HD SMART Status -Failing

[Blathian]

I have a late 2009 27" Imac i7 1TB. Got in april 2010, have windows & bootcamped and got a message that there was a problem with the HD. So i booted in Mac OS, and went to disk utility.
The Disk name was RED...and is says "SMART status...failing"
have not noticed anything...it has never crashed or acted strangely.
Going to be bummed to have to replace it and reinstall everything!!!
dealing with bootcamp was kinda hard, and all my playlist ect UGGGG!!

this a common problem??

 

[MrMacintoshBlog]

right NOW before you do anything else back up EVERYTHING.

You are lucky due to the fact that you actually got some sort of an advanced warning. It could go in the next hour or it could last for another month.

So backup and then bring it in to apple or send for an RMA.

 

[elephantinc]

It might even last for a year.
My hard disk likes to clonk out pretty much every week, all diagnostics programs say it's failing. But it's lasted for nearly a year in this condition (and I use it every day).
But definitely back up.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

I've seen as many as 3 fail in a month. Most Hd's can have a 50% fail rate.

 

[morningsong]

I bought an i5 in the beginning of April. 2 weeks ago, I got the SMART failure.
Backed up as much as I could.
Set up a call from Apple, they suggested a fresh OS install.
It killed the drive completely.
I set up a genius appointment in store.
Within 5 minutes they were giving me a brand new computer.
I really just wanted the HD replaced, as I had a perfect monitor.
Argued for a repair for about 5 minutes, then relented.
The new machine is silent, but the same Seagate drive as was in the previous computer I had.
The monitor is almost perfect, there's some spotlighting in the corners over black. But, I can live with it. And I see a faint yellow tinge in the center...but I'm not sure if it's there or not, my friends say I'm crazy and that it looks great.

All in all, I was impressed at Apple's response. I was told I could bring the 2nd computer back if I had any problems. Truthfully, if I wasn't staring at the monitor, I'd never notice there was a problem...that and the fact it's a beast to haul back and forth from my apartment!!

 

[Blathian]

yeah i called apple care, they want me to re-format over the phone, told them no, dont see how that could help if i have a "FAILING" drive.
i did a time machine backup, but the lame thing is i have mine Bootcamped with Windows 7, and no computer geek, so it was stressful to do. Alot of weird issues , but mine went smooth. They wont but it back on the partition, and want to charge me $115 to Bootcamp it.
I read on some other forums that the "FAILING" SMART status sometimes can be a false diagnosis, and there is no real issue with the drive, but guess not worth taking the chance since it warrantied.
Also if it wasnt for a pop up window in windows 7 i would have never known about the issue. I had never received any kind of warning in Mac OS. It was only after i investigated through the disk utility that i saw the drive in "RED" and listed as SMART STATUS FAILING.