- Laptops
- Laptop
S.M.A.R.T Status Bad
ASUS S.M.A.R.T Status Bad on laptop: drive warning at startup
Risk level
High
Professional inspection is recommended.
Urgency
High
Quick answer
At power on you see S.M.A.R.T Status Bad, Backup and Replace. Press F1 to Resume: the drive self-test found abnormal conditions. Press F1 to reach Windows, back up your data straight away, and plan the drive replacement ASUS suggests.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- While the warning keeps appearing, avoid large downloads or updates until your backup is done.
- Do not turn off SMART Self Test to stop seeing the warning: ASUS does not recommend it, and the drive would keep the same problem without telling you.
Safe checks you can perform
- Photograph the whole warning
- Press F1 and copy your files now
- Confirm the S.M.A.R.T self-test is still on
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Drive replacement at an ASUS service center
- Do not attempt this professional task: Data recovery if you could not back up
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Drive replacement at an ASUS service center
What they doThe service center confirms the drive's condition and replaces it, which is what ASUS suggests for this warning.
They must show youthe old drive's test with the S.M.A.R.T error and a clean boot with the new drive and no warning.
In writingthe S.M.A.R.T Status Bad message, the test result, the drive fitted (new or refurbished), the case number and the warranty.
Data recovery if you could not back up
What they doIf you could not copy your files, a technician tries to pull them from the affected drive before any replacement.
They must show youwhich folders could be read and on what media they are handed back.
In writingwhich data was recovered, which was not, what happens to the old drive and whether it is securely wiped.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
Photograph the whole warning
- Who:
- you, on the startup screen.
- How:
- before pressing any key, take a photo of the full text, which ASUS quotes as S.M.A.R.T Status Bad, Backup and Replace. Press F1 to Resume, and note whether it appears at every boot.
- Result that matters:
- knowing it is the drive's S.M.A.R.T warning and not another white text screen.
- If it matches and repeats at each power on:
- treat the drive as suspect and move on to the backup.
- If the text mentions a failed BIOS update:
- follow ASUS's black screen guide instead of this one.
- Evidence to keep:
- the photo of the warning, the date it started and the exact laptop model.
Evidence: Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」 · Troubleshooting - Device Boot Failure or No Display After Boot (Black Screen)
Press F1 and copy your files now
- Who:
- you, as soon as Windows has loaded.
- How:
- press F1 (or any key, as ASUS says) to bypass the screen and, once on the desktop, copy what you cannot afford to lose to an external drive or cloud storage first; leave app installs and updates for later.
- Result that matters:
- having your data off the drive that raised the alert.
- If the copy finishes:
- keep the external drive separate and arrange the drive replacement.
- If Windows crawls or the copy fails halfway:
- stop and leave the recovery to a technician.
- Evidence to keep:
- which folders you copied and whether any of them failed to copy.
Evidence: Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」
Confirm the S.M.A.R.T self-test is still on
- Who:
- you, with the laptop switched off.
- How:
- press and hold F2, then press the power button until the BIOS appears. In UEFI mode press F7 (Advanced Mode), open Advanced, then SMART Settings, and check that SMART Self Test is On. Leave without changing anything.
- Result that matters:
- confirming the warning comes from the test ASUS enables by default.
- If it is On:
- leave it that way, because ASUS does not recommend disabling it.
- If the option is missing from your BIOS:
- your model may differ; do not touch other settings and check your user manual.
- Evidence to keep:
- a photo of the SMART Self Test option and of the BIOS version shown on screen.
Evidence: Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Laptops
- Brand
- ASUS
- Product type
- Laptop
Known code variants
- ASUS SMART disco duro error al arrancar
- ASUS SMART hard drive error at boot
- Backup and Replace Press F1 to Resume
- Estado SMART incorrecto
- Press F1 to Resume
- S.M.A.R.T Status Bad, Backup and Replace
- S.M.A.R.T. Status Bad
- SMART Status Bad
- SMART Status Bad, Backup and Replace
What it means
ASUS's page on the S.M.A.R.T Status Bad message (Notebook, Desktop, All-in-One PC and Gaming Handheld) explains that the device runs a S.M.A.R.T drive test during startup or cloud recovery and shows this warning when the drive detects abnormal conditions. Pressing F1 lets you continue into the system, but the warning returns at every boot until the problem is resolved. Other models may differ. The message is the drive reporting on itself: alone it never proves how badly the drive is damaged, and the service diagnosis confirms that.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Mediumeditorial warning
While the warning keeps appearing, avoid large downloads or updates until your backup is done.
Evidence: Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」
- Highsource verified
Do not turn off SMART Self Test to stop seeing the warning: ASUS does not recommend it, and the drive would keep the same problem without telling you.
Evidence: Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- Abnormal condition found by the S.M.A.R.T self-testCommon
ASUS explains that the drive monitors its own health and that this warning appears when that self-test finds potential issues with the drive.
Evidence: Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」
- Drive wear that may get worsePossible
ASUS recommends backing up and replacing the drive promptly to prevent more severe damage, a sign the problem can grow with continued use.
Evidence: Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」
- A different white text screen mistaken for this oneLess common
ASUS's black screen guide treats this message separately from failed BIOS update screens and from F1 prompts about hardware configuration.
Evidence: Troubleshooting - Device Boot Failure or No Display After Boot (Black Screen)
Virtual technician
Does S.M.A.R.T Status Bad still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 1
Boot Displaying Error Message 「S.M.A.R.T Status Bad」
ASUS · 2026 · official_doc
- 2
Arranque muestra el mensaje de error 「Estado SMART incorrecto」
ASUS · 2026 · official_doc
- 3
Troubleshooting - Device Boot Failure or No Display After Boot (Black Screen)
ASUS · 2026 · official_doc
- 4
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