Testing the hard drive for failure. Useful utilities for monitoring HDD status. Checking the hard drive with HDDScan utility

The computer's hard drive (HDD) is the main storage device in most computers. Of course, today a faster analogue is used - an SSD solid-state drive, but it is still inferior in price and capacity to a hard drive. Bad sectors on a hard drive appear for many reasons, but mainly these are the consequences of software errors and long-term use of the HDD. In reality, bad sectors lead to the loss of important information, so it is better to check the HDD for bad sectors in advance.

Reasons for bad sectors

First of all, it’s worth explaining exactly what a bad sector is. A bad sector is a small area of ​​disk space that is damaged during operation. Such a region does not respond to read/write requests. Bad sectors occur on all types of media (HDD, SSD, FLASH, and so on). There are two types of bad sectors:

1. “Physical” bad sectors are the result of physical damage to the hard drive and cannot be repaired.
2. “Logical” bad sectors are caused by software errors and can be fixed.

Physically bad sectors can occur, for example, due to the fact that the hard drive head comes into contact with a moving plate and damages it, or due to dust and moisture. In the case of solid-state storage drives, bad sectors occur due to wear or overheating of the microcircuits, as well as moisture.

Logically bad sectors often occur when the operating system does not shut down properly (for example, if the computer is turned off from the network). Fixing such bad sectors is possible using a special program, which I will discuss later. The scan utility built into Windows will also help you fix errors on your hard drive.

Checking your hard drive for Windows 10 errors

You can check your hard drive for errors using the built-in tools of Windows 10. Windows has a built-in Disk Checker (chkdsk) program. This is very convenient when it is not possible to install additional programs, and some of them are difficult to use. The built-in Disk Checker is easy to use and accessible to every user.

The chkdsk program can be launched in two ways:

1. On the command line
2. In Windows Explorer

Let's consider both options. To check your hard drive using the command line, you must run it with administrator rights. To do this, go to Start -> Windows System Tools -> Command Prompt -> Right Mouse Button -> Advanced -> Run as Administrator.

At the command line, enter the command in the following format: chkdsk drive_letter: scan_parameters. If it’s not clear, I’ll show you using my hard drive as an example. To find out the letter of my hard drive, I go to My Computer. In my case, there is only one logical partition - local drive C. Next, I enter the scan parameters /F - automatic error correction, /R - check for bad sectors and restore information.

Attention! The verification may take a long time, so you should not perform it if you are not willing to wait.

The full command is shown in the screenshot.

In my case, this volume is used, the program offers to check the next time the system is rebooted, I press Y and reboot.

Another easier way to check your hard drive for Windows 10 errors is to use File Explorer. Go to My Computer, right-click on the desired volume, select properties. Go to the Tools tab -> Check hard drive -> Check.

Programs for checking HDD for bad sectors

The built-in Windows 10 tools for checking HDDs for bad sectors are not intended for diagnostics and testing. In this section, you will be introduced to more effective programs.

Victoria (or simply Vika) is a free program for testing, diagnostics, and minor repairs:

1. Hard drives
2. Solid State Drives
3. External drives.

Victoria works with hardware at the lowest level through input/output ports, which allows for the highest quality diagnostics. The program can fix sectors that are damaged at the logical level. Vika simply blocks physically damaged sectors.

You can download the Victoria program for checking your hard drive on my file storage.

After downloading, unpack the two archives (first victoria_setup, then victoria), go to the victoria folder, run the vcr447 file with administrator rights (right mouse button -> Run as administrator). The program interface is shown below.

The Victoria program window is divided into five tabs:

Standard – contains a list of drives that are installed on the system. In addition to hard drives, these can also be USB drives, SD readers, DVDs and much more. You can test all this. The device is selected by clicking on the desired item. Immediately after clicking, detailed information about the Drive passport device will be displayed in the window on the left. You may also have noticed two switches API and PIO - these are program operating modes. In PIO (Port Input/Output) mode, deeper diagnostics are performed; it is possible to send any ATA commands, but at the same time it will take more time. This mode is used mainly in professional laboratories for data recovery. I recommend using API mode (Application Programming interface). This mode uses operating system tools for diagnostics and is faster.

S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analisys and Reporting Technology) – technology of self-monitoring, analysis and reporting. Allows you to obtain general information about the storage medium. For example: the number of hours during which the hard drive was turned on (Power On Hours Count), disk temperature (Airflow Temperature) and much more. By clicking the Get SMART button you can evaluate the parameters of your hard drive.

Test is an important tab in which we will work. Start LBA/END LBA – start/end of the tested area. The default value is from 0 to 1953525167 - that is, the entire disk is tested. Pause – pauses testing. Start – start of testing. A diamond with green arrows allows you to move around the disk. Block size – the size of the block read at a time; it is better not to change it unless necessary. Timeout – time in milliseconds after which, if there is no response from the drive, the next sector will be read. End of test – actions after the end of the test. There are also switches Verify, Read, Write - responsible for selecting a test:

1. Verify – checks the disk surface; sector data is not transferred to the computer.
2. Read – checking data for reading with transfer to RAM (the most optimal option)
3. Write – check for writing (in this case, all data from the disk will be deleted!)

Other switches Ignore, Remap, Restore, Erase – mode of working with bad blocks:

1. Ignor – skip bad sectors
2. Remap – an attempt to reassign a sector from the reserve
3. Restore – an attempt to read data and write it back to the sector (does not work on modern disks larger than 80GB)
4. Erase – attempt to write data to a damaged sector

Break all – cancels all commands, Sleep – stops the disk, Recall – turns on the disk again (after sleep).

Advanced – shows the contents of the sector.

Setup – program settings.

After reading a short description of the Victoria program, you can independently check the HDD for bad sectors.

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If your computer is running slowly, then one of the reasons is the slow speed of the HDD (hard drive). Today we’ll look at two free small but useful programs for testing your computer’s hard drive.

CrystalDiskMark is a program designed to test the performance of computer hard drives.

CrystalDiskInfo– a program that allows you to diagnose HDD/SSD drives, USB-HDD drives.

Both programs are small in size and do not require installation ( Portable- portable software). They are very easy to use.

CrystalDiskMark

To conduct a test in the program CrystalDiskMark you only need to select the hard drive (if you have several), the size of the test file (from 50 to 1000 MB) and the number of runs (from 1 to 9). After a short test, the average speed of reading and writing to the hard disk of the main file, 512 and 4 KB blocks will be given.

CrystalDiskMark is a useful application that allows you to conduct a comparative analysis of the performance characteristics of computer hard drives and storage drives.

CrystalDiskMark measures the speed of reading and writing data. Upon completion of testing, it visually displays the average indicators and saves them for further analysis.

CrystalDiskMark— a free program, available in Russian localization, small in size, supports SSD drives.

After starting the program, a window will open in which you indicate the disk you are going to test, the number of runs and the size of the test file.

After pressing the button All the full test will run.

Button "Seq Q32T1" you can run a random write/read test (block size 512 KB)

Button "4K Q32T1"- Random write/read test (block size 4 KB, queue depth 32) for NCQ and AHCI.

Button "Seq"- Sequential write/read test (block size 1024 KB).

Button "4K"- a similar test, only for blocks of 4 kilobytes.

Below is an example of a window with scan results:

Here the left column is the speed of reading information.

The right column is the recording speed.

CrystalDiskMark is a free program that is designed for comparative analysis of the performance of hard drives and other computer storage devices. Its performance affects the speed of the computer as a whole.

The program works in all versions of Windows operating systems (from 9x to Vista/7 32 and 64).

CrystalDiskMark also allows the ability to change the theme, has a simple user interface with support for the Russian language.

• Update: 03-02-2016
• Version: 5.1.2
• System: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Vista, Windows XP
• License: free
• Size: 2.9 MB Portable (zip)
• Developer: hiyohiyo

CrystalDiskInfo

CrystalDiskInfo– a program that allows you to perform hard drive diagnostics for a PC, monitoring for HDD/SSD drives, USB-HDD drives. The CrystalDiskInfo program is very easy to use; after launch, information appears about the status of the hard drive or other drive that needs diagnostics. You can download the CrystalDiskInfo program in Russian at the bottom of the page.

• Update 02/03/2016
• Version: 6.7.5
• System Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Vista, Windows XP
• Interface: Russian/English, etc.
• License: free
• Size: 4.5 MB Portable (zip)
• Developer: hiyohiyo

CrystalDiskInfo— detailed diagnostics, determining the parameters of the disk, external drives and plotting graphs of the characteristics of the disk or drive, the ability to use the function of comparing different graphs.

While using the utility, you can view any necessary information about the disk: model, capacity, firmware version or serial number.

You can also find out the type of interface used, mode for data transfer, rotation speed. The program determines the cache size, the total operating time of the device, and the number of starts.

After launching, the CrystalDiskInfo program immediately displays S.M.A.R.T. values, temperature, general disk condition, including values ​​such as “Wear,” “Number of read errors,” “Erase errors,” “Alarm!” and others.

The programs described above were developed by a programmer from Japan Noriyuki Miyazaki (nickname hiyohiyo).

Analogs of programs

You can also consider similar programs for testing, analyzing, and treating HDD:

HDDSpeed ​​- A free utility whose main task is to determine the speed of the hard drive. Displays information about physical characteristics and speed parameters. Can diagnose hardware problems and identify faults that could lead to failure.

HDDScan - A free software product that tests and diagnoses hard drives. Checks them for errors, regulates their operation and displays useful information.

Victoria - A free program that allows you to test your hard drive and check its overall health. It has all the necessary tools for analyzing performance and finding errors.

P.S. HDD– one of the important components of any computer or laptop. It stores very important information, which if the disk fails is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to recover. Now hard drives are replacing solid-state drives (SSDs) - they are faster, but more expensive and not yet as large in size. After purchasing a new hard drive, you need to test it with the above or similar programs.

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How to add a second hard drive?

Sooner or later, but earlier, a large hard drive (aka hard drive, aka HDD) today begins to report a lack of free space, especially if it is divided into several parts.

On a computer, things are simpler: there is space, insert a new disk and that’s it.

Is it possible to upgrade the laptop in this regard? You can, of course, replace the HDD with a larger one, or you can add a second one! But where?

The hard drive is the most important element of the system. It stores all available information - photos, videos, user files. Very often, a computer's operating system cannot cope with the tasks at hand - testing performance, checking clusters, merging partitions, or restoring a hard drive. This requires independent software. Below are the best programs for hard drives.

The most popular Runet program, because it is considered multifunctional, simple and convenient. Compatible with all operating systems (OS).

The application has both basic purposes (copying, moving, resizing, merging, splitting, deleting, restoring, etc.) and specific capabilities (converting FAT to NTFS, cloning OS, restoring MBR, complete cleaning, changing ID and serial number, viewing data on bad sectors, etc.).

Installation requires minimum conditions - at least 380 MB of RAM, X86 architecture processor.

Advantages:

• Russian interface;
• a wide range of operations and functions;
• intuitive navigation;
• does not require a long study, many operations are carried out in two clicks;
• presence of hints;
• regularly updated (latest version November 2018).

Flaws:

• some features are only available with a paid subscription (PRO);
• there is no Portable option (i.e., the program requires installation, you won’t be able to run the application from a flash drive).

One of the best software for diagnosing a hard drive and monitoring its condition. Many specialized publications include this utility in their collections.

It has rich functionality - monitors HDD performance, reads S.M.A.R.T. indicators. (more than 50 attributes), monitors errors and temperature, regulates noise levels, supports external media.

Installation requires two conditions - Internet Explorer version 8.0 and higher, NET platform. Framework version 2.0 and later. Compatible with all OS.

• Russian interface;
• there is a color indicator (shows the status and t of the hard drive);
• it is possible to manage energy consumption;
• Portable version available (which can be launched from a flash drive without installation);
• updated regularly.

• does not support all SSDs;
• no explanation for S.M.A.R.T;
• difficult navigation;
• the presence of additional software during installation (if you do not uncheck the “checkboxes”, the “left” program will be loaded onto the computer).

The application is more suitable for a PC; this tool will not work as an administrator. It has a small functionality - split disks, create new ones, resize them, copy them, defragment them, optimize clusters, convert HFS+ to NTFS (and vice versa), find bad sectors.

Among the special requirements is the presence of Microsoft's integrated Visual C++ 10.0 Runtime. The program is compatible with all operating systems.

Advantages:

• clear interface, easy-to-learn utility;
• performs operations efficiently (there are no “glitches”);
• step-by-step wizard with graphical hints;
• support for all media.

Flaws:

• there is no Russian-language option;
• some functions are available only after a paid subscription;
• updated infrequently (last time in 2017).

The main purpose of the software is to operate with hard drive partitions. The main functions include formatting, editing, merging, deleting, creating new ones, cleaning and checking, converting NTFS to FAT32 (and vice versa), changing the disk type, testing for performance, copying and transferring to new media.

The application is compatible with all RAMs.

• multifunctionality (within the main task);
• visualization of the master;
• regularly updated (last time June 2018);
• very powerful product (works with volumes up to 2 TB).

• no Russian language.

There are Free and Pro options (with paid subscriptions).

Utility for low-level HDD formatting. The functionality is small but powerful - hiding “bad” sectors for recording data, permanently deleting information from the media, deleting MBR.

The application has two formatting levels - normal and low. It is capable of cleaning not only files, but also the entire partition table.

The program supports hard drives from most manufacturers. Compatible with all OS.

Advantages:

• when formatting, it returns the HDD state to the factory state (used for “broken” media);
• simple interface;
• speed of work;
• works with all media;
• There is a version in Russian.

Flaws:

• free version is limited in speed (50 Mb/sec);
• There is a paid option;
• on many devices, S.M.A.R.T. data not available.

Another tool for using hard drive partitions. The main features of the program are consciousness, editing, merging, deleting, moving sections. And also - resizing, checking and copying. There is a function to recover data from a damaged sector.

The utility supports working with all file systems (ext, FAT, HFS, etc.). Works with any drive. Compatible with all OS.

• does not require installation;
• Wide and powerful functionality for managing hard drive partitions.

• in English;
• a little difficult to work with (takes time to master);
• access is possible via Live CD.

A solid, time-tested instrument. The utility is designed to test HDD performance and find errors. There are many options - viewing S.M.A.R.T parameters, detailed information about the hard drive (model, volume, properties, etc.), testing the surface for “broken” areas.

There are functions for advanced users - measuring settings and passport options, adjusting the timeout length for various elements. This product works with all drives. Compatible with Windows only.

Advantages:

• simple and intuitive interface;
• It is enough to have the skills of a confident PC user;
• does not require installation on a computer;

low level formatting.

Flaws:

• there is no Russian version;
• no hints;
• The speed in the 64-bit version is low.

Average price - 1700 rubles.

One of the most powerful tools for working with a hard drive with a full range of various operations. The only program that allows you to use all functionality both manually and automatically without losing data.

The product consists of 4 modules:

• partition manager (designed for creating, converting, changing volumes, deleting, and other operations);
• boot administrator (allows you to install several operating systems on your computer);
• disk editor (able to change HDD contents directly);
• recovery utility.

To install the application, certain conditions are required - the presence of RAM 512 MB or more, screen size of at least 1024 × 768, processor frequency - 1 GHz.

• ease of use, clear interface;
• powerful functionality (in the paid version);
• There is an option in Russian;
• regular update.

• Free demo version only.

The software is designed for hard drive diagnostics. The program tests the HDD for the presence of errors and “broken” sections, and reflects S.M.A.R.T indicators. The software tells you which area is in danger and requires reservation. Able to “isolate” it.

There are various settings for regulation - reduce noise, reduce energy consumption, control rotation when idle.

Advantages:

• attractive interface;
• high testing speed;
• detailed description of S.M.A.R.T. parameters;
• it is possible to synchronize with most information transfer protocols;
• reports on the operation of the software are visualized in detail;
• updated regularly (last time July 2018).

Flaws:

• in English;
• requires specific knowledge and skills (intended for professionals);
• does not interact with all drives;
• sometimes it isolates the working sector along with the damaged area.

MHDD

A powerful, time-tested, veteran utility that is used not only for testing HDDs, but also for “treating” damaged areas.

Principle of use - the tool monitors the surface of each sector, measuring access time. If there is a failure (time has expired, the information cannot be read), it marks the area as “damaged”. Afterwards he enters it into a special journal. The “Bad block” sector can be replaced with a reserve one.

The key functionality of the application is scanning and identifying damaged areas, remapping (replacing/reassigning) faulty sectors, low-level formatting and deleting data, obtaining S.M.A.R.T. parameters, independent performance analysis.

Uses low-level access. Has "hot" keys. The utility is available in three versions - ISO image, boot disk image, executable file.

• powerful tools for treating “broken” areas;
• a detailed log of the utility’s operation and user actions;
• identifies “problem” areas with high accuracy.

• the utility is complex and requires special knowledge and skills (for example, working in DOS);
• slow scanning;
• no S.M.A.R.T. editing;
• it is not always possible to recover information from “broken” areas;
• There is no Russian version.

How to choose

Which one and how to choose the best program for managing and restoring a hard drive is up to each user to decide for himself. It is important to understand here that all such products are divided into two unequal groups:

• universal utilities;
• highly specialized software.

There are very few of the first, these are Acronis Disk Director, Partition Manager. Using these products you can perform a whole range of hard drive maintenance and management tasks.

The second group is represented by a large number of programs. Their functionality is limited, but they benefit from the power and variety of operations of one function.

Depending on what specific main task the utility will perform, you can select the appropriate software.

Classmates

There are many free hard drive testing tools that can help you determine what's going on with your hard drive when you suspect there's a problem with it.

An operating system like Windows already includes tools such as checking the disk for errors and the command chkdsk, but there are other tools below that are available for free from hard drive manufacturers and other developers.

Important: Depending on the problem found, you may need to replace the hard drive if it fails any of the given hard drive tests. To do this, you need to follow the tips given in the program.

Seagate SeaTools is a free hard drive testing program available to users in one of two options:

• SeaTools for DOS Supports Seagate or Maxtor drives and works regardless of your operating system, running directly from a CD or USB drive, making this program very reliable.
• SeaTools for Windows is a program that needs to be installed on the Windows operating system. With its help, you can perform basic and advanced testing of any drive from any manufacturer - both internal and external.

Those users who access SeaTools Desktop, SeaTools Online, or PowerMax from Maxtor should note that the above program replaces all three of these programs. Today Seagate is the owner of the Maxtor trademark.

SeaTools from Seagate are the best in their segment. They are used to check hard drives in professional computer services, but any user can easily use them.

The Windows version of SeaTools runs on operating systems from Windows 10 to Windows XP.

HDDScan is a free program for checking all types of drives, regardless of their manufacturer.

HDDScan includes several tools, including SMART testing and surface inspection.

The program is very easy to use, does not require installation, supports almost all drive interfaces, and seems to be updated regularly.

HDDScan can be used on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP, as well as Windows Server 2003.

DiskCheckup is a free hard drive checker that works with most drives.

The program displays SMART information such as the number of read errors, the time it takes for the wafer pack to spin up from rest to operating speed, the frequency of errors when positioning the magnetic head unit, and temperature. In addition, it can perform a quick and advanced disk scan.

You can configure the program so that SMART section information is sent by email or displayed when the disk parameters exceed the threshold values ​​​​recommended by the manufacturer.

Hard drives that have a SCSI connection or implement hardware RAID are not supported by DiskCheckup.

DiskCheckup runs on Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP and Windows Server 2008/2003 operating systems.

GSmartControl can perform a variety of hard drive tests, providing detailed results and an overall assessment of the drive's health.

To troubleshoot a drive, GSmartControl can perform three self-tests:

• Quick check: takes about 2 minutes and is used to identify a seriously damaged hard drive.
• Extended check: Takes about 70 minutes and will scan the entire surface of the hard drive to detect failures.
• Transportation check: This test takes 5 minutes and is designed to look for damage that may have occurred while the drive was in transit.

GSmartControl can be downloaded for Windows either as a portable version or as an installable program. It works on system versions from Windows 10 to Windows XP. You can also get a version of the program for Linux and Mac operating systems and programs in LiveCD/LiveUSB format.

Windows Drive Fitness Test is free hard drive diagnostic software that can work on most drives available today.

Unfortunately, Windows Drive Fitness Test can only test USB drives and other internal drives.

WinDFT can be installed on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP operating systems.

Samsung HUTIL is a free utility for diagnosing Samsung hard drives. Sometimes HUTIL is called ES-Tool.

The Samsung HUTIL program is available as an ISO image for subsequent recording on a CD or USB flash drive. This approach makes HUTIL independent of the operating system and, in general, a more convenient tool for testing than programs developed for the Windows operating system. You can also run HUTIL from a boot diskette.

Comment: The HUTIL program will only check Samsung hard drives. It will boot and find non-Samsung discs, but no diagnostics can be performed on such discs.

Since the Samsung HUTIL program runs from a boot disk, it will require a functioning hard drive and an operating system to burn it to a CD or USB flash drive.

The free Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic (DLGDIAG) program is designed to test only Western Digital branded hard drives.

Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic can be downloaded as a portable version for Windows or as an ISO file with an image to burn to a bootable disk, and performs a number of tests on the hard drive. Detailed installation instructions from Western Digital can be found at the link below.

Comment: The DOS version of DLGDIAG diagnoses only Western Digital drives, while the Windows version of this program also works with drives from other manufacturers.

The Windows version of the program works on operating systems from Windows 10 to Windows XP

Bart's Stuff Test

Bart's Stuff Test is a free program for Windows that performs stress tests on hard drives.

The program does not provide as many features and does not conduct as thorough testing of the hard drive as other programs on this list.

All things considered, Bart's Stuff Test is a good addition to your disk testing arsenal, especially if you have difficulty testing with ISO image-based tools and want to take advantage of something other than the default tools provided Windows.

Bart's Stuff Test, as stated, only works on operating systems from Windows XP to Windows 95. However, we checked its performance on the latest versions of the system (Windows 10 and Windows 8) and did not find any problems.

Fujitsu Diagnostic Tool is a free hard drive diagnostic tool designed specifically for Fujitsu hard drives.

The Fujitsu Diagnostic Tool (FJDT) is available in a Windows version and a DOS version using a boot diskette. Unfortunately, the DOS version is focused on using floppy disks - images that will run from CD or USB are not available.

Fujitsu Diagnostic Tool provides two tests: a “quick test” (lasting about 3 minutes) and an “all third party test”, the execution time of which will depend on the size of the hard drive).

Comment: Fujitsu Diagnostic Tool performs hard drive testing only for drives manufactured by Fujitsu. If you have a disk from another manufacturer, then you should try to use the manufacturer-independent programs listed at the beginning of the list.

The Windows version of the Fujitsu Diagnostic Tool should work on all operating systems, from Windows 10 to Windows 2000.

HD Tune performs hard drive checks while running Windows. It can work with any internal or external drives, SSD drives or memory cards.

With HD Tune you can perform a performance test, check the health of the drive using Self-Monitoring Analysis mode and Drive Activity Reporting Technology (SMART). In addition, the program can scan the disk for errors.

It supports Windows 7, Vista, XP, and 2000, although HD Tune has been tested to work correctly on Windows 10 and Windows 8.

The Free EASIS Drive Check program, designed to check hard drives, has two built-in checking utilities - checking sectors and reading SMART attribute values.

The SMART attribute check allows you to create a list of more than 40 parameters that describe the operation of the hard drive, and the sector check will check the surface of the media for read errors.

A report on the execution of any of these tests can be seen directly in the program after its completion. In addition, you can configure the program so that the report is sent by email or printed.

According to the description, EASIS Drive Check works on operating systems from Windows 2000 to Windows 7, but its performance has also been tested on Windows 8 and 10.

The error checking program is sometimes called the scandisk program. This is a hard drive scan tool included with the Windows operating system that allows you to search for a variety of errors on your hard drive.

This tool may also try to fix a number of hard drive-related problems.

Macrorit Disk Scanner is a very simple program that checks for bad sectors on your hard drive. It is easy to use, installs quickly, and is also available in a portable version.

The main part of its window is used to visually represent the scanning process and clearly indicate the location of damage.

Especially well implemented in Macrorit Disk Scanner is the visual display of how much time is left until the end of the scan, because Some hard drive checking programs do not show this. In addition, you can select the option to automatically turn off the computer when the scan is completed.

Operating systems that Macrorit Disk Scanner can run on are: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, Windows Home Server, and Windows Server 2012/2008/2003.

Ariolic Disk Scanner is very similar to Macrorit Disk Scanner in that it uses read-only to find bad disk sectors. This program has a minimal interface with a single button, and using it, it is easy to understand which parts of the disk contain “bad” sectors.

The program has only a portable version, and its size is slightly more than 1 MB.

The only thing that distinguishes this program from Macrorit Disk Scanner is that Ariolic Disk Scanner shows files that have read errors.

We only tested Ariolic Disk Scanner on Windows 10 and XP, but it should also work on other versions of Windows.

Today on the Internet there are many free programs for checking hard drives. They will help you determine if there is a problem with your drive or if you can still use it safely.

You can use the standard Windows error checking tool (aka chkdsk), but it will not give you all the information about the status of your HDD. The Windows check disk scans and eliminates errors in the Windows file system, but does not work with its hardware.

Below we will look at a selection of 14 programs designed to work with both the software and hardware parts of the hard drive, as well as it.

All of them are suitable for diagnosing and troubleshooting the HDD of your computer or laptop.

TOP 14 computer programs that will help you test your hard drive.

HddScan program interface

It is a free program designed to test hard drives from absolutely all manufacturers. Thanks to this program, you can test your device and identify read/write errors, bad sectors and much more.

HDDScan has some very useful tools.

• Smart test (SMART test) of surfaces for broken sectors.
• Ability to support RAID arrays, USB flash drives and SSD drives.
• In addition, you will be able to see and analyze the SMART attributes of the hard drive.
• Useful for regularly checking the performance of the hard drive and predicting the time of possible breakdown.

Features of HDDScan:

Easy to use. Can be transferred to USB. Updated regularly.

3.Disk Checkup.

DiskCheckup program interface

DiskCheckup is a free program for testing most hard drives.

Once installed, you can view the reading error rate, temperature and many other parameters of interest. In addition, using this utility you can conduct a quick and advanced disk test.

It allows you to configure notifications to be sent by email when any manufacturer threshold is exceeded. This helps to remotely quickly find out about hard drive problems.

PassMark DiskCheckup™ allows the user to monitor SMART attributes.

Peculiarities:

Hard drives with a SCSI interface or hardware RAID connection are not supported and cannot be detected by DiskCheckup™.

Supported OS: Windows XP/ 7/ 8.1/ 10. Windows Server 2008/2003.

4.G Smartcontrol.

Gsmart program interface

This program can perform various hard drive tests, providing detailed results and giving an overall assessment of the drive's health.

The utility has a nice open source graphical user interface (GUI). Works with SMART HDD data.

It is a valuable tool that allows the user to predict and prevent hard drive failures before they occur.

Peculiarities:

1. Can work on Apple products
2. Installs on the *nix family of systems

Supported OS: Windows XP/ 7/ 8.1/ 10.

5.Test drive for Windows Drive (WinDFT).

WinDFT program interface

Test Drive for Windows Drive is a free software designed to diagnose Hard drives.

It is suitable for almost all hard drives available today.

Supported OS: Windows XP/ 7/ 8.1/ 10.

WinDFT (or the full name in English Hitachi Drive Fitness Test) has a wide range of applications. Tests both internal and external HDDs, as well as USB flash drives.

6.Samsung Hutil.

samsung util program interface

Samsung HUTIL (ES-Tool) is a utility designed for testing hard drives.

It is available as an ISO image for burning to CD or flash drive. Thanks to this, this program is one of the most convenient. It can even be run from a regular floppy disk.

It is a little more difficult to use than other programs because it does not have a regular GUI.

Peculiarities.

Supported OS: Windows XP/ 7/ 8.1/ 10.

The downside of using it is that it can only be used on Samsung Hard Drives.

7.Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic (c).

Data Lifeguard program interface

This utility is free software designed for testing hard drives manufactured by Western Digital.

It is available for installation either through an installer or through a bootable ISO file.

Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows is a simple, free tool. When you extract and click on the executable file, the program opens and checks the system, displaying physical drives and logical drives.

The program is extremely easy to use and understandable even for a beginner.

8.EASIS Drive.

EASIS Drive Check program interface

1. Two main features of EASIS Drive:
2. Sector verification test;

Working with a SMART hard drive.

Using the “second option” you can see more than 40 values ​​of the current HDD.
By using the sector test, you can check the surface of the media and see errors.

At the end of the verification procedure, a special report is generated in which you can see everything you need.

9.HD Tune.

This program is simple and convenient and is designed for testing HDD drives. It is intended for use on Windows operating systems. Using it, you can check the general condition of the hard drive, run error checks, and perform various tests.

The program is easy to use, supports internal and external storage devices and allows you to copy all found information.

10. Macrorit Disk scanner.

Macrorit program interface

It is a surprisingly simple and easy-to-use program. Installation and operation with it will not be difficult. Using it, you can check for bad sectors on your hard drive.

It is extremely clear, and a clear advantage compared to competing programs is the lack of installation required. On the screen you can see the scanning progress and inspect problem areas.

Also, during the scanning process, you can monitor the time until it is completed. After scanning, you can turn off the computer in automatic mode.

Supported OS: Windows XP/ 7/ 8.1/ 10.

11. Fujitsu Windows Diagnostic Tool (For IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives).

Fujitsu Diagnostic program interface

Fujitsu Diagnostic Tool is a program available in only two formats, one runs on Windows OS, the second runs from a flash drive or from an optical disc.

You can use the latter regardless of what OS is installed on the HDD.

It is an excellent hard drive diagnostic tool that you can download, install and use for free. A special feature is the ability to work only with Fujitsu hard drives.

Using it, you can conduct two tests to identify problems with your hard drive: a quick test and a full test. They have different verification times.

You can use this tool in all versions of Windows, from 2000 to 10.

12.Checking built-in Microsoft Windows errors.

Using it is quite convenient to check errors on the Windows operating system. Most often this check is called scandisk. It is especially convenient to use it if your system stops booting. With its help, you can eliminate operating system errors and, if possible, transfer information from the broken area.

You can call the Microsoft Windows file system and error checking program using the command line. Using the key combination WIN+R, open the “Run” window and the command cmd or right-click on Start and call “Command Prompt (Administrator)”. In the window that opens, select a logical drive and enter the command chkdsk /f. Enter

13. Barts stuff test.

This utility is a free stress test for the Hard disk. It will serve as a very worthy addition to the general arsenal of utilities designed for testing the hard drive.

In general, it is considered to be used only for testing on operating systems of the Windows family, from 95 to XP. But, as experience shows, it can also be used for testing in Windows 8 and 10.

14.Ariolic Disk scanner.

Ariolic Disk program interface

Using this program, you can check your hard drive for read/write errors and find bad sectors. This program providesa minimal interface with only one button, so this program is extremely convenient and understandable. It is portable, so it does not require installation. All that can be said about it is that it displays files with read errors. Therefore, if there are none, you will not be able to extract more useful information about your disk.

Compatible with Windows 10 and XP, but also works with some other versions of Windows.

To avoid losing information from your hard drive, treat it with care - do not throw it, do not subject it to acceleration during operation (do not sharply understand or lower it). Use the best free HDD testing and diagnostic software.

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