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
  Suspend Offline collection upon new
  command.
  Offline surface scan supported.
  Self-test supported.
  No Conveyance Self-test supported.
  Selective Self-test supported.

SMART capabilities:                             (0x0003)    Saves SMART data before entering
  power-saving mode.
  Supports SMART auto save timer.

Error logging capability:                       (0x01)  Error logging supported.
  General Purpose Logging supported.

Short self-test routine polling time:           (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine polling time:          ( 255) minutes.

SCT capabilities:                               (0x003d)    SCT Status supported.
  SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
  SCT Feature Control supported.
  SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16

Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   100   100   050    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   100   100   050    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0027   100   100   001    Pre-fail  Always       -       2145
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       609
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   050    Pre-fail  Always       -       40
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   050    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   100   100   050    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   095   095   000    Old_age   Always       -       2052
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0033   112   100   030    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       347
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       26
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1173
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       28 (Min/Max 12/49)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       4
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0030   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x0032   200   253   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
220 Disk_Shift              0x0002   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
222 Loaded_Hours            0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       20
223 Load_Retry_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
224 Load_Friction           0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
226 Load-in_Time            0x0026   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       258
240 Head_Flying_Hours       0x0001   100   100   001    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 23 (device log contains only the most recent five errors)
  CR = Command Register [HEX]
  FR = Features Register [HEX]
  SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
  SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
  CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
  CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
  DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
  DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
  ER = Error register [HEX]
  ST = Status register [HEX]

Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as:
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes, SS=sec, sss=millisec
It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 23 occurred at disk power-on lifetime:      2043 hours (85 days + 3 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 51 00 00 00 00 40

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  f2 00 01 00 00 00 40 00      00:16:02.988  SECURITY UNLOCK
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:59.882  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:54.883  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:49.885  CHECK POWER MODE
  f2 00 01 00 00 00 40 00      00:15:45.029  SECURITY UNLOCK


Error 22 occurred at disk power-on lifetime:      2043 hours (85 days + 3 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 51 00 00 00 00 40

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  f2 00 01 00 00 00 40 00      00:15:45.029  SECURITY UNLOCK
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:44.880  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:39.885  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:34.883  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:29.882  CHECK POWER MODE


Error 21 occurred at disk power-on lifetime:      2043 hours (85 days + 3 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 51 00 00 00 00 40

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  f2 00 01 00 00 00 40 00      00:15:26.678  SECURITY UNLOCK
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:24.884  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:19.881  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:14.881  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:15:09.885  CHECK POWER MODE


Error 20 occurred at disk power-on lifetime:      2043 hours (85 days + 3 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 51 00 00 00 00 40

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  f2 00 01 00 00 00 40 00      00:14:10.593  SECURITY UNLOCK
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:14:09.886  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:14:04.886  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:13:59.886  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:13:54.886  CHECK POWER MODE


Error 19 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2043 hours (85 days + 3 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 51 00 00 00 00 40

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  f2 00 01 00 00 00 40 00      00:10:19.977  SECURITY UNLOCK
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:10:19.886  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:10:14.887  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:10:09.886  CHECK POWER MODE
  e5 00 00 00 00 00 00 00      00:10:04.885  CHECK POWER MODE


SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Extended offline    Completed without error       00%      2047         -

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing

Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

I guess the hardware is fine?

MMM over 4 years

Have you tried running a GPartEd live image? I've often had more success doing my disk partitioning in there rather than on Windows.
JW0914 over 4 years

@MMM That would be unwise since the drive's platters are damaged. To verify, boot up a Linux LiveUSB, such as an Ubuntu Install USB, install smartmontools, then issue: smartctl -a /dev/sda (where sda is the drive in question - list drives via ls /dev | grep sd). Scroll down in the output and there will likely be datestamps from when the drive suffered damage, then perform a long test on the drive via smartctl -t long /dev/sda
Sephi over 4 years

@MMM WHen I launch gparted, it's scanning the drive forever.
Sephi over 4 years

@JW0914 See my answers in the edit.
JW0914 over 4 years

@Sephi The drive was dropped, or bumped hard enough to register enough G-forces, while powered on at least once (191 G-Sense_Error_Rate 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 1). This caused damage to the platters to the extent of 23 hardware errors (Error 23 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2043 hours). The drive has only been powered on 85.5days (9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 095 095 000 Old_age Always - 2052) so it's still under warranty (unless you had it sitting on a shelf for years) - I'd recommend filing for a warranty replacement (RA / RMA) on Toshiba's support site