My external hard drive keeps pausing a game download and Steam reports a "corrupt disk" error. I checked the drive with CrystalDiskInfo, but I'm not sure how to interpret the reported errors or whether they can be repaired. Windows already scanned and supposedly fixed the drive, but the same problem continues, and I also saw a disk read error once. What should I check, and does this mean I need to replace the drive?
3 Answers
Windows’ repair scan can fix file-system errors, but it cannot repair failing hardware or damaged sectors. If CrystalDiskInfo shows uncorrectable sectors or a high reallocated-sector count, replacement is the safest option. An SSD may be faster, but the immediate priority is backing up the data and testing the drive’s connection.
Check CrystalDiskInfo’s SMART values, especially Reallocated Sector Count and Current Pending Sector Count. If those are increasing or marked as caution/bad, the drive is developing physical problems and software repairs won’t make it reliable. Back up anything important and replace it rather than trusting it with games or other data.
A screenshot of the full CrystalDiskInfo report would make the diagnosis more certain. In the meantime, stop writing important data to the drive and copy anything you need elsewhere. Repeated corrupt-disk and read errors usually point to a failing drive, a bad USB cable, or a problem with the enclosure, so you can also try another cable and USB port. If the errors remain, return or replace the drive while it’s under warranty.
I really hope that isn’t the case—I only just bought the drive.