I think that might be a drive SMART error.

You should probably backup any important files ASAP.

I suggest you then:
- Run Windows Error-check on all drives.
- Run Crystal Disk-Info and/or Passmark's DiskCheckup and check the SMART status of all drives.

Thanks, looks like the main C drive the factory Dell installed Toshiba NVMe 256gb drive is in a poor state. The Windows error check came back fine for all drives. But Crystal Disk-info lists its health status as Bad 9% "NG: NVM subsystem reliability  has been degraded" and another drive as Caution "[05] Reallocated sectors count: 432"

What should I do now to backup and replace the drive? I used MiniTool to I think create a bootable USB and I don't have space to do system image backup as it will only backup my C drive while also backing up the 1TB D drive. What do you suggest? Should I try and get a larger eternal drive and try and backup everything or just buy a replacement NMVe drive?

This happened with my 8930 when it was under warranty.  They overnighted a new drive, and I had to send the old drive back.

Only problem was, that drive had been removed from the PC for over a month because I had replaced it with something else.  How does it say it'd failing when it's not even in the computer ?

My thought was it was an effort by Dell to impress upon me the importance of renewing my warranty coverage, that was coming up on expiring (I did not renew). 

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@rk38 wrote:

 

1. The Windows error check came back fine for all drives. 

2. Dell installed Toshiba NVMe 256gb drive is in a poor state. Crystal Disk-info lists its health status as Bad 9%

3. and another drive as Caution "[05] Reallocated sectors count: 432"

4. What should I do now to backup .

 

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1. Good. That means the SMART technology in the drives is doing its job (moving files out of damaged areas). While I would not trust the OS integrity on C-Drive any more, most of the data-files are likely still intact.

2. Never seen a SSD read this low/bad. I don't recall ever seeing any HDD/SSD drive (that is still working) read that low.

3. This is what a spinning-platter HDD looks like as it is dying/failing. SMART 05 means it's been moving the files to other sectors to try to save them. 

4. I suggest you backup any important files and/or media to either flash-drives, external HDD, online cloud, wherever ... ASAP (while the machine still boots-up),

I'll try to post again later.

Well first, I have to ask ... did this machine suffer-thru some catastrophic event? Like fire, flood, or lightning-storm? Did it fall off the desk? Was someone working inside it recently?

The reason I ask is because while the aging (spinning platter) 1tb HDD failure is common and expected, the simultaneous failure of the Toshiba XG5 SSD is fairly unusual.

No it's just been sitting on the desk like usual. I mean it was probably a bit dusty and I've never really defragged the drives but nothing out of the ordinary.

The failing 1TB Toshiba HDD is one of 4 external hard drives. I can say that most of the drives and especially the Toshiba boot drive was getting very full with only a few GBs free. They also have somewhat heavy usage just about every day for about 8-10 hours a day.

Is it possible that Dell SupportAssist could pick up the issues with the boot drive so maybe external drive was having issues before now and I just didn't notice?

Now, I've backed up as much as I could yesterday but I wanted to ask what you think would be the best course of action now. I've seen some information online about cloning the boot drive to a new SSD and switching it over.

But I'm not sure how to do that especially if there is only one m.2 slot in the motherboard or would I be better off trying to build a new PC from the parts of this one and then try and recover the data later?

Just had another thought,  could I just remove the m.2 that's failing, then reinstall windows via usb into another drive that's mostly empty?

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@rk38 wrote:

1. No it's just been sitting on the desk like usual. I mean it was probably a bit dusty and I've never really defragged the drives but nothing out of the ordinary.

2. Is it possible that Dell SupportAssist could pick up the issues with the boot drive so maybe external drive was having issues before now and I just didn't notice?

3. would I be better off trying to build a new PC from the parts of this one 

4a. The failing 1TB Toshiba HDD is one of 4 external hard drives. I can say that most of the drives and especially  the Toshiba boot drive was getting very full with only a few GBs free.

4b. They also have somewhat heavy usage just about every day for about 8-10 hours a day.

5. Now, I've backed up as much as I could yesterday

 

 

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1. Good

2. Yes

3. Seems like a premature decision at this point

4a. Oh, external huh? So, it's not even part of this desktop. So things are looking much-less like a catastrophic-failure at this point. 

4b. That should be fine, especially for a SSD.

5. Good work.

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@rk38 wrote:

the Toshiba [SSD] boot drive was getting very full with only a few GBs free.

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Because:

- it failed
- it's really kinda too small to be a C-Drive.
- you do important things on your computer 

... it can never really be trusted heavily. Especially not to boot and run your XPS-8930 for a few more years.

However, later (after the XPS-8930 is all up-and-running perfectly) ... if you really think it is worth saving ... you can circle-back-around to this little SSD. Stick it in an external-enclosure and try to save it. You would:

- Upgrade it's firmware to the latest version
- I would then "DiskPart-Clean" it and repartition. However, this time, leave about 15gb free/raw at the end of the drive. This is called Over-Provisioning your SSD. 
- Start using it and see if it works properly now. Monitor its SMART-status with Crystal Disk-Info. 

Regarding Over-Provisioning. You never want your SSDs to fill up and run-out of space. This includes normal space as well as the hidden space that the SSD controller uses to occasionally re-map worn-out sectors (memory chip locations). This Over-Provisioning (or raw, un-partitioned space at end of drive) provides this buffer.