Here's the rub. No one has ever written that error message "drive protection system failed." as noted at
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22drive+protection+system+failed%22&sa=N&tab=wg

If there are no other issues than this, I'd just maintain backups of things that can't be lost and keep using the drive.

If I knew the make/model of the drive, then there may be some other DRIVE FITNESS TEST that could be performed. And in closing, my WILD GUESS is that there is a Hark drive0 which was supplied by Compaq. Remember that system diagnostics that come with a machine may be invalid on items added afterwards.

Bob