How to diagnose a faulty HDD?

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

Ok, so I'm sure there are plenty of people savvy about backup and what not here...

I randomly get Windows messages about read errors when installing a lot of stuff, like once a month, and the next time I restart it does a CHKDSK.

I'm using this 320GB Seagate from 2007 and I think his time is coming.

I'm just wondering what should I do to tell if my HDD is dying or becoming faulty somehow. What tools do you guys use for this?

Thanks.

 

[Kevin Olsen]

I recommend Hard Disk Sentinel for real time monitoring and SMART error detection. It doesn't take up a lot of power to run at all times and it's nice to see data on your drive including error detection thresholds.

I've also read good things about OO Software's DriveLED for similar functions, I use their defrag program and I like it.

Good Luck, and backup, backup, backup!

 

[Olivier Madar]

Don't loose your time. If you think your HD "might" fault, do a full backup asap and change it.

Olivier

 

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

I recommend Hard Disk Sentinel for real time monitoring and SMART error detection. It doesn't take up a lot of power to run at all times and it's nice to see data on your drive including error detection thresholds.

I've also read good things about OO Software's DriveLED for similar functions, I use their defrag program and I like it.

Good Luck, and backup, backup, backup!

It's a pretty nice app, thanks.

Don't loose your time. If you think your HD "might" fault, do a full backup asap and change it.

Olivier

Yeah, I've been procrastinating for too long.

Most of important stuff is on a new HDD and stuff that can be easily uploaded I get to my server online.

I've already lost a whole HDD before and a flash drive that I clearly remembered to have erased the day before still had all the important in it. This miracle will remain unquestioned...