Use a tool like EVEREST or SPEEDFAN to check SMART attributes - Check your reallocated sector coun / pending / write error / raw error rate and seek errors - One of your smart values might have reached its threshold - you shouldn't wait for this to happen to back up you should back up from day 1. (Note that for Seagates, a high raw error rate and seek errors are NOT unusual) look for the spinup values/retry, write and seek errors (threshold), temps, reallocated sectors and write errors. Overheat will kill your HD! Keep the temps below 60C! (preferably below 55C)
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