HDD error or motherboard error?

[z3r0aCc3Ss]

Just a couple of days ago, suddenly I got this error for one of my hard disks when I started my computer.

S.M.A.R.T status BAD, Backup and Replace
Press F1 to Resume

This error is about hard disk or motherboard? Coz then I called the technician and he said capacitors of the motherboard are swollen, they are bad. So, I'll have to change the board. HDD is fine.
I think its HDD error.
And the funny part is, I have 2 HDDs. Hitachi (160 GB) and WD (1 TB). Hitachi is 5 years old and WD is just 2 years old. And the error is for WD HDD. WTF man...
Is WD's performance gone down? I lost one of my 1 TB My Passport portable hard disk by WD which was just 1 year old. I don't understand what's wrong with WD.

[joebox]

It's the HDD

[bad_brain]

yeah, very unlikely a mainboard problem throws a smart error. and if capacitors would be damaged on the board it wouldn't work at all anymore...

and well, sometimes you simply have bad luck...once I bought an Excelstor HDD which died after just 1 day.

if you have a Linux system available (Ubuntu live CD should work too, not 100% sure though) you can run an extensive SMART status diagnosis by using smartctl:
http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/ma ... ctl.8.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[z3r0aCc3Ss]

When computer starts, HDD doesn't kicks in unless POST codes are beeped.
Sometimes what happens is, I just get the blank screen as soon as computer starts.
Sometimes only first screen appears, POST codes beep and display goes off.
Still, soon gonna replace motherboard...