SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use

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    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use

    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use

    How to Use SeaTools for DOS and Windows Disk Check Utility
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Use SeaTools for DOS and Windows Disk Check Utility

    Contents:
    Part One: SeaTools for Windows
    Part Two: SeaTools for DOS
    *Caution for AHCI Storage Controller

       Information
    Seatools is a powerful tool to analyze the Hard Drives. It can perform a lot of tests like Drive Self-test, Read-Write teat, SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) extraction and performs some advanced actions like bad sector repair.

    Though Seatools can test all the brands of HDD, it performs the repair action for the Seagate brand HDD only.

       Warning
    It is always better that you back up your data.





    OPTION ONE

    Seatools for Windows

    1. Get it from SeaTools | Seagate

    2. Click on I accept and then download. Install the program and run it within windows. It will take a time to scan the drivers, and then the program window will appear. Click on I accept. Now you are on the Seatools For Windows GUI.

    3.(a) For Non Seatools Brand HDDs, you can perform Short Drive Self Test, Short Generic Test and Long Generic Test.

    3.(b) For Seatools brand Hdds, you can perform all the tests.

    Attempted a Basic Test > Fix All > Fast on a non SeaGate HDD, and here is the result.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-1.jpg
    So Repair works on SeaGate only, but you can test any brand of HDD.

       Warning
    You are suggested to not take the Advanced tests.



    OPTION TWO

    Seatools for DOS, Recommended

       Information
    If you are using AHCI storage controller, Seatools for DOS will not be able to detect a AHCI disc. So Boot into the BIOS, set the storage controller mode to IDE/SATA before running the test.

    All the BIOSs are not the same, but usually this option is found in "Advanced" BIOS settings.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-2.jpg
    When the test is done, Boot into the BIOS again and set the controller mode back to AHCI, otherwise windows will refuse to boot.
    1. Get it from SeaTools | Seagate

    2. Accept and download. It will come as a disc image file. Actually it is bundled with FreeDOS Operating System. It works as bootable, so it is to burn the downloaded ISO to either a blank CD or a USB pen drive.

    PART - I: Writing the Image

    1. For writing it to a CD/DVD, follow this tutorial: Burn Disc Image - ISO or IMG file

    2. For writing it to an USB pen drive, the easy way is to use Win32 Disk Imager | Free Development software downloads at SourceForge.net

       Note
    The downloaded ISO will not be written to the USB Pen Drive as it is. You need to alter the .iso file a bit to make it writable. Very little job is involved.

    • Download or install either 7-Zip (free) or WinRAR (not free).
    • Extract the downloaded .iso file.
    • Rename the SeaTools.ima to SeaTools.img.
    • Burn the SeaTools.img file using Win32 Disk Imager



    3. Download and double click to execute it. Select teh USB device, and browse for the renamed .img image.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-3.jpg
    4. Double click on the image, when found.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-4.jpg
    5. Click on Write.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-5.jpg
    6. A Confirm Overwrite message will appear. Click yes.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-6.jpg
    7. See the progress bar for a few seconds and the image is written and ready to boot from.

    PART - II: Booting from Seatools for DOS

    1. Now it is to boot from the CD/DVD or USB. You may do it using two alternative ways.

    • Enter into the BISO and change the BOOT order to CD (or USB) to first.
    • Use the BIOS Boot Menu Key to get the list of all possible devices to boot from. Select the CD (or USB) by using the scroll arrow keys and enter.

    2. When on the GUI, at first a warning message will appear. Accept it by clicking on "I Accept".
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-7.jpg
    Part - 3: Testing

    There are three types of tests.

    • Short Test;
    • Long Test; and
    • Acoustic Test.

    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-8.jpg
    For most of the cases, Short tests are enough. But if Short tests detect problems, Long tests are suggested.

       Information
    Long test has a mechanism to recover/repair some disc errors like BAD sectors. But the recovery/repair options work only for Seagate brand HDDs.


    PART - IV: Results

    Test results are of two types, in general.

    1. Passed; and
    2. Failed with errors; which may yield two possible alternative ultimate outcomes.
      • Passed after repair
      • Failed after repair


    1. If passed, its all good.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-passed.jpg
    2. If the test result a failure, with bad sectors etc, it will suggest you to have a warranty replacement, with a supplied test code.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-failure.jpg
    Click on "Done". It will supply you some options to repair the failures.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-11.jpg
    You need to opt for "Repair this one and all remaining".

    2.(a) If repairs are successful, it will show a result as passed after repair. It is good, too.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-14.jpg
    2.(b) But if the repair is unsuccessful, then there is no way but try to back up your data and replace the disc.
    SeaTools for DOS and Windows - How to Use-15.jpg
    That’s all.



  1. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #1

    Great job Archie. :)
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 15,026
    Windows 10 Home 64Bit
       #2

    Awesome
    Updated to my template!
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 18,415
    windows 7 home 64bit
       #3

    Nice work Archie
      My Computer


  4. Arc
    Posts : 35,373
    Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Brink said:
    Great job Archie. :)
    Thank you Shawn :)
    koolkat77 said:
    Awesome
    Updated to my template!
    Your templates are highly informative with a wide coverage :) If some of my writings are able to have a place there, it is my pleasure :)
    maxie said:
    Nice work Archie
    Thank you Maxie :)
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3,056
    Windows 10
       #5

    Another great one Archie :) .
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 25
    Windows 7 ultimate x64 sp 1
       #6

    For the seatools for DOS configuration, my SATA configuration is AHCI, however changing to ATA option is not available in my BIOS only RAID and IDE. I have also tried changing it to IDE and it doesn't work either. Seagate for DOS won't read my harddrives upon disk image boot via CD.

    My motherboard is ASUS Sabretooth z77, my windows hard drive is an intel ssd and my partition hard drive is SATA seagate.

    please help
    Last edited by Jinian; 03 May 2014 at 02:28.
      My Computer


  7. Arc
    Posts : 35,373
    Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    IDE and ATA are technically the same thing.

    What happens when you choose IDE and run seatools for DOS? What does it state?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 38
    Windows 7 Pro Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601, clean OEM re-install
       #8

    Hello - I want to try this tutorial and test my two Seagate external HDDs....my laptop's drive is a SSD drive and storage controller mode is set to ACHI mode. If I use the Seatools for DOS, to test the external HDDs (not the SSD), I still need to change storage controller mode to IDE/SATA? Also curious to know why the DOS option was recommended over the Windows option.

    I also have a few basic questions about HDDs to be sure that they are setup correctly (in switching from one laptop to another, running different OS)....would it okay to post them here?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 2,973
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit SP1
       #9

    For anyone having problems with Seatools for DOS recognizing drives.........I believe this is a chipset issue. There are a couple of us on here with newer platforms (Sandy Bridge and up) that absolutely cannot use Seatools for DOS. Seatools for Windows, however, does work and will test drives perfectly fine. I just tested (4) 5TB Seagate drives in Windows with no issues.
      My Computer


 
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