Sometimes when using a computer, you may notice problems in work hard disk. This can manifest itself in slowing down the speed of opening files, in increasing the volume of the HDD itself, in the periodic occurrence of BSOD or other errors. Ultimately, this situation can lead to the loss of valuable data or to a complete failure. operating system. Let's analyze the main ways to diagnose problems connected to a PC with Windows 7 OS disk drive.

There are several ways to diagnose a hard drive in Windows 7. There are specialized software solutions; you can also check using standard operating system tools. We will talk about specific methods of action to solve the problem below.

Method 1: Seagate SeaTools

SeaTools- free program from Seagate, which allows you to scan your storage device for problems and fix them if possible. Its installation on a computer is standard and intuitive, and therefore does not require additional description.

  1. Launch SeaTools. When you first start the program will automatically search for supported drives.

  2. Then a window will open license agreement. To continue working with the program, click on the button "I accept".

  3. The main SeaTools window opens and should display the hard disk drives connected to the PC. All basic information about them is displayed here:
    • Serial number;
    • Model number;
    • Firmware version;
    • Drive status (ready or not ready for testing).

  4. If in a column "Drive Status" against required hard disk mounted status "Ready to Test", it means that given carrier information can be scanned. To start the specified procedure, check the box to the left of its serial number. After that the button "Basic Tests" at the top of the window becomes active. When you click on this element, a menu of three items opens:
    • Information about the drive;
    • Short universal;
    • Long lasting universal.

    Click on the first of these positions.

  5. Following this, immediately after a short wait, a window appears with information about the hard drive. Here are displayed the data about the hard drive that we saw in the main window of the program, and in addition the following:
    • Manufacturer's name;
    • Disk volume;
    • Hours worked by him;
    • His temperature;
    • Support for certain technologies, etc.

  6. To find out more detailed information about the disk, you need to again in the main window of the program set a mark next to it, click on the button "Basic Tests", but this time choose the option "Short Universal".

  7. Testing starts. It is divided into three stages:
    • External scanning;
    • Internal scanning;
    • Random read.

    The name of the current stage is displayed in the column "Drive Status". In column "Test Status" the progress of the current operation is shown graphically and as a percentage.

  8. After the test is completed, if no problems were detected by the application, in the column "Drive Status" the inscription is displayed "Short Universal - Passed". If there are errors, they are reported.

  9. If you need even more in-depth diagnostics, then for this you should use SeaTools to perform a long universal test. Check the box next to the name of the drive, click the button "Basic Tests" and choose "Long Universal".

  10. The long universal test starts. Its dynamics, like the previous scan, is displayed in the column "Test Status", but in time it lasts much longer and can take several hours.

  11. After the end of the test, the result will be displayed in the program window. In case of successful completion and no errors in the column "Drive Status" an inscription will appear "Long Universal - Passed".

As you can see, Seagate SeaTools is a fairly convenient and, most importantly, free tool for diagnosing hard drive computer. It offers several options for checking by depth level at once. The time spent on the test will depend on the thoroughness of the scan.

Method 2: Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic

Program western digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic will be most relevant for checking hard drives manufactured by Western Digital, but it can also be used to diagnose drives from other manufacturers. The functionality of this tool makes it possible to view information about the HDD and scan its sectors. As a bonus, the program can permanently erase any information from the hard drive without the possibility of recovering it.

  1. After a simple installation procedure, run Lifeguard Diagnostic on the computer. The license agreement window will open. About parameter "I accept this License Agreement" set a note. Next click Next.

  2. The program window will open. It will display the following information about the disk drives connected to the computer:
    • Disk number in the system;
    • Model;
    • Serial number;
    • Volume;
    • SMART status.

  3. To start testing, highlight the name target disk and click on the icon next to the name "Click to run test".

  4. A window will open that will offer several verification options. To get started, select Quick test. Press to start the procedure. Start.

  5. A window will open where it will be proposed to close all other programs that are running on the PC for the purity of the test. Quit working in applications, then click OK in this window. You don't have to worry about wasted time, as the test won't take much of it.

  6. The testing procedure will begin, the dynamics of which can be observed in a separate window thanks to the dynamic indicator.

  7. After the procedure is completed, if everything ended successfully and no problems were identified, the same window will display green tick. In case of problems, the mark will be red. Click to close the window Close.

  8. The mark will also appear in the test list box. To start the next type of test, select the item Extended test and press Start.

  9. Again, a window will appear asking you to complete other programs. Do it and press OK.

  10. The scanning procedure is launched, which will take the user a much longer period of time than the previous test.

  11. After its completion, as in the previous case, a mark will be displayed on successful completion or, conversely, on the presence of problems. Click Close to close the testing window. On this, the hard drive diagnostics in Lifeguard Diagnostic can be considered completed.

Method 3: HDD Scan

HDD Scan - simple and free software, which copes with all its tasks: checking sectors and conducting tests of the hard drive. True, its purpose is not to correct errors - only to search for them on the device. But the program supports not only standard hard drives, but also SSDs, and even flash drives.

  1. This application is good because it does not require installation. Just run HDD Scan on PC. A window will open displaying the make and model name of your hard drive. The firmware version and the capacity of the storage medium are also indicated here.

  2. If several drives are connected to the computer, then in this case you can select the option that you want to check from the drop-down list. After that, to start the diagnostics, press the button "TEST".

  3. Next, an additional menu opens with verification options. Choose an option Verify.

  4. After that, the settings window will immediately open, where the number of the first HDD sector from which the check will begin, the total number of sectors and size will be indicated. You can change this information if you wish, but it is not recommended to do so. To start testing directly, click on the arrow to the right of the settings.

  5. Testing in mode Verify will be launched. You can see its progress by clicking on the triangle at the bottom of the window.

  6. The interface area will open, which will contain the name of the test and indicate the percentage of its completion.

  7. In order to view in more detail how the procedure proceeds, right-click on the name of this test. Select an option from the context menu "Show Detail".

  8. A window will open with detailed information about the procedure. On the process map, problem sectors of the disk with a response exceeding 500 ms and from 150 to 500 ms will be marked red and orange, a bad sectors– in dark blue indicating the number of such elements.

  9. After testing is completed, the indicator in an additional window should display the value "100%". In the right part of the same window, detailed statistics on the response time of hard disk sectors will be shown.

  10. When returning to the main window, the status of the completed task should be "Finished".

  11. Select again to start the next test. desired disk, click the button test, but this time click on the item Read in the menu that appears.

  12. As in the previous case, a window will open indicating the range of scanned sectors of the drive. For the sake of completeness of the text, these settings should be left unchanged. To activate the task, click the arrow to the right of the sector scan range options.

  13. The disk will be tested for reading. You can also follow its dynamics by opening the bottom area of ​​the program window.

  14. During the procedure or after its completion, when the status of the task changes to "Finished", it is possible through context menu by selecting the item "Show Detail", as described earlier, go to the detailed scan results window.

  15. After that, in a separate window in the tab map you can view the details of HDD sector response time for reading.

  16. To start it last option hard drive diagnostics in HDD Scan, again press the button test, but now we choose the option Butterfly.

  17. As in the previous cases, the sector test range settings window opens. Without changing the data in it, click on the arrow on the right.

  18. The test is running Butterfly, which consists in checking the disk for reading data using queries. The dynamics of the procedure, as always, can be monitored using the informer at the bottom of the main HDD Scan window. After completing the test, you can view it if you wish. detailed results in a separate window in the same way that was used for other types of testing in this program.

This method has the advantage over using the previous program in that it does not require the mandatory termination of running applications, although this is also recommended for greater diagnostic accuracy.

Method 4: CrystalDiskInfo

As you can see, in Windows 7 it is possible to diagnose the hard drive using both third party programs, and using the built-in utility of the system. Of course, the use of third-party software provides a more in-depth and diverse picture. hard state disk than the use of standard technologies that can only detect errors. But to use Check Disk, you do not need to download or install anything, and besides, the in-system utility will try to fix errors if they are found.

The hard drive of a computer works hard every day, processing huge amounts of data, constantly writing and erasing them. Over several years of service, the condition of the drives may leave much to be desired: the appearance of bad sectors is likely, overheating, common mistakes. To protect your data from sudden problems, as well as check the state of "health", you should use one of a number of useful programs to evaluate the performance of the HDD.

Most of the special software can work with the data of the S.M.A.R.T. Some programs make it easier, some cause difficulties for beginners, but are invaluable for specialists.

A small program to check the status of the hard drive. Despite its modest size, the functionality of this product is impressive. In addition to displaying temperature and health, you can get comprehensive information about your hard drive and all available device functions. In addition, you can set up various important alerts. It is a pity that HDD Health does not support the Russian language, and glitches in the interface are possible on x64 systems.


Victoria

A veteran in his field, an excellent program for diagnosing a drive. Unlike analogues, it can do detailed check for reading without missing a single sector. As a result of scanning, you can get not only S.M.A.R.T. data, but also a graph of the state of the disk by region, as well as statistics on the speed of individual sectors. So this is an ideal program for checking the speed of a hard drive. The long release date makes itself felt, frightening the unprepared user with sudden errors and an archaic interface.


HDDlife Pro

The most handy program to test the HDD with a hint of professionalism. Conducts both general analysis of drives and monitoring during operation, notifying about problems in a whole range of ways. Most will appreciate the support of the Russian language and the visibility of the data display. This program will do everything quickly, efficiently, and most importantly - independently. HDDlife Pro does not please except for its availability - only 14 days are given for free use, and then you will have to pay for constant monitoring.

CrystalDiskInfo

One of best solutions on the market: free, informative, supports the Russian language. CrystalDiskInfo displays all the basic disk properties and health parameters (remapped and unstable sectors, operating hours, CRC errors, etc.), and also allows you to view S.M.A.R.T. and monitor HDD temperature. The program has no obvious shortcomings, so we can recommend it to all users.

Winchester is one of the most important hardware components of a computer. The hard disk contains not only user files, but also system files.

In order to ensure normal functioning OS and user file loss prevention should regularly analyze the media through diagnostics built-in Windows tools 7 or special applications.

Diagnostic methods

Users after the appearance of failures in the operation of the hard drive, which are expressed in damage to its surface, the detection of errors when reading files, the slowdown in the speed of launching programs, the occurrence of noise when the hard drive rotates, think about available ways checking the operation of the HDD. However, it is better not to bring it to such a state and take preventive measures.

This guide covers two ways to check:

  1. native means of the OS;
  2. third party utilities.

Many of the programs described below are able, after detecting errors, to correct them and restore the partition tables and bad sectors, which allows you to increase the life of the most important PC component.

Diagnostic method third party applications deeper and allows you to get a diverse picture of the current state of the media, but the built-in Check Disk program is also suitable for express analysis. hard checks disk in a Windows 7 computer.

Therefore, it is advisable to start considering methods with it, and then, if necessary, install specialized utilities on the PC.

Analysis by built-in OS tools

The "Check Disk" program can be launched using the "Seven" graphical interface, or experienced users can do this through the command line (COP) by entering the "chkdsk" query to speed up the process.

To open CS, just type "cmd" in the "Run" menu and click "Enter". It is recommended that you log out of all running applications and close open files.

In order to use the utility through the graphical interface, you will need to perform the following steps:

  1. Right-click on "Start";
  2. Click "Open Explorer";
  3. Click "Computer";
  4. Next, RMB on the disk that you want to diagnose;
  5. Click "Properties";
  6. After that, in the menu that appears, open the "Service" tab;
  7. Click "Check Now";
  8. Check the box "Correct errors automatically." If the user needs to carry out an in-depth analysis, then it is recommended to check the box below “Check bad sectors and fix”, but in this case, the diagnosis will take much more time;
  9. Click "Start";
  10. In the case of a user-selected for analysis system partition hard drive, a menu will open informing you that the PC will be restarted. We must agree;
  11. After waiting for the PC to restart, the user will see a report on the analysis done on the monitor;
  12. If the user diagnoses a logical partition, restarting the PC is not required. Having agreed with the warning about the start of diagnostics, you should only wait until the process is completed;
  13. After the end of the analysis, it remains only to familiarize yourself with the report output by the system;
  14. Ready.

Third party analysis

If you need a deep analysis and if you suspect there are problems with hard drive third-party developers will come to the rescue.

Seagate SeaTools

They say good things can't be free, but this app easily breaks that stereotype. It effectively analyzes the carrier and is able to eliminate the identified problems with it. It is recommended that you install from seagate.com.

Installing the program is not difficult even for beginners, as the developers have equipped it with an intuitive installation wizard.

To use the features of the utility, you must perform the following sequential steps:



Victoria HDD

Windows 7 PC users have particularly good things to say about the Victoria app. The utility is able to work with external hard drives and is equipped with a wide range of functions, for example, reset errors, adjust the number of revolutions per unit of time constituent parts hard drive, stop the spindle, etc.

Like previous program, is completely free and does not take up much disk space. The very fact that it is often used in their work by masters from service centers, indicates that the results of the operation of the software are quite reliable and the information obtained through its use is deep enough to identify and effectively eliminate problems with media.

For some people, the built-in function of deleting files from the hard drive without the possibility of their subsequent playback may be useful.

The utility can be run not only from inside Windows, but also from the DOS environment. This means that the drive can be diagnosed even if the OS is not working.

The main disadvantage of the application is the lack of it full support developers, so it is not improved by them. In this regard, most software modifications do not function in x64 bit Windows.

If a user has a “Seven” of this bit depth on his PC, then he will need to look for versions of the utility that have been finalized by enthusiasts, fortunately, there are many such modifications on the Internet.

To diagnose the Victoria disk, you should perform the following sequential steps:


  1. verify (analysis),
  2. read (read speed analysis),
  3. write (analysis of the speed of saving information);

Attention: If the user specified the option "c", then the files from the media will be erased. It is recommended that you save a backup copy of the disk in advance in order to be able to restore important files later.


Note: In some versions of the utility, there is a function to create a backup copy of information stored on the media.

For experienced users who are familiar with working in BIOS and booting a PC from an external boot disk, the best diagnostic option is to use the DOS version of Victoria, since the test results are as close as possible to reliable.

Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic

Many manufacturers of hard drives also produce programs for their diagnostics. These applications are universal and support media from other hardware manufacturers. One of the popular among Windows users 7 is a utility from Western Digital.

In addition to displaying standard information after testing media, this application is able to permanently delete files from disks, which is sometimes required by people when selling their computers or hard drives that have already been used.

In order to perform testing, you will need to perform the following steps:


Working with this utility is simple, and users usually quickly get used to its intuitive interface.

CrystalDiskInfo

According to numerous reviews, this utility for working in the Windows 7 environment is optimal. The sequence of actions for working with it consists of the following steps:


HDD Scan

If there is no need for particularly in-depth testing and correction of detected errors, then this application will quickly provide the user with test results not only for hard drives, but also for flash drives.

The utility does not need to be installed, so it is enough to download it and run it right there. Then you need to do the following:

  1. Immediately after starting, information about the hard drive will appear;
  2. Specify the disk of interest for diagnostics and click "TESTS";
  3. Then click "Verify";
  4. Click the arrow "Right";
  5. Wait for the process to complete;
  6. Follow in online mode for the diagnostic procedure, you can click on the button at the very bottom of the menu;
  7. Next, right-click on the process and then click "Show details";
  8. Sectors "broken" are shown in blue. Problematic - red and orange;
  9. The complete completion of the procedure will be indicated by a progress indicator equal to 100%;
  10. The status “Finished” will be displayed in the main window of the program;
  11. Then again click "Tests" and then "Read";
  12. After this, the actions are similar to working in the previous mode;
  13. If necessary, you can monitor the testing process;
  14. And also display detailed information;
  15. Go to the "Map" tab and study the information about the response speed of the sectors;
  16. Next, in the main menu, click "Tests" again;
  17. Click "Butterfly";
  18. Follow the same steps as above;
  19. After waiting for the end of the process, a report on the results of in-depth analysis will be available to the user.

The post contains a list of 20 best free tools for partitioning, diagnostics, encryption, recovery, cloning, formatting disks. Basically everything you need to basic work with them.

1.Test Disk

TestDisk allows you to recover boot partitions, deleted partitions, fix damaged partition tables and restore data, as well as create file copies from deleted/inaccessible partitions.

Note: PhotoRec is a TestDisk related application. With it, it is possible to recover data in the memory of a digital camera on hard drives and CDs. In addition, you can recover major image formats, audio files, text documents, HTML files and various archives.


When you run TestDisk, you are presented with a list of hard disk partitions that you can work with. The choice of available actions carried out in sections includes: analysis to correct the structure (and subsequent recovery, if a problem is detected); changing disk geometry; deleting all data in the partition table; recovery boot partition; listing and copying files; recovering deleted files; creating a snapshot of a partition.

2. EaseUS Partition Master

EaseUS Partition Master is a tool for working with hard disk partitions. It allows you to create, move, merge, split, format, change their size and location without losing data. It also helps recover deleted or lost data, check partitions, move OS to another HDD/SSD, etc.

On the left is a list of operations that can be performed with the selected partition.

3. WinDirStat

The free program WinDirStat analyzes the used disk space. Demonstrates how data is distributed and which data takes up more space.

Clicking on a field in the diagram will display the file in question in a structured view.

After loading WinDirStat and selecting disks for analysis, the program scans the directory tree and provides statistics in the following ways: list of directories; directory map; list of extensions.

4. Clonezilla

Clonezilla creates a disk image with a clone tool that is also packaged with Parted Magic and is initially available as a standalone tool. Presented in two versions: Clonezilla Live and Clonezilla SE (Server Edition).

Clonezilla Live is bootable distribution Linux that allows you to clone individual devices.
Clonezilla SE is a package that is installed on a Linux distribution. It is used to simultaneously clone many computers over a network.

5.OSFMount

Using this utility makes it possible to mount previously made disk images and present them as virtual drives by directly looking at the data itself. OSFMount supports image files such as: DD, ISO, BIN, IMG, DD, 00n, NRG, SDI, AFF, AFM, AFD and VMDK.

An additional function of OSFMount is the creation of RAM disks located in random access memory computer, which significantly speeds up the work with them. To start the process, go to File > Mount new virtual disk.

6. Defraggler

Defraggler is a free hard drive defragmenter that helps increase its speed and lifespan. A feature of the program is the ability to defragment individual files as well.

Defraggler analyzes the contents of the disk and displays a list of all fragmented files. During the defragmentation process, the movement of data on the disk is displayed. Highlighted in yellow - the data that is being read, and green - those that are being written. Upon completion, the Defraggler issues an appropriate message.

Supports file systems NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT.

7.SS Life

SSDLife - diagnoses a solid state drive, displays information about its condition and estimates the expected life. Supports remote monitoring, manages the performance level on some hard drive models.

Through control SSD wear you can increase the level of data security, identify problems in time. Based on the analysis, the program concludes how often the solid state drive is used.

8. Darik's Boot And Nuke (DBAN)

A fairly popular free utility DBAN, used to clean up hard drives.

DBAN has two main modes: interactive (interactive mode) and automatic (automatic mode). Interactive mode allows you to prepare the disk for data deletion and select the necessary erasing options. Automatic mode cleans all detected disks.

9. HD Tune

The HD Tune utility is designed to work with the hard drive and SSD. Measures the read-write level of HDD/SSD, scans for errors, checks the status of the disk and displays information about it.

When launching the application, you need to select a drive from the drop-down list and navigate to the appropriate tab to view the information.

10VeraCrypt

VeraCrypt- free app for open encryption source code. Uses encryption on the fly.

The VeraCrypt project evolved from TrueCrypt with the goal of strengthening encryption key protection methods.

11.CrystalDiskInfo

CrystalDiskInfo displays the status of hard drives that support S.M.A.R.T. The utility monitors, evaluates the general condition and displays detailed information about hard drives (firmware version, serial number, standard, interface, total running time, etc.). CrystalDiskInfo has support for external hard drives.

The top bar on the screen displays all active hard drives. Clicking on each of them reveals information. The Health Status and Temperature icons change color depending on the value.

12. Recuva

The Recuva utility is used to recover accidentally deleted or lost files. It scans the desired media, and then displays a list of deleted files. Each file has its own parameters (name, type, path, recovery probability, state).

The necessary files are determined using the preview function and marked with checkboxes. The search result can be sorted by type (graphics, music, documents, videos, archives) and immediately view the content.

13. TreeSize

The TreeSize program shows a tree of directories located on the hard disk, providing information about their sizes, and also analyzes the use of disk space.

Folder sizes are displayed from largest to smallest. Thus, it becomes clear which folders take up most of the space.

Note: With Defraggler, Recuva and TreeSize, you can trigger Defraggler and Recuva for a specific folder directly from TreeSize - all three applications integrate seamlessly.

14.HDDScan

HDDScan is a hard disk diagnostic utility used to test storage media (HDD, RAID, Flash) in order to detect errors. Viewing S.M.A.R.T. attributes, displays readings of hard disk temperature sensors in the taskbar and performs comparative test read-write.

HDDScan is designed to test SATA, IDE, SCSI, USB, FifeWire (IEEE 1394) drives.

15. Disk2vhd

The free Disk2vhd utility converts the current physical disk in Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) for the Microsoft Hyper-V platform. Moreover, a VHD image can be created directly from a running operating system.

Disk2vhd creates one VHD file for each disk with selected volumes, keeping information about disk partitions and copying only data related to the selected volume.

16. NTFSWalker

The portable utility NTFSWalker allows you to analyze all records (including deleted data) in the main MFT file table of an NTFS disk.

The presence of native NTFS drivers makes it possible to view the file structure without the help of Windows on any computer reading media. Available for viewing deleted files, regular files, and detailed attributes for each file.

17.GParted

is an open source disk partition editor. Performs efficient and secure partition management (create, delete, resize, move, copy, verify) without data loss.

GParted allows you to create partition tables (MS-DOS or GPT), enable, disable and change attributes, align partitions, recover data from damaged partitions, and more.

18. SpeedFan

SpeedFan computer program monitors sensor readings motherboard, video cards and hard drives, with the ability to control the speed of rotation of installed fans. It is possible to carry out automatic and manual adjustment.

SpeedFan works with SATA, EIDE and SCSI hard drives.

19.MyDefrag

MyDefrag is a free disk defragmenter that is used to organize data stored on hard drives, floppy disks, USB drives and memory cards.

The program has a convenient function of working in screensaver mode, as a result of which defragmentation will be performed at the time assigned to start the screen saver. MyDefrag also allows you to create or customize your own scripts.

20.DiskCryptor

With the open source encryption program DiskCryptor, you can fully encrypt a disk (all disk partitions, including the system partition).

DiskCryptor has a fairly high performance - it is one of the fastest disk volume encryption drivers. The program supports FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS and exFAT file systems, allowing you to encrypt internal or external drives.

To store information on most personal computers and even servers use hard drives. They are quite reliable, but over time, magnetic drives become unusable. In most cases, the life of the disc is 5-10 years. It is imperative for every user to be able to diagnose the HDD in order to determine the need to replace a part and perform a data backup. You will learn everything about verification from this article.

Symptoms of hard drive problems

Malfunctions or imminent death of a hard drive may be accompanied by typical symptoms. We recommend that you pay attention to the following symptoms:

  • The appearance of uncharacteristic sounds during operation. It can be clicks, crackles, metallic clanging. In such cases, the problem is usually mechanical in nature.
  • "Brakes" in the system. Windows loads too slowly, some files do not open, errors occur when installing programs.
  • The appearance of blue screens of death. In such cases, an error code is always written, which can be used to determine the source of the problem.
  • Spontaneous shutdown or restart of the computer. As a rule, in such situations, the boot sector of the HDD is damaged.

Please note that computer freezes can also occur due to insufficient RAM.

Ways to check the hard drive

HDD diagnostics is an important task. It can be done in several ways. Operating system tools allow you to analyze the hard drive, but they are not always effective. The best solution is to use specialized utilities that are created specifically for this task.

Through the command line

Windows operating systems have a standard utility that can analyze the state of the hard drive. To do this, you will have to run the command line:

Specify the drive letter and two specifiers in the command parameters. The first - F is responsible for automatic error correction, and R performs information recovery. Be prepared that the verification may take several hours. If you use a laptop, be sure to put it on recharging. At the end you will get statistics on how many sectors have damage.

Using Windows Explorer

If you prefer the use of familiar windows, then you can run the check through the explorer. To do this, users need to follow the following steps:

During this operation, the system will perform the following checks:

  • the basic structure of the file system;
  • security descriptors;
  • file name associations;
  • USN magazine.

To find out the scan results, you need to go to the "Event Viewer" menu, and then to Windows log find the check log.

Via Windows PowerShell

The latest Windows operating systems have an additional utility similar to the command line, which is designed for easy system administration. It can also be used to test the hard drive. To get started, follow a few steps:


The system will scan and fix automatically if possible. If there are no errors, a NoErrorsFound message will appear.

Using Windows 10 Tools

The latest operating system from Microsoft has advanced functionality, so it is able to diagnose a wide range of problems on its own. Using the built-in security center, you can check the status of the HDD. Additionally, go to storage diagnostics. How to use these functions will be explained next.

Security and Service Center

This is a special section in the top ten, which is responsible for servicing the operating system. As a rule, all necessary checks are performed automatically after a certain period of time. You can access this section through the control panel. Next, open the "Maintenance" tab if necessary and find the line "Disk Status". Opposite it should be the parameter "OK". If it is not there, then we recommend that you conduct a thorough analysis of the state of the hard drive.

Storage diagnostic utility

The developers of Windows 10 also created an additional utility for checking the hard drive - storage diagnostics. It is launched through the command line (how to open it was described in the sections earlier). Next, enter the command and press Enter.

The procedure may take 2-5 hours (depending on the size of the HDD). At some points, it will seem that the process is hung, but it is strongly recommended not to interrupt the check. Once the process is complete, navigate to the path to save the report and open it (the file will have evtx permission). It will provide the following information:

  • chkdsk verification data and error information;
  • registry files that contain data about connected drives;
  • event viewer logs.

For the correct interpretation of the information presented in the report, experienced specialists are needed. For ordinary users, the report will be uninformative.

Third Party Programs

For professionals and ordinary users, third-party developers have created many useful, functional and easy-to-use utilities for checking the status of a hard drive. With their help, you can get comprehensive information about the status of your HDD. The most popular of them will be described below.

Victoria

This is the most popular free software from qualified professionals. Its wide functionality allows you to get almost any information about the hard drive. The parameters are displayed in a form that is convenient for an ordinary user, therefore, to conclude about HDD condition you don't have to study anything extra. The utility is distributed on the basis of Freeware, i.e. absolutely free.

Download the software to your computer and follow the instructions:


All sectors will be marked with different colors depending on the response speed. Gray sectors are not dangerous. Green sectors are allowed in the amount of several hundred (up to 2-3 thousand). For example, on a completely new 1TV hard drive, their number is about 1 thousand. Orange sectors are on the verge of a limit. They are allowed no more than 100 pieces. Red and blue are non-refundable. They must be "closed", limiting reading from them.

When scanning, you can set the operating modes:

  • Ignore is a classic check without further action.
  • Remap - replacement of unreadable sectors with reserves, if any.
  • Restore - restore bad sectors programmatically.
  • Erase - overwriting unreadable sectors. Attention, erases information.

As you can see, the utility is informative and easy to manage even for beginners.

HDDScan

Another useful software for scanning a hard drive. It has less wide functionality, but a more friendly interface compared to the previous version. The utility is completely free, while it allows you to get SMART parameters and detailed information about the state of the sectors.

To start the verification procedure, follow the steps:


The sector designation colors are identical to those described above. There are no sector correction functions in the scan menu.

DiskCheckup

The software supports almost all types of hard drives (SATA, USB, FireWire). It has a small but sufficient functionality. Through the application, you can check the SMART parameters, as well as conduct a full test on the Disk Self-Test tab. The main disadvantage of the program is the complexity of the results for the average user. The status is indicated by the string "OK" and numerical parameters. Given that they are all in English, it will be difficult to figure it out.

MHDD

This is highly specialized software for advanced users. It is used if the system does not start and the OS does not sink to the desktop. To run MHDD, the software must be written to a CD or flash drive as an image. You can run the utility even with the whole operating system. To do this, you must select a USB flash drive or CD-ROM as the drive to boot when using the drive.

After the menu appears, you just need to select the desired hard drive and enter the command to check. The software is controlled in the same way through commands, as on the console, or using the function buttons of the keyboard. Not recommended for use ordinary users without the relevant skills.

Crystal Disk Mark

This utility allows you to evaluate the speed of writing and reading information from your hard drive. In its interface, the user can select the type of writing/reading, local disk and the size of the file to be read and written. After the end of the test, you will receive information at a speed.

You cannot evaluate these results on your own. We recommend that you find a similar HDD model online to compare its testing with your test data. If the results with identical settings are almost the same, then you should not worry. If there are strong differences, we recommend analyzing the hard drive through Victoria.

HDD Regenerator

A functional utility for HDD scanning and recovery. A special remagnetization algorithm allows you to eliminate quite serious problems with the hard drive. To run the software you should:


The advantage of this utility is the ability to quickly fix errors and close the "bad sectors".

Seagate SeaTools

Specialized software from Seagate product developers. Allows you to get basic information about the disk, perform preliminary and full scans. We recommend using this utility in cases where, for some reason, the above do not work, and you are the owner of a hard drive from Seagate.

Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostic

Special software for English language to check Western Digital discs. It is more suitable for advanced users, but ordinary users can also perform quick diagnostics. For example, you can check the status of SMART settings.

The utility also allows you to conduct simple and advanced tests, but the information content of the results for typical users leaves much to be desired.

Disk Utility in macOS

Users of the MacOS operating system also have a standard hard drive utility. Its functionality includes:

  • creation and transformation of images;
  • mounting and unmounting disks and other media.
  • activating and deactivating the logging mode;
  • HDD integrity testing and file recovery;
  • erasing, formatting and partitioning disks;
  • garbage disposal;
  • adding a partition table;
  • hard disk S.M.A.R.T status check and much more.

To start you need in the utilities on system drive find the app and then launch it.

Prevention measures

To maximize the life of a hard drive, users can perform various actions, including:

  • defragmentation. This procedure arranges all blocks of files in order, making access to them as fast as possible, respectively, the head travels a shorter distance to open a file and wears out more slowly.
  • Install a quality power supply. Power surges adversely affect any technique. If important data is stored on the HDD, take care of a high-quality PSU to prevent hard drive damage due to power surges.
  • Avoid vibration and shock. Winchesters are extremely vulnerable to shock. When transporting the computer, make sure that the hard drive will not be subject to vibrations.
  • Clean up the system. Freezes due to unstable software or viruses can cause increased load on the disk, respectively, it will use its resource faster.
  • Eliminate external magnetic fields. Many install system unit with other powerful equipment that has a magnetic field. If you want to ensure maximum data safety, then do not place the system unit next to equipment that emits a powerful magnetic field.

Never forget to do backups. Any hard drive will eventually become unusable, while it is far from always possible to recover data. Regular checks will allow you to determine the future death of the HDD in advance and take measures, for example, purchase a new one.

Complain about content


  • Copyright infringement Spam Invalid content Broken links


Send