lve just replaced a hard drive seatools reported as needing replacement.
lm just wondering what the best tool would be for testing the old drive would be, its a samsung HD501LJ, ideally ld like a tool l can use via a USB external caddy to perform the scans to see if l can repair the issue or if its a lost cause, either way its been replaced with a 1TB Western Digital drive, but l maybe able to use the 500gb drive for non-essential backups.
Hello timeless!
The certain manufacturer of the hard drive should have a software available for testing the health of the HDD and fixing issues. If not, you could always use the chkdsk command or WD's Data Lifeguard Software:
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You can install the certain tool (chkdsk is a feature of your OS, doesn't need installing) on your PC and have the drive either directly or through an external caddy connected.
After you check your drive, if there aren't too many issues and/or bad sectors, you could probably use the drive a little longer.
Cheers! :)
CK_WD
actually l while l did run chkdsk and the windows checks for bad sectors nothing changed and the system reported the drive as being problem free.. and while l did run the drives the reported issues through seatools the smart test and short test for my 500gb drive recommended replacement, but l thought it might be possible to run a "FULL" test rather than the short one to see if there was anything that could be done as it would make a handy backup drive for non-essential files that l hardly access but would like to keep.
its kinda funny tho as crystaldiskinfo reported issues with two of my drives, but for some strange reason it stopped reporting any issues on the other drive ld contemplated replacing, that said lve decided next month to possibly get another 2 hard drives (1TB) ones and replace the 2 320gb drives l have left meaning all drives l have in my system will be less than a year old (the 320s l have left in there are a good 5 years old) but l may not replace them straight away and just make sure all my files are just backed up on them, all depends on xmas money if l get any
Well, you should be able to run the Extended test of any hard drive health checking software. Usually, to be certain in what the software is giving you as results, you should run the check a few more times, with at least another program, whether it's OS default or a different one. That's in the case when there could be a small issue with the drive and you're not certain whether to toss it or keep it.
My advice would be, check you doubtful drive again and don't use it for back ups, even small ones, as you can't be certain when it would eventually really die. If it works, the only real thing you could do with it is to transfer files on it for a short period of time before retrieving them, like an hour or two.
Cheers! :)
CK_WD
In that case, run the LONG test of the DOS version of SeaTools.
SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use
l would, but seatools doesnt seem to like the samsung drive, in fact it wouldnt pick it up. according to what l read the dos version of seatools will only pick up and or scan maxtor and seagate hard drives.
It recognises all drives - how do you think you were able to run the SHORT test?
Read the tutorial properly - it explains that the disk controller needs to be changed to IDE/ATA for the DOS version of SeaTools to be able to recognise he drives.
yes, thats what l did.. however when l ran the dos version outside of windows it only showed my Maxtor and Seagate drives, the samsung and the Western Digital drives didnt show up so l couldnt run any of the longer and more in depth tests.
Thats bizarre - it works on mine. Still if the SHORT test failed, then the lLONG test would too.....I wouldn't use that drive again, it would be far too unreliable.
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