Ran Hardware test on 17" 10.5.6 Error Code 2STF/3/3:ATA-100ata-6-master came up @ mass storage run area.

Question

Have a Powerbook G4 17" 1.57GHz BRV 4.8.4f1 Mem.1 GB HDr. ATA:3,ID:0, Ran HARDWARE Test 2.2 hit Mass Storage test area when Error Code 2STF/3/3:ATA-100ata-6-Master stopped test. Shut comp down by holding pwr button for 5 secs. Waited 20 minutes and restarted w/option button and ran test again hit Mass Storage and Error Code 2STF/8/ rest is same as previous error code. Something about Node pop up after running disk utility a few days ago. Comp is was running  very slow. Only change besides updates was Macdefender. Do I need to take it to be repaired at an Apple place? Thank you.

Answer 1

First, you need to remove macdefender, which is a scam program. Apple note http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4650 provides these instructions:
Removal steps
Move or close the Scan Window.
Go to the Utilities folder in the Applications folder and launch Activity Monitor.
Choose All Processes from the pop up menu in the upper right corner of the window.
Under the Process Name column, look for the name of the app and click to select it; common app names include: MacDefender, MacSecurity or MacProtector.
Click the Quit Process button in the upper left corner of the window and select Quit.
Quit Activity Monitor application.
Open the Applications folder.
Locate the app ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector or other name.
Drag to Trash, and empty Trash.
Malware also installs a login item in your account in System Preferences. Removal of the login item is not necessary, but you can remove it by following the steps below.
Open System Preferences, select Accounts, then Login Items
Select the name of the app you removed in the steps above ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector
Click the minus button
Now, after you do that, reboot your system. Bring up disk utillity and verify the disk. Preferred would be to boot from OS X on DVD or a Firewire backup, run Disk Utility and Repair Disk, but verify disk when Disk Utility is loaded from the hard drive should work. Write down any messages, like bad node or whatever.
If you get a message that the program exits with a failure, then there is a disk error that Disk Utility won't be able to fix. That could mean buying Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro to fix the error. Disk Warrior tends to be the disk fix program of choice. Depending on the error, it's possible that Disk Utility won't be able to fix the problem, in which case the fix is usually a new hard drive. Note, a new hard drive will be cheaper than Disk Warrior (at $95 or so).
Smart Utility from http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php will give you good insight into the condition of your hard drive, as it reports on your SMART sensors.