Checking the status of the hard drive. Checking the hard disk for operability

Most of the older hard drives contain erroneous entries, etc. ... Some of them lead to sad consequences: loss of important files, damage to photos and videos; when it happens to your hard drive is a matter of time.

Windows OS offers basic tools for finding errors on HDD (scandisk, chkdsk), but they are not suitable for diagnostics and testing, checking the storage device for suitability. We invite you to familiarize yourself with much more effective tools (some of them are free).

The following programs will help you check your hard drive for errors:

Hitachi Drive Fitness Test (WinDFT) - a program for testing and checking the health of the hard drive

Hitachi Drive Fitness Test is a program for diagnosing the hard drive and finding read errors. The utility allows you to quickly check the status of internal and external hard drives with support for G-Technology.

Features of the program:

• When diagnosing, you can choose a quick test or an advanced test.
• The TestLog displays a Pass or Fail next to each test.
• Reading.
• Ability to create a bootable CD image. If it is not possible to boot the OS from the hard disk, WinDFT can be started in LiveCD mode.
• Hitachi Drive Fitness Test performs testing without overwriting disk data.

Seagate Seatools for Windows: Drive Health Testing

Seatools from Seagate is a free HDD diagnostic tool for Windows and DOS. The utility will allow you to identify some problems on the HDD before contacting the warranty service for disk repair (In our reality, instead of repairing, you will be offered to replace the device, as a result of which you will lose all saved data).

Note. The program is not compatible with all HDD models, it is relevant only for hard drives from Seagate.

Problems that the program can detect:

• Violation of the structure of the HDD file system;
• Bad sectors and read errors;
• Driver errors and Windows system problems;
• Equipment incompatibility;
• Damage to the Windows boot loader (MBR) on the disk;
• The presence of viruses, keyloggers or other malicious applications.

Seatools works as follows: the user selects tests for diagnostics, runs them - as a result, he receives a detailed report. If the test passes, the PASS mark will be displayed, otherwise FAIL. Please note that HDD testing can take up to 4 hours. In order to save time, you can choose one of three test modes.

Also Seagate Seatools can be used to "cure" a hard drive. That is, the program is able to detect bad blocks and try to recover or overwrite with zeros (this method allows you to later ignore problem blocks when reading / writing the disk structure).

Victoria

The Victoria program has long been considered reliable, proven, but outdated. However, in September 2019, an update was released (the latest version is 4.76b), which introduced several interesting features. Let's note some of them.

• HDD Surface Testing - Victoria allows you to configure the timeout for the scanner, as well as the block size. The program sequentially reads data and displays the current state of the disk surface in the form of a color scheme, graphics.
• Full support for USB-SATA drives - on laptop and PC. You can check the performance using SMART tests, manage the cache and noise level. Victoria also displays the passport of the HDD drive in great detail.
• S.M.A.R.T-media monitoring. Allows you to evaluate the hard drive for serviceability, the degree of wear and tear and the reserve of the HDD - for how long its resources will last.
• Fast deletion of any information on the disk without the possibility of recovery by means of multiple "erasure" and overwrite "zeros".

Victoria runs Windows, including the 10 version of the OS, you can download it.

HDD Health program: check disk and read SMART attributes

HDD Health is another free hard drive testing and health monitoring program. The utility checks the hard disk for errors (SSD / HDD) and makes a prediction (Health indicator as a percentage).

Pre-check disk for errors using baseline SMART. HDD Health interface

The following information is displayed in the main window of the program:

• manufacturer, model, firmware version
• current temperature of HDD (SSD) (accessible via notification area)
• general condition of the disk structure
• other attributes (via the Extended info menu)

Like other diagnostic tools, HDD Health reads S.M.A.R.T scores, which allows you to clarify the current hardware performance. There are no other tools for calculating errors or checking for bad blocks in the program.

HDD Health 4.2: Checking SSD Status

Thus, the HDD Health toolkit will be useful to those for whom S.M.A.R.T.-indicators are enough to check the status of the hard disk (and if the state of the device is not critical). Fortunately, the latest HDD / SSD disks feature S.M.A.R.T. implemented.

HDDScan - a program for checking a hard drive for bad sectors

HDDScan is a free program for hard drive diagnostics, reading S.M.A.R.T. and other parameters. After testing, you will receive a detailed log file detailing the state of the disk.

HDDScan allows you to check HDD and other storage devices:

• RAID arrays,
• HDD disks with IDE / SATA interface,
• SATA / ATA SSD,
• USB sticks.

Let's note the most useful functions of HDDScan:

• Checking the hard disk for errors that are not detected by standard Windows utilities: bad blocks and bad sectors
• Hard Disk Test (Read / Clean)
• Temperature check for all hard drives connected to the PC
• Export any information as a custom report

CHKDSK - fix hard disk errors

You can check your hard drive for errors without installing third-party programs. The Windows operating system (XP, 7, 8, 10) allows you to do this through the Check Disk utility.

The CHKDSK utility dates back to DOS. It not only looks for, but also fixes basic file system errors. It should be clarified that it is not designed to search for all types of errors and is not a diagnostic tool for HDD.

However, with the help of CHKDSK, you can fix errors on various storage devices: not only on the hard drive, but also on the flash drive and on the sd card. Starting with Windows NT, it fixes bad blocks (physically bad sectors) by marking them appropriately. Subsequently, these areas are bypassed by other programs when reading / writing.

HDDLife - a program for monitoring the state of the hard disk

Typically, the heart of a computer is the processor or motherboard. But they serve faithfully for several years, and then a hard drive suddenly fails. In terms of the amount of loss, no component can be compared with it.

The hard drive is the computer memory, which, of course, needs to be protected. In order to prevent sudden loss of data, you need to regularly back up data to another HDD or storage media. However, if you want to anticipate the failure of a hard drive in advance, you need to determine its current state. The HDDLife program will help you with this.

HDDLife has several very useful features. First of all - monitoring the state of the hard disk. HDD health is shown as a colored bar. If everything is in order, the scale is green, if the disk has worked a decent amount of time, the color is yellow. The red scale is already a signal of a pre-emergency state: the hard disk has worked and is ready to retire. In this case, it is better not to risk it and replace the component promptly. In the pro version of HDDLife, you can configure notification about the pre-emergency state of hard drives by email. If there are a lot of computers on the network, then the diagnostic option will come in handy. Also, the status graph informs how long the disk has worked. This is worth paying attention to, especially if you are buying a used disc or just want to make sure it is new.

The second important section is the display of the disk temperature. Any electronics works, or rather wears out faster at elevated temperatures. And too high a temperature, as a rule, leads to disastrous consequences. If the indicator text is green, then everything is in order and the disk is in good thermal conditions. Otherwise, you need to buy special cooling or check the ventilation of the slot in which the disk is located. On some HDDs, the program allows you to adjust the noise level and performance. This is done using a slider that determines the ratio between the characteristics. Either this is a special version for a laptop, or a limitation of the trial version - however, the option was not available for us. Some of HDDLife's features are not unique: the available space indicator, for example. If there is not enough space on the partitions, a familiar warning is displayed. Free space control is there in Windows, as in almost any OS, so the message is more annoying than informing.

The program is distributed in three versions: free, HDDLife Professional and HDDLife for Notebooks. Differences can be found on the page http://www.hddlife.ru/rus/compare.html.

Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic - a program for checking the disk for "professional suitability"

If you are using a Western Digital HDD or SSD, this program will be helpful for diagnostics.

This product can be used both as a desktop application for Windows and as an ISO image that will help you explore your hard drive without booting the OS,

Available options:

• viewing self-diagnostic indicators - SMART-attributes,
• checking bad sectors on Western Digital hard drives,
• complete deletion of information on the HDD - wiping with “zeros”.

The program is available on the official website of Western Digital at the link.

HDD Regenerator - a program for testing hard drives and treating bad sectors

Attention!!! HDD Regenerator cannot recover bad sectors and files. For these purposes, the program is best suited. Judging by the reviews of IXBT forum visitors, the HDD Regenerator functions do not correspond to the declared ones.

HDD Regenerator is a utility for checking the hard drive, a professional tool for diagnostics and error search. The word "Regenerator" is deceiving: the program is able to detect possible malfunctions, but it cannot correct errors in the structure and bad sectors.

HDD Regenerator interface

First of all, HDD Regenerator is a program for checking the hard disk for errors and errors in the sequential block reading mode. If the information is not available for reading, "regeneration" will allow you to bypass bad blocks and read problem files.

In order to determine the state of the HDD, you need to pass a special test. Additional information can be retrieved. There is a corresponding toolkit in HDD Regenerator.

Other features of the program:

• FAT and NTFS file systems are supported; however, the file system format does not matter for testing;
• Conclusion of detailed statistics on the current state of the hard disk, its performance;
• Creation of a bootable regenerating USB-flash drive or CD / DVD-disk based on HDD Regenerator;
• Prescan mode: fast diagnostics of the hard disk (surface scan);
• Monitoring of HDD operation in real time;
• Data security: the program works in read mode (except for overwriting bad sectors).

The cost of the PRO version of HDD Regenerator is $ 79.99 / year. There is a free trial version that allows you to “regenerate” 1 bad sector for free. However, what is meant by the word "regeneration" is not clear. You can use this mode at your own peril and risk, only if you are not afraid of losing data completely.

Answers to readers' questions

I often resort to system restore due to a crash. Often hangs, processor overload is constant, has already removed unnecessary programs. I closed all background programs as best I could. Experts say that it is necessary to change the hard disk, they say, there are many damaged (broken) sectors. I want to try this program for checking sectors. How do I check my hard drive for errors?

Answer... Indeed, if the problems described by you in the question are observed, checking the hard disk for bad sectors will not hurt. At a minimum, we advise you to scan the drive using applications such as HDD Regenerator and Victoria. You can find out how to check the hard disk for bad sectors directly in the documentation. Whether it is worth it or not, the wording is not very correct. You should check the HDD for errors regularly if the data is of at least minimal value to you.

First! All your programs are not Russified, which creates inconvenience in using a long inaccurate translation and work on a whim. My hard drive problem is an I / O error on the device during initialization. I don't need the data. 0 sector is normal, the rest must be restored. There are no physical and other damage, it gives good technical parameters, there is no overheating. I suppose that with the help of the HDD Regenerator everything can be corrected or by editing the recording of sectors manually using programs that give this opportunity, a long procedure, so something faster is preferable. Seagate Barracuda 1T Drive! All the best to you and good luck!

The hard drive is an extremely important piece of hardware in a PC. Therefore, the user may need to solve problems related to testing the hard drive for errors, as well as fixing them. What tools can be involved in this? What are the most common errors in the hard drive?

What problems with the hard drive can arise?

Before looking at how to test a hard drive, let’s examine what might be the reason for performing a test. What problems can arise in his work?

To use the utility in question, you need to go to the "Computer" section, then right-click on the hard disk icon. There may be several of them, in this case it makes sense to check each one in turn. After right-clicking on the hard drive icon in the menu that opens, select the "Properties" option. In the window that appears, go to the "Service" tab. Then click on the "Check" button and follow the instructions.

In some versions of Windows, the utility in question is not configured to test logical drives that host OS system files. But in this case, the "Check Disk" program provides an option: initiation of testing the hard drive at the next boot of the operating system. You can select it and immediately restart Windows: during the startup process, the system itself must ask the user for permission to check the disk on which the system files are located.

So now we know how to test a hard drive using the popular built-in Windows tool, Chkdsk. This solution allows you to efficiently correct file system errors. But what if the alleged failure of the hard drive is associated with the appearance of bad sectors on it? How to test a laptop or desktop hard drive for corresponding damage?

The widest range of solutions can be used for these purposes. The most popular of them include such programs as:

• Data Liferguard Diagnistic.
• HDD Scan.
• Ashampoo HDD Control.
• Victoria HDD.
• AIDA64 (formerly Everest).
• MHDD.

Let's study their features.

Testing the hard drive: Data Lifequard Diagnostic

This program is developed by the Western Digital brand, which is one of the world's most famous hard drive manufacturers. How do I test my hard drive for errors using this software?

The corresponding program works in several modes. The most informative from the point of view of reflecting information about errors on the disk is the Extended Test mode. In particular, it can be used to find damaged sectors on the surface of the hard disk platters. If they are found, the program will prompt the user to use an algorithm by means of which bad sectors will be excluded from those used by the hard drive to write and read files.

Testing the hard drive: HDD Scan

Another popular solution for checking disks is HDD Scan. How do I test my laptop or desktop hard drive with it?

The application in question also contains several tests. Among those that may be useful to us is the Surface Tests. It, like the previous solution, allows you to analyze the surface of the disk platters for damaged sectors. It is noteworthy that the program in question allows you to detect not only bad sectors, but also those on which there are problems with reading and writing. Thus, HDD Scan can reveal areas on the surface of hard disk platters, where the read speed can be tens of times lower than normal values. In practice, this can mean, as in the case of bad sectors, it is desirable to exclude the corresponding sections from those that are used by the hard drive to write files.

Disk Testing: Ashampoo

Another popular program is Ashampoo HDD Control, how can I test my hard drive for errors?

It is worth noting that the application in question contains a fairly large number of tools for checking the hard drive, as well as working with detected disk problems. Of these, you can use, for example, the option for testing the surface of the device's plates - Test Surface.

Following the results of the corresponding, it shows the sectors that have high read rates, as well as bad sectors.

Victoria HDD

The next popular solution for testing hard drives is Victoria HDD. It can be noted that this program allows you to both test the hard drive on Windows 7 (8 or any other), and check the hard drive through the DOS command line.

This feature increases the versatility of the considered solution. In addition, the corresponding software has very good functionality.

So, the program allows you to test the hard drive for bad sectors, reassign their use, classify areas of the hard drive surface into different categories depending on the speed of reading files from them.

If the English graphic version of the program in question is used, you must run it, then go to the Tests tab. On it there are tests of the surface of the hard disk platters. If necessary, you can configure the program's actions when bad sectors are detected:

• ignoring the problem (with its subsequent reflection in the test results);
• reassignment of sectors;
• deleting sectors;
• restoration of damaged areas of the disk.

If necessary, you can use each of the specified modes of the program in turn.

Hard Drive Testing: AIDA64 Program

Many users are interested in the question of how to test a hard disk. Old versions of the corresponding software are now available on various portals on the Internet. The fact is that in the latest modifications the program is named differently, its name sounds like AIDA64.

It should be noted that this type of software is one of the most functional solutions in terms of testing equipment performance. So, for example, using the program in question, you can test the speed of a hard disk, and not only. Using it, you can also measure the performance of RAM, processor, flash drives.

The functionality of the program includes various stress tests, involving the implementation of checks in the mode of maximum load on the corresponding type of tests can be carried out for the hard disk of the computer.

Checking Disk for Errors: MHDD Program

According to IT experts, the MHDD program is one of the most functional solutions for checking hard drives for errors. Considering which program to test the hard drive, experts can opt for the MHDD solution, because:

• it includes a qualitative test of the surface of hard disk platters;
• it can be launched in a bootable format - for example, from a USB flash drive, which allows testing the hard drive before installing any operating system on it;
• the program includes a large number of useful tests, as well as disk repair tools;
• the corresponding software is free.

Of course, the solution in question can also work from the operating system. How exactly it is better to use it depends on the nature of the problem with the disks, on the hardware configuration on a particular PC, on the specifics of the operating system used, if it is preinstalled on the computer.

MHDD program: testing the disk

Let's consider a number of practical nuances of using the corresponding popular program. Let's agree that the user has a need to use the bootable version of this software. To do this, you need to make a device with which the program will be launched, for example, a USB flash drive or CD.

After the device is ready, the BIOS must be configured to boot from it. By the way, many users are also asking the question of how to test a hard drive through BIOS. Computer manufacturers may well implement the necessary options in the corresponding software interfaces to check the performance of hard drives.

When working with the MHDD program, a nuance should be taken into account: the solution in question does not work with hard drives that are connected to the computer in Slave mode. If this is the case, the disks must be reconnected, and only then should they be tested.

After starting the program installed on a bootable USB flash drive or CD, you must select a specific drive that will be tested. Then enter the SCAN command in the command line, which initiates a media check. If you do not need to set any additional scanning parameters, you need to press F4 to start the corresponding test.

However, you may still need to specify additional parameters. For example, if we talk about the Start LBA option, it is used to indicate specific blocks on the hard drive from which the program should check the disk. In turn, the End LBA option is intended to indicate those blocks that are checked at the end of the disk test. However, by default, the program checks the entire surface of the hard drive platters.

How to test a hard disk for errors with subsequent reassignment of bad sectors using the MHDD program interfaces? Very simple: the Remap option is used for this. If you select the Erase Delays option, the program will ignore bad sectors, which will speed up the disk check if there are a lot of bad sectors on its surface.

The MHDD disk scanning program works quite informatively: the scanned sectors are displayed on the user's screen in real time. In a separate section of the interface of the corresponding software, the number of different blocks is counted.

Summary

You can check the status of the hard disk using the built-in Windows tools and using special programs. At the same time, the tools of the first type are designed mainly for correcting errors in the file system, the second ones for identifying and correcting bad sectors using available methods.

Specialized ones can be supplied in both graphical and console versions. Some of the corresponding solutions can be used in a bootable modification: it can be applied even if the operating system is not installed on the computer.

It can be noted that how to test an external hard drive practically does not differ from the procedure for testing a built-in hard drive. For this, the same solutions can be applied, the main thing is to correctly connect them to the PC. But this is possible only if the computer supports those communication interfaces through which an external hard drive is supposed to be connected.

A hard disk is a storage device that stores all information on a computer. It is for this reason that it is important to monitor the status of the HDD and regularly carry out diagnostics in order to fix problems in a timely manner. This is ideal, but before encountering problems with the drive, users often do not even think about how the hard drive is diagnosed, and why it is needed at all. If your computer and the information on it are of any value to you, take the time to read the manual, which will help you learn how to test your hard drive using software without spending a lot of time on it.

We check the performance with the built-in Windows tools

If you do not have the time or skills to use the special software needed to diagnose the HDD, you can use what is built into Windows initially. The actions are simple:

Go to the HDD through the explorer or the shortcut "My Computer".

Right-click on the drive icon, then select "Properties" in the menu that opens.

On the page that appears, go to the "Service" tab located at the top. Click "Check".

Wait for the firmware to finish checking your drive's health.

Unfortunately, this method is not as effective as diagnostics using special software - it can only indicate some errors and push the user to a more serious sector scan. A more serious approach is needed to thoroughly scan and troubleshoot faults and damage.

Scanning HDD in third-party software

There are a lot of programs with the help of which you can find out about the presence of errors in the hard drive, as well as deal with their removal, and it is very long and difficult to analyze the instructions for using each of them. For this reason, below you can familiarize yourself with a method that involves using the popular Victoria program. When choosing other software, remember that the operating principle of disk diagnostic applications is practically the same from program to program. Here is a guide to Victoria:

Run the application as administrator by calling the menu using the RMB on the program shortcut.

In the application window that opens, at the top, find the Standard tab and click on it.

On the new page, you will see a list of the media detected by your system - they are listed in the upper right side of the application. Select your HDD and then click the Passport button. If you have done everything correctly, and the media is available for use, Victoria will immediately inform you about it.

Navigate to the SMART tab, usually located next to the previously opened tab. Here you need to select Get SMART and wait for approval from the application.

Go to the TEST section, then press the START button to start diagnostics of your HDD.

During the check, Victoria will display the status of the HDD with a grid of squares. Gray squares indicate that everything is good - for the equipment to work properly, either all or the vast majority of all sectors should be like that. Red squares are damaged sectors that hang like a dead weight and interfere with the drive's operation.

If you have blue squares - unreadable sectors, they must be re-scanned in Victoria with Remap enabled.

Now you know how to check the status of the media.

Remember that over time, there are more and more unreadable sectors on the disk - they appear as a result of mechanical deformations, intensive memory use, and also for numerous other reasons. This is normal and can be compared to the aging of the wearer.

Share the article with your friends so that they also know about it, as well as learn how to diagnose HDD errors on their own. Do not forget to subscribe to updates so as not to miss the appearance of new interesting materials!

If the HDD makes strange sounds or there are problems with writing and reading information, you should use one of the programs to check the hard disk for errors. Depending on the task (checking the disk surface for damage, searching for bad sectors, correcting errors, etc.), different software may come in handy.

You can quickly check the disk for errors using standard system tools; to restore the hard drive, you will need special third-party programs. Having learned how to check the health of a hard disk using various utilities, a user of any level will be able to cope with the problems that have arisen.

The CheckDisk system service is the simplest program for diagnosing a hard drive, which is unable to find complex errors and fix bad sectors, but is useful for fixing basic problems. It is available on all versions of Windows and can be used to check drives of any type. All users need to know how to check hard disk for errors with this tool.

The version of the utility with a graphical interface is most convenient for novice users. You can start it through the disk management menu, which can be accessed in two ways:

1. in Windows XP / Vista / 7 - select the "Management" item in the context menu of "My Computer", then go to the required menu;
2. in Windows 8/10 - press the Win + X combination and select the appropriate item.

In the window that opens, select the device that needs analysis, right-click on it and select the "Properties" item in the drop-down menu. Going to the "Service" tab, you need to run the hard disk diagnostic program.

The system will check and automatically correct errors if the disk is not currently busy with read or write processes. Otherwise, the program will offer to conduct testing after restarting the PC. If necessary, in the check results window, you can see detailed information about the HDD status.

The GUI version does not always save, since it is sometimes required to check the state of the hard disk from safe mode or without starting the operating system at all. In such cases, the console comes to the rescue, which can be started before starting the system using a boot disk.

After opening the recovery console, you need to run the chkdsk / f command, which will check all connected drives. In some cases, this will help correct the error. However, in most situations, if the failure of the HDD led to the inability to start the system, a deeper check of the condition of the hard disk will be required.

To use the console command from within the system, you need to:

• run the command line (via Win + X or by entering cmd in the "Run" window);
• enter the chkdsk command specifying the letter of the section to be checked and additional flags;
• confirm the operation with Y.

Checking the HDD via the command line will turn out a little faster than using the GUI version of the program, the results will be shown here, in the console.

The Linux system also has standard tools - hdparm and smartctl, launched from the console.

Simple programs for quick HDD check

If standard utilities are not suitable, hard disk diagnostics can be performed using simple third-party programs. They allow you to get more information about the health of the HDD, but in case of serious malfunctions, they will not work, since they cannot be used to fix the breakdowns.

HDDScan is a free software that performs analysis in two modes:

• according to S.M.A.R.T .;
• linear processing.

The tool evaluates the read and write speed in various sectors, marking the "slow" cells. During the analysis, the program makes sure that the tested hard drives do not overheat; at the end of processing, a full report is presented to the user.

HDDScan good versatility. The utility allows you to check disks for errors regardless of the type of device: it can both check an external hard drive and analyze a RAID array, SSD drive or memory card.

Crystal disk mark has only one function - it evaluates the read and write speed. Despite this, it is often used, since it is still possible to check a hard drive for serviceability using only two indicators.

Different algorithms are used for the test, one of which is the sequential write mode. The program gradually fills all the space on the drive with blocks of the size specified by the user, and then clears the HDD. The same technique is used by manufacturers of hard drives to check product quality. The disadvantage is that it accelerates the wear and tear of SSD-drives.

CrystalDiskInfo and DiskCheckup are similar in functionality, differ only in the interface. They check the state of the hard drive using S.M.A.R.T.-algorithms and make up a history of checks, which allows you to track the dynamics of changes. CrystalDiskInfo has more options for visualizing history. For example, you can build a graph, not just get a written report.

Another feature of these programs is a convenient notification system. Hard drive deep tests usually take a long time. If the user needs to leave the computer, he can enable notifications about critical HDD errors by E-Mail.

Programs from hard drive manufacturers

Some HDD manufacturers have developed their own utilities for analyzing the state of the hard drive. They are intended for use with devices of the same name; it is possible to diagnose a hard drive from another company with their help, but this must be done carefully. Unlike simpler programs, these utilities have versions in different languages, including Russian. Which program is better for analyzing the state of the HDD?

Seagate's proprietary program exists in two versions: a standard version for launching from under Windows and a DOS version in iso-image format, from which you can make a bootable USB flash drive. It is recommended to use the second option, since the check in this case will be more accurate and efficient.

SeaTools uses part of S.M.A.R.T. to test the hard drive without giving out details of each item. Three tests can be done:

1. short HDD self-test;
2. short express test;
3. a long-term scan in which all sectors are read sequentially.

During the scan, the program automatically corrects the errors found.

Owners of hard drives from WD should know how to check the performance of hard drives using proprietary software from this manufacturer. The set of its capabilities is similar to that of the program from Seagate, but somewhat expanded and allows for deeper work with the affected device.

There are two additional functions:

1. deep disk formatting - the program writes zeros to all sectors, irrevocably destroying information;
2. blocking access to bad sectors - the program marks bad blocks, excluding writing new information to them.

Unlike SeaTools, this HDD diagnostic tool can be freely used with devices from any manufacturer to check the hard drive for errors - no problems with this have been identified.

Deep Testing Software

If you need not only checking the hard disk for errors, but also fixing bad sectors, you cannot do without sophisticated software that performs the most in-depth analysis of the state of the HDD.

Victoria HDD

Victoria HDD is considered by many users to be the best hard drive troubleshooting software. The program has gained such a reputation due to its wide range of functions.

Victoria comes in two flavors:

• with a graphical shell for use from within Windows;
• with a DOS shell to create a bootable disk.

Better to use the second version. HDD diagnostics outside the system allows you to achieve the best results, therefore it is always recommended to follow the principle - “if possible, I test the disk from the boot disk”. As a last resort, you can use the LiveCD of another OS, for example, a Linux distribution like Ubuntu.

Victoria HDD has a variety of functions:

• fast and complete disk check;
• reassignment of bad sectors and their restoration;
• checking the status of contacts in an IDE or SATA cable;
• analysis of equipment performance;
• viewing S.M.A.R.T.-indicators.

When checking, you need to pay attention to the access time to the sectors. It should not exceed 200-600 ms. You can also see the temperature of the disk during operation, but this is not so important.

HDD Regenerator

HDD Regenerator is a professional hard drive recovery software. It not only marks bad sectors as unused, but also tries to reanimate them. For this, not a standard deep formatting method is used, but a proprietary algorithm based on the transmission of signals of different levels to the sector. Despite the professional level, inexperienced users can also use this software, since it is not difficult to test a hard drive with its help thanks to a convenient Russian-language interface.

Features of the program:

• ensuring the safety of data - it works only in read mode;
• support for different file systems;
• the ability to scan the surface of the disk;
• real-time monitoring.

The program is not suitable for everyone, since you can check the hard disk for performance for free, but you will have to pay $ 90 for the sector recovery function.

If you don't feel like paying, you can use TestDisk, a free program that can repair the partition table, boot sectors and MFT. It also detects bad sectors, can recover deleted information and fix file system errors. The only drawback is the lack of a graphical interface, you have to work from the console.

If, after checking the HDD and fixing all the problems, the computer does not stop working incorrectly, it is worth checking the registry. The failures may not be due to hardware failure, but to internal system errors.

Is the most unreliable component of a modern computer. As a rule, modern models work up to 3 years, after which they have to be replaced. The worst thing about this situation is that it is very difficult to predict exactly when a hard drive will break. Because of this, inexperienced users often lose important data. In this article, we will talk about how to check a hard drive for serviceability and correctly assess its condition.

Health check based on data from "S.M.A.R.T."

If you want to check the hard drive for serviceability, then the first thing to do is to install the program. This free program collects all available information about the drive and, based on it, gives an assessment of its technical condition. If the drive is fully functional, then its "technical condition" will be indicated as "Good". If it has any problems, then you will receive the rating "Alarm", but in those cases when the HDD is on the verge of death, the program gives the rating "Bad".

Also in the program CrystalDiskInfo you can see the initial data of the system "S.M.A.R.T." (the program uses them to assess those conditions). To understand what this or that parameter means, you can use. There is a table with a detailed description of all parameters of the S.M.A.R.T. system. In addition, in the CrystalDiskInfo program, you can see the number of inclusions, the number of hours worked, the exact model name and even the serial number of the drive.

Checking the health of the hard drive under load

If the system "S.M.A.R.T." does not show any problems, then the hard disk can be checked for serviceability by creating a heavy load. To do this, just try to write a large number of small files (a couple of megabytes in size) to the drive. For example, you might try to copy a large folder of photos onto it.

• If the disk is healthy, then the copying process should go through without any incident. In this case, the copying speed should be more or less stable throughout the entire copying period (with the exception of a slight drop in speed immediately after the copying starts).
• If the hard drive is defective, the copy speed will fluctuate very much (from normal to very slow). In some cases, the copying process may freeze or be interrupted. Some files may not be copied, the system will report errors. In especially advanced cases, a crackling or rattling sound may be heard, the drive may turn off ().

If the test with writing files went well, then try testing how reading data works. To do this, try copying data from the test disk.

Checking for errors in HD Tune

The next stage is to check the health of the hard disk using specialized programs. Such programs allow you to check the hard drive for errors and identify problems, even if they do not appear in normal use. Let's start with the free program (or its paid version HD Tune Pro).

In order to check the hard disk for errors, run HD Tune, go to the tab and click on the "Start" button.

Then HD Tune will start checking the hard disk for good condition. During the check, you will be able to observe this process. Normal areas of the hard drive will be marked in green, and damaged areas in red.

On a fully functional hard disk, there should be no damaged (red) blocks at all, the entire surface should be marked in green.

Checking for errors with Victoria 3.5

To get the most accurate check, you need to use the program, you can download it as an iso file, for example, (here is version 3.5, which is best suited for checking outside the operating system). The downloaded iso file must be burned to a CD (or flash drive) and the computer booted from it. After booting the computer from this CD, you will need to select one of the versions of the Victoria program. For desktops, you need to choose the version "Victoria for Desktop", and for laptops, respectively, "Victoria for Notebook". The other options in this menu start the DOS operating system and Volkov Commander.

To start scanning the entire surface of the hard drive, press the F4 key. After that, a menu with settings should appear. Here you need to select "Ignore Bad Blocks" and "Linear reading"... It should be noted that you need to use the Victoria program very carefully, since the use of some of its functions can delete data on the drive. For example, this can happen when the options "Write (erase)", "Write from file", and "BB = Erase 256 sect" are enabled.

To start scanning, press the F4 key again. After that, all that remains is to wait until the check is over. At the end, if the hard drive is fully functional, you should see a screen like this.

If the hard disk has any problem areas, then orange and red blocks will appear on the scan screen. The more such blocks, the worse the condition of the HDD surface. If the number of red blocks is large, it means that the hard drive is defective and it is time to replace it. Detailed information about the found problems can be viewed on the right side of the screen, in the "Defects" window.

Checking for errors in Victoria 4.46

If you do not want to write an iso image and boot from a computer from a disk, then you can use the Victoria 4.46 program, which runs from the Windows operating system. You can download this version of the program, for example,.

After downloading, you will receive an archive that you will need to unpack into any folder. To start the Victoria 4.46 program, open the folder with the contents of the archive and run the vcr446f.exe program. After launching, you will see the main Victoria window, it will look something like the picture below.

The study of the program should be started from the "Standart" tab. Here, on the right side of the screen, there is a list of hard drives that Victoria was able to determine, information about the currently selected drive is displayed at the top left (if you wish, you can choose another one), and below is a log of events, errors and other information.

To check the hard disk for errors, you need to open the "Tests" tab. Here you must first click on the "Passp" button (to get information about the drive), and then on the "Start" button (to start the test).

After that, you just need to wait for the program to finish checking the hard disk.

During the check, the Victoria program will find faulty and problematic storage blocks, the number of which will be displayed in the column on the right, as well as at the bottom of the screen.

Results of checking the health of the hard disk

A fully functional hard drive should pass all of the above tests without any problems. The CrystalDiskInfo program should be rated Good, manual writing and reading tests should run smoothly, and HD Tune and Victoria should show no problems. If everything is exactly like this, then most likely your hard drive is completely functional and will work for a long time.

But, naturally, there are no guarantees here and cannot be. Therefore, the only way to reliably protect your data is to back up. The most important data (personal photos, videos, documents) should always be stored on multiple drives.