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    Hard drive health programs?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Swift, Mar 11, 2008.

  1. Swift

    Swift Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have an obsession with backing up data and making sure my current hard drive is ok... probably because if I lost my data I would be dead in the water...

    Anyway, does anyone use hard drive health programs such as HDD Life, or HDD Health? (Google them). I'm using HDD Health, shows that my drive is at 100% health, is this information accurate at all? I will still backup regardless of anything, but can I somewhat trust what theses programs show?

    Thanks! :D
     
  2. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

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    There are S.M.A.R.T warnings but i wouldnt depend on it. Ive seen some fail without warning and false positive warnings. Always backup your important data.

    Try HDTune or Everest
     
  3. wobble987

    wobble987 Notebook Virtuoso

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    try HDTune.

    http://www.hdtune.com/

    yeah.. one of my drive died without showing any errors in S.M.A.R.T and it also pass the hardware checks right before it died. strange how i occasionally heard clicking noise and its still pass the check.. i heard HDDLife before.. just a gimmick and smug marketing i say.
     
  4. Tinderbox (UK)

    Tinderbox (UK) BAKED BEAN KING

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  5. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    You can look at ActiveSMART. However, I should note that about 3 years ago it kept telling me that my HDD was going to die, but the HDD failed to oblige. (I think that ActiveSMART wasn't interpreting the SMART data correctly.) If you think you have possible problems run the HDD manufacturer's own diagnostic software.

    John
     
  6. Swift

    Swift Notebook Enthusiast

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    I just downloaded HDTune, looks like a great program :D Thanks.
    I printed out the Google hard drive study too, I'll read it tomorrow.