A method for surveying a data storage subsystem for latent errors before a failing disk drive of the data storage subsystem fails and recovering unreadable data usable to reconstruct data of the failing disk drive, the data storage subsystem providing storage abstractions of a plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 308, 310), the method comprising: determining a disk drive of the plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 308, 310) meets a threshold for being identified as a failing disk drive; prior to failure of the failing disk drive, surveying at least a portion of the data on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) to identify data storage areas with latent errors; and reconstructing the identified data storage areas utilizing, at least in part, data stored on the failing disk drive, before degrading the failing disk drive for replacement, characterized in that: surveying at least a portion of the data on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) to identify data storage areas with latent errors comprises: identifying RAID extents on the failing disk drive; identifying data storage areas on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) in RAID stripes corresponding to the RAID extents identified on the failing disk drive; and performing read operations on the RAID stripes residing on the remaining plurality of disk drives to identify the data storage areas with latent errors. determining a disk drive of the plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 308, 310) meets a threshold for being identified as a failing disk drive; prior to failure of the failing disk drive, surveying at least a portion of the data on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) to identify data storage areas with latent errors; and reconstructing the identified data storage areas utilizing, at least in part, data stored on the failing disk drive, before degrading the failing disk drive for replacement, characterized in that: surveying at least a portion of the data on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) to identify data storage areas with latent errors comprises: identifying RAID extents on the failing disk drive; identifying data storage areas on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) in RAID stripes corresponding to the RAID extents identified on the failing disk drive; and performing read operations on the RAID stripes residing on the remaining plurality of disk drives to identify the data storage areas with latent errors. surveying at least a portion of the data on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) to identify data storage areas with latent errors comprises: identifying RAID extents on the failing disk drive; identifying data storage areas on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) in RAID stripes corresponding to the RAID extents identified on the failing disk drive; and identifying RAID extents on the failing disk drive; identifying data storage areas on the remaining plurality of disk drives (304, 306, 310) in RAID stripes corresponding to the RAID extents identified on the failing disk drive; and performing read operations on the RAID stripes residing on the remaining plurality of disk drives to identify the data storage areas with latent errors.