I decided to install AntiX-21 on the partition of my main machine that currently hosts Slackware-14, after failing to install it on my very old laptop because of video problems. After I had specified the partitions that I wished to use for the install (root, EFI, swap but no home), the installer put up a warning saying that my drive had passed smartctl tests but might fail in the near future and that I should install Gsmartmon.I terminated the install because I needed to think about this.

How worried should I be? This is my main machine and has some valuable stuff on it. I usually back up by tarring the partition and copying the tarball to the laptop. Current sizes of the important ones (untarred) are:
Slackware root: 14G
LFS: 4.9G
Data 5.7G
Why does the installer think the drive is going to fail? I've never noticed any errors reported at boot. I have had this machine for about 5 years and never had any trouble with it, but it was already second-hand when I bought it.

Is it the LifeTime hours test (smartctl -l selftest $DISK)? Mine does that too. The disk is about 5 years old, but in the past I've had WDC's go 10 years. I have no errors either. It might just be looking at the age of the disk. I'd install, but backup anything that would make you cry if you lost it.

I have no idea what test the AntiX installer ran. It just reported this rather alarming result. I'm tarring up the data partition now, ready to dump it. As you say, better safe than sorry.

Your disk is always just about to fail. Likewise your backup. (royal plural)

Tar ? - have you looked at fsarchiver for some confidence in the consistency of that backup ?. My tool of choice for full filesystem backups.

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I'd forgotten that one. I have it on SystemRescueCD. What worries me is that I've never had such a message from an installer before.

hazel,

As Corporal Jones used to say, "Don't panic"!

Long test (probably less than 2 hours):

View the results:

Read the output and if items #5 or # 197 are not zero, then you could have a problem with that drive.

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I wouldn't worry either, just make sure to back up regularly, onto an external disk, (another computer is fine) - I only start worrying if it makes excessive noise, or I have problems mounting it - then I make sure of that back up.

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It takes 88 minutes apparently. Results promised 12:20. Thanks.

OK, here it is.

Attached Files

smartctl.log.txt (6.7 KB, 33 views)

hazel,

Those figures for items #5 and #197 do not make for pretty reading.

The Current Pending Sector Count of 343 and Reallocated Sector Count of 1063 indicate imminent drive failure!

It does not matter if SMART says PASSED, those 2 figures are the ones which tell the true state of your drive.

Get your personal data backed up from the drive (I think you have already done this?) and then get yourself a nice new SSD such as this Crucial MX500 256GB:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0781VSX...OKL5A1OLE&th=1

I have bought lots of these for several different machines (mine and in new builds for other people) and they are very good quality.

I don't know how to buy stuff from Amazon!! I never buy anything online, I don't feel safe doing that. And I have no idea how to put in a new drive anyway.

No, it looks like I will have to buy another computer. And it will have to be a laptop because no one sells towers any more. And I hate laptops!!!

The only computer shop anywhere near here is Computer Exchange and those are all second hand; it's where I got this machine from. Well, it lasted 5-6 years, didn't it. Maybe I'll just buy another one from them.

hazel,

Fair enough.

I should point out for the benefit of others that the Crucial MX500 SSDs need a firmware update according to this purchaser on Amazon:
My Crucial MX500s must have been earlier versions and there were no problems whatsoever.

Going back to laptops, I can strongly recommend a used Lenovo T440s.

I think this is your local store (Cex):
https://uk.webuy.com/search?stext=lenovo%20T440s

Get an Intel Core i5-4300U with 8GB of RAM.

Good luck.

PS Give the store a ring first.

They can perhaps
get a Lenovo T440s in from another branch.

I think that link I gave was for stock at all their many branches.

ALSO, they may well have a Lenovo Think Centre like your current one.

Call in and enquire about availabilty of both machines.

@Hazel
Lots of good used kit on Ebay - could you not get a friend to purchase one on your behalf?

I buy all my computers pre used now - so many people get rid of perfectly good computers because MS Windows is so slow on their 'old' one.

Buying a new computer due to a HDD/SSD failure in the old one is a little bit strange. Changing a HDD/SSD in a common tower or desktop case (except some non-standard proprietory cases) is one of the simplest things to do.

Buying from Amazon or eBay requires verifying/trusting the sellers, but that's very different from buying from a store where there are real humans you can contact via phone or email to confirm you're getting the right part, or if anything goes wrong - for example, QuietPC (www.quietpc.com) are a company I've used multiple times.

It generally involves using a screwdriver and plugging in a couple of cables (one for power, one for data). The cables are different from each other (so can't be mixed up) and the ports are asymmetric so they can't be put in backwards.

Depending on the case/mounting, the screws might be a bit awkward, but for a stationary tower you may only need a couple to hold it in place - can't remember the last time I used four screws.

The above mentioned QuietPC still sell desktops, in various form factors (ATX,mATX,ITX,etc).

I don't know your precise location or how far you're willing to travel, but there may be a Currys not too far away, where you can probably buy an overpriced drive - a quick comparison shows they can charge £30-50 more than QuietPC for the exact same item.

Searching for "computer repair in YOUR_LOCATION site:https://www.checkatrade.com" also reveals a number of (presumably verified) people who would probably come to you and plug in a new drive, if for whatever reason you are unable to do it yourself.