Anyone know about the 211k & outboard HDD? I have had mine for several years and I have noticed often, in recording to the HDD on playback, it freeze momentarily. Could it be the HDD or the 211k. When watching a program I don't see any freezing, but on payback. I've got about 12 hours in HD available on the 500G HDD. Any thoughts? Thanks.
HDD Issues?
- Status
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
Joined
·
53,490 Posts
It might be something bad at that spot on your drive ... or a jump in the file as the heads seek the rest of the file.
Or it could be a glitch in the DISH feed that is unrelated to your setup.
Or it could be a glitch in the DISH feed that is unrelated to your setup.
I am suspicious of the HDD or the way the 211k records to it. Sometimes the 211k with jam up and I have to reset it. I do have a powered HUB and a Toshiba 1tb portable drive I can use. The WD 500GB I have been using for years. I wonder running a portable drive 24/7 like I do with the powered WD 500GB, will a portable drive handle it? I bought the 1tv as an extra backup for the computer, but I never have used it.
Joined
·
1,095 Posts
You could download and install the Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic tool to test the 500GB hard drive. Then connect the powered 500GB hard drive to your computer's USB port. Do not let the computer format the drive. Run DLG and agree to the terms. DLG will scan your system and the 500GB hard drive should appear.
From the top window select the 500GB hard drive and right above the window click the little hard drive icon to open the options window. Start by selecting the "Quick Test" option. If the hard drive passes the self-test then it is likely okay. Sometimes this is good enough to determine whether the hard drive is failing, also saves a lot of time. If you want to be absolutely certain that the hard drive is okay, next select the "Extended Test" option. This test will scan the entire surface of the hard drive looking for bad sectors. While this test is much more thorough, depending on the size of the hard drive, this test can take a very long time to complete. Whatever you do, do not select "Write Zeros" as that will wipe the drive. Both the Quick and Extended tests should be non-destructive, but I won't guarantee that will always be the case. When in doubt, make a backup.
You can also see the hard drive's S.M.A.R.T. values, but in my experience those values are almost useless to the average user and depending on the manufacture, reporting varies.
Before beginning, read the DLG instructions beneath the download link.
From the top window select the 500GB hard drive and right above the window click the little hard drive icon to open the options window. Start by selecting the "Quick Test" option. If the hard drive passes the self-test then it is likely okay. Sometimes this is good enough to determine whether the hard drive is failing, also saves a lot of time. If you want to be absolutely certain that the hard drive is okay, next select the "Extended Test" option. This test will scan the entire surface of the hard drive looking for bad sectors. While this test is much more thorough, depending on the size of the hard drive, this test can take a very long time to complete. Whatever you do, do not select "Write Zeros" as that will wipe the drive. Both the Quick and Extended tests should be non-destructive, but I won't guarantee that will always be the case. When in doubt, make a backup.
You can also see the hard drive's S.M.A.R.T. values, but in my experience those values are almost useless to the average user and depending on the manufacture, reporting varies.
Before beginning, read the DLG instructions beneath the download link.
Thanks for the advice, but I think I will pass as knowing me I would mess up something and lose everything I saved on the 500GB HDD. I may try the 1tb with the powered hub for a while and see if I have the same issue. If not, I will know the 500GB is getting old. I dub a lot of shows from the HDD to a DVD I want to save. Only in 480i, but fine, as a lot is not on DVD.
Joined
·
1,095 Posts
Switching to the 1TB hard drive should help determine what is going on with the 500GB hard drive. It won't be definitive, but it should provide some hints. That will give you time to burn off the data on the 500GB hard drive and perhaps return to WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostics at a later time. Also, is it possible to connect both hard drives to the hub to facilitate moving the data off the 500GB hard drive?
That I do not know. I do have a hub, so I could try. Too bad I could not clone the two drives, so I could move the material from the 500GB to the 1tb. Like tonight on buffering, I wanted to catch the national news, so I switched the 211k to the local news and watched the national news on the TV tuner. After I watched the CBS national news, I jumped back to the 211k and backed up the buffering to the beginning of the local news only to fine, I had trouble going back to the beginning. I finally got it back, but for a minute or so I got a lot of glitches.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
- Status
Join the discussion
