Brand new laptop with hard-drive clicking and a weird S.M.A.R.T report on Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS

Question

I bought a brand new factory-sealed HP Omen 15-ce084no laptop that came with Windows 10. It has a 256GB SSD and 1TB mechanical disk. After checking that everything worked on Windows, I got rid of it and installed Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS with Linux kernel 4.10 on the SSD and set up the mechanical disk as a data storage. I was happy (and surprised) that absolutely everything, including Wi-Fi, graphics card and backlit keyboard controls, worked out of the box on Ubuntu. After installing the proprietary drivers, my laptop was ready for serious use.

However, while setting up my stuff I noticed that the 1TB disk makes a soft clicking sound about every second while running Ubuntu. It didn't do this on Windows 10, I'm pretty sure about it, and it doesn't do it while accessing BIOS settings, for example. It starts to click some 30 seconds after Ubuntu has booted up and you don't need to be logged in as a user. It also clicks while on the lightdm login screen or while Ctrl+Alt+F1 on a terminal.

I did some googling and found out many similar clicking cases on Linux, the solutions of which revolved around head parking & power saving issues, such as tweaking hdparm settings. None of them worked on my laptop and the clicking continues. I run smartctl -a on the disk and noticed abnormal values for a supposedly new disk (Power-Off_Retract_Count = 524296). In addition, the clicking sound, though soft, is very annoying and I can't stand it even if it weren't dangerous to the disk.

Could someone kindly view the reports below and answer these questions for me:

1. How are these values possible on a new hard disk?
2. Is the hard disk faulty and should I get it replaced?
3. Could Ubuntu/Linux have caused it and destroyed the hard disk so fast (in about 31 hours of runtime)?

4. If the cause is Ubuntu/Linux, is there a software solution to the problem other than proposed on these links, none of which work:

   • https://petermolnar.net/hard-drive-spindown-clicking-noise/
   • http://www.computercorrect.com/2011/operating-systems/linux/ubuntu/fix-for-constant-hard-drive-clicking-in-ubuntu/
   • http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_with_hard_drive_clicking
   • http://www.forumubuntusoftware.info/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9317
   • https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=139575
   • New Laptop hard drive is clicking
   • https://askubuntu.com/questions/596408/hdd-makes-tick-noise-every-second

Here's the output of the smartctl -a with some ID parts removed:

smartctl 6.5 2016-01-24 r4214 [x86_64-linux-4.10.0-40-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-16, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     HGST Travelstar 7K1000
Device Model:     HGST HTS721010A9E630
Serial Number:    JR10XXXXXXXXXX
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca XXXXXXXXX
Firmware Version: JB0OA3T0
User Capacity:    1,000,204,886,016 bytes [1.00 TB]
Sector Sizes:     512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
Rotation Rate:    7200 rpm
Form Factor:      2.5 inches
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   ACS-2, ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 6
SATA Version is:  SATA 3.0, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 6.0 Gb/s)
Local Time is:    Thu Nov 30 20:03:48 2017 EET
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:        (   45) 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 
recommended polling time:    (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:    ( 160) 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     0x002f   100   100   062    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0025   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0023   121   100   033    Pre-fail  Always       -       2
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       32
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x002f   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0025   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       31
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0033   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       31
183 Runtime_Bad_Block       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
184 End-to-End_Error        0x0033   100   100   097    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
188 Command_Timeout         0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022   076   053   045    Old_age   Always       -       24 (Min/Max 24/24)
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       8
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       524296
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       237
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
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    0x0036   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
223 Load_Retry_Count        0x002a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  
LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%         3         -
# 2  Short offline       Completed without error       00%         0         -

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.

Now, compare that output to my 5 years or so old laptop's disk, which has been running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS for about 1,5 years now and Windows 7 before that:

smartctl 6.5 2016-01-24 r4214 [x86_64-linux-4.4.0-101-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-16, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Hitachi Travelstar 5K500.B
Device Model:     Hitachi HTS545025B9A300
Serial Number:    1007XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca XXXXXXXXX
Firmware Version: PB2OC64G
User Capacity:    250,059,350,016 bytes [250 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/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 T13/1699-D revision 6
SATA Version is:  SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s
Local Time is:    Thu Nov 30 19:58:27 2017 EET
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:        (  645) 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 
recommended polling time:    (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:    (  83) 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   062    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   201   201   033    Pre-fail  Always       -       1
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0012   096   096   000    Old_age   Always       -       7777
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0012   048   048   000    Old_age   Always       -       23080
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   096   096   000    Old_age   Always       -       7763
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x000a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       136
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   083   083   000    Old_age   Always       -       171510
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   144   144   000    Old_age   Always       -       38 (Min/Max 16/50)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
223 Load_Retry_Count        0x000a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 2
    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, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 2 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 14089 hours (587 days + 1 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
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 52 f9 d9 f8 e0  Error: UNC 82 sectors at LBA = 0x00f8d9f9 = 16308729

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  25 00 7f cc d9 f8 e0 00      00:00:18.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f 4d d9 f8 e0 00      00:00:18.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f ce d8 f8 e0 00      00:00:18.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f 4f d8 f8 e0 00      00:00:18.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f d0 d7 f8 e0 00      00:00:18.800  READ DMA EXT

Error 1 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 14089 hours (587 days + 1 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
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 52 f9 d9 f8 e0  Error: UNC 82 sectors at LBA = 0x00f8d9f9 = 16308729

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  25 00 7f cc d9 f8 e0 00      00:00:39.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f 4d d9 f8 e0 00      00:00:39.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f ce d8 f8 e0 00      00:00:39.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f 4f d8 f8 e0 00      00:00:39.800  READ DMA EXT
  25 00 7f d0 d7 f8 e0 00      00:00:39.800  READ DMA EXT

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged.  [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]

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.

Answer 1

Partial answer:

All SMART values for your new harddisk look good except the Power-Off_Retract_Count. Especially the Power_On_Hours confirm it's a new drive (unless someone tampered with those values, but I don't think that's easily possible without hacking into the firmware).

The Power-Off_Retract_Count is

counted every time the heads are loaded off the media (i.e. every time the machine is powered down, put to sleep or is idle).

So this definitely looks like a similar problem like those you researched: The harddrive thinks it's idle, retracts the hard, and then the Linux kernel regular writeback kicks in and wakes the drive up again.

I had a similar problem for my WD Green. Note that these problem are highly vendor specific, you can't just apply a solution that works for some brand and model to another brand and model. And I've never heard about the HGST Travelstar model before (but that maybe me).

Have a look at the "idle" functions of hdparm and see if they are active for your harddisk. If they are not, you'll have to search for some solution specific for this model (on the WD Green, it was necessary to use an extra program that could issue a vendor-specific command to disable the idle head unloading).

Answer 2

I have the same harddrive, matching model and firmware version as well.

The value of Power-Off_Retract_Count is a bit off indeed but I wouldn't fear it, it is in reality 0x80008 (524296 to hexadecimal). If you look at first 4 bits from the right, I bet the number of abnormal computer shutdowns to be 0x0008 (8). That is what this value is really about. Abnormal computer shutdowns where the heads retract with the emergency unload mechanism which is rated 20000 cycles in the specifications of the drive.

https://documents.westerndigital.com/content/dam/doc-library/en_us/assets/public/western-digital/product/hgst/travelstar-7k-series/product-manual-travelstar-7k1000-standard-models.pdf

About the clicking noises, there are a few threads that may have useful input:

• HGST 7K1000 HDD is making read/write sounds every second (or more) for reasons unknown

• Why does disabling head parking on HGST 7K1000 HDD cause read/write sounds every second (or sometimes more)?