What is the "TA Increase Count" (SMART Data)

Question

On the SMART drive health/status scan (for an SSD drive), one thing "TA Increase Count" is flagged up, with a value of 97. What is it actually a count of?

The SSD is a Crucial SSD. When I'm next on the computer I'll copy and paste the detailed analysis done by Speedfan.

The PC concerned has had times recently when it's been running really slow, one aspect I was looking at was whether it could be the SSD starting to die. Don't think any more that the extreme slowness is down to the SSD. I know it's not the CPU as I used an official Intel program to check the health of the CPU. I believe that the problem with extreme slowness was probably some glitch with Windows.

Copy of the SMART data report below:

Your hard disk is a CT1000MX500SSD1 with firmware M3CR023. The average temperature for this hard disk model is 36°C (min=26°C max=48°C) and yours is 26°C.

    Attribute       Current         Raw
    Raw Read Error Rate         100         000000000000
    Reallocated Sector Count        100         000000000000
    Power On Hours Count        100         000000000461
    Power Cycle Count       100         0000000006C1
    Unknown attribute 171       100         000000000000
    Unknown attribute 172       100         000000000000
    Unknown attribute 173       97      000000000031
    Unknown attribute 174       100         000000000008
    Unknown attribute 180       0       000000000027
    SATA Downshift Error Count      100         000000000000
    End To End Error Count      100         000000000000
    Reported Uncorrectable Errors       100         000000000000
    Reallocated Event Count         100         000000000000
    Current Pending Sector      100         000000000000
    Offline Uncorrectable Sector Count      100         000000000000
    Ultra DMA CRC Error Rate        100         000000000000
    TA Increase Count       97      000000000003
    Flying Height Measurement       100         000000000000
    Unknown attribute 210       100         000000000000
    Unknown attribute 246       100         000659667368
    Unknown attribute 247       100         00001B33B8D4
    Unknown attribute 248       100         000020A0125E

Answer 1

Depends on brand.

You are making this overly complicated by not posting a screenshot or sharing the attribute number. Now we have to google for "TA Increase Count" to find it's probably about attribute 202. "Torque Amplification Count" however makes no sense for a SSD so it must be something else.

For example Micron, for some of it's SSDs says:

---

SMART ID 202 (CAh): Percent Lifetime Remaining

Current Value (8 bits)

This value gives the threshold inverted value of the raw data value below. That is, if 30% of the lifetime has been used, this value will report 70%. A value of 0% indicates that 100% of the expected lifetime has been used.

---

So in your case it would mean 97% life time remaining. It is normal for this value to gradually drop.

But the case may be that other vendors use the attribute to store a different value.

---

EDIT: For Crucial it's also 'Percentage Lifetime Remaining', see: https://www.crucial.com/support/articles-faq-ssd/ssds-and-smart-data

Answer 2

"TA Increase Count" is a very elusive attribute to track.

I have found two references that say the same thing, which is that "TA Increase Count" is the same as "Data Address Mark Errors":

• supermicro_ipmi_firmware
• HDAT2 v4.8.1 User’s Manual

Acronis documentation for S.M.A.R.T. Attribute: Data Address Mark errors says:

Attribute ID: 202 (0xCA)

Hard drives, supporting this attribute

Samsung, Seagate, IBM (Hitachi), Fujitsu (not all models), Maxtor, Western Digital (not all models)

Description

Data Address Mark errors S.M.A.R.T. parameter indicates the number of incorrect or invalid address marks.

Recommendations

This parameter is considered informational by the most hardware vendors. Although degradation of this parameter can be an indicator of drive aging and/or potential electromechanical problems, it does not directly indicate imminent drive failure. Regular backup is recommended. Pay closer attention to other parameters and overall drive health.

Note that this SMART attribute 202 is so rarely mentioned, that it might even be vendor-specific in your case, meaning that the firmware uses it to indicate some unknown statistic of its own.