{"id":40282,"date":"2019-05-20T06:16:20","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T06:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stellarinfo.com\/blog\/?p=40282"},"modified":"2026-01-06T08:46:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T08:46:55","slug":"command-timeout-error","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stellarinfo.com\/blog\/command-timeout-error\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Command Timeout Error and How to Fix It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before You Begin<\/strong><\/h2>

Stop using the affected hard drive. Do not<\/strong> perform hit-and-trial methods on the hard drive as it may further damage the storage drive that can lead to a disk failure and permanent data loss.<\/p>

SMART 188: Command Timeout <\/strong>is a Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology<\/strong> (S.M.A.R.T.) parameter, which indicates a number of aborted operations due to HDD timeout—a phenomenon where a read\/write operation is canceled due to no response from the drive.<\/p>

Larger the <\/em>RAW data<\/em><\/strong> attribute value, more serious is the disk condition, as the SMART internally marks those memory blocks inactive and non-responsive.<\/em><\/p>

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\"Command<\/figure>\n<\/div>

Did you know:<\/strong> Backblaze, a leader in providing robust and scalable cloud backup and storage services monitors their hard drives for 5 critical SMART parameters<\/em> as mentioned below:<\/p>

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  1. SMART 5:<\/strong> Reallocated sectors count<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. SMART 187: <\/strong>Reported uncorrectable errors<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. SMART 188:<\/strong> Command timeout<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. SMART 197:<\/strong> Current pending sector count <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. SMART 198: <\/strong>Uncorrectable sector count<\/li>\n<\/ol>

    These SMART errors can cause significant data loss and thus, requires active monitoring and immediate attention. <\/p>

    For instance<\/strong>, data on a drive with Command Timeout error may get lost during the file transfer process as the drive may stop responding in between due to the underlying power supply issue. One may also experience system crash and frequent system freeze for the extended time due to the error—pushing you to force restart system, which also leads to data loss.<\/p>

    In case you have lost your data due to the Command Timeout error<\/strong>, this guide is for you. Follow each step carefully to fix the error after getting back every file you lost from the failing drive and safeguard your entire data including the Windows OS and settings.<\/p>

    Step 1: Check and Replace Connector or Cables<\/strong><\/p>

    Open your PC case and inspect the SATA cable<\/strong> for any damage such as oxidization, fraying, or lose connection. Also, check drive connector pins for any damage. If needed, replace the SATA connector cable.<\/p>

    Alternatively, you can remove the hard drive from the PC and connect to a different PC for a thorough inspection and recovery of trapped data. You can use any SATA to USB 3.0 converter<\/strong> cable or enclosure. Once the drive is connected to the system and recognized, skip to Step 3<\/strong> and clone the drive that’s impending failure.<\/p>

    Step 2: Fix Command Timeout Error<\/strong><\/p>

    If changing the cable doesn’t help and connectors seem good, then the damage is internal which can’t be repaired. Thus, it’s better to clone and replace the failing drive as quickly as possible. <\/p>

    If your hard drive, SSD, PC, or Laptop is still under warranty,<\/strong> you can get your dying and defective drive replaced by the manufacturer for free— only if your case is legit. The damage should not be physical, intentional, or because of mishandling the drive.<\/p>

    But as mentioned earlier, clone your drive first before going ahead for the replacement.<\/p>

    Step 3: Clone the Drive<\/strong><\/p>

    You should immediately clone any failing drive to prevent data loss. Disk Cloning creates an exact copy of your recognized failing drive with all the partitions. After cloning, you can put the new cloned hard drive in your PC or laptop and use your system normally—no need to install Windows or configure any settings again.<\/p>

    1. Download, Install and launch the Stellar Data Recovery Premium<\/a><\/strong> Software.<\/p>

    2. Connect the failing drive and a new hard drive or SSD to your PC. The new drive volume should be equal or larger than the failing drive.<\/p>

    3. Click on ‘Monitor Drive<\/strong>’ under the ‘Waffle icon’<\/strong> and then click ‘Clone Disk<\/strong>.’<\/p>

    4. Select the Source Disk<\/strong>—one which is suffering from Command Timeout error and then the Target Disk<\/strong>—the new hard drive or SSD you connected.<\/p>

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    \"Stellar\"
    Choose Source and Target disk carefully for cloning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

    5. Confirm the disk selection in both Source and Target Disk. Then click ‘Clone<\/strong>’ and accept the warning.<\/p>

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    \"Stellar\"
    Disk Cloning with Estimated Time<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

    6. Disk cloning takes a while to complete. The time depends on the disk type, volume size, and the interface that is used to connect both drives.<\/p>

    7. After cloning, switch off the system and replace the failing hard drive in your system with the new cloned drive.<\/p>

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    \"Clone
    Clone Process finished<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

    8. Turn on your system. You will notice that the Command Timeout warning is gone from the SMART information as the drive is new, but your files and settings are the same as earlier.<\/p>

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    \"Disk
    Disk 1 is cloned Hard Drive connected via USB 3.0 Port (Enclosed in an HDD Enclosure)<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>

    Step 4: Recover Lost Files from Failing Drive<\/strong><\/p>

    Now that you have cloned your failing drive, close the ‘Drive Monitor<\/strong>’ utility. This will take you to the main screen of Stellar Data Recovery<\/strong> Premium<\/strong>.<\/p>

    Since your drive is cloned, you can scan the failing drive for the data recovery to restore any missing file. Follow the steps given in this video.<\/p>

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