hdd test software

**sr71000** · May 31st, 2005, 10:56 PM

I'm looking for some free solution that I can put on floppy or cd and boot to it in order to test a harddrive. i want to be able to do read/write tests and smart tests..stuff like that. anyone have any recommendations? please include links!

**Atomic Rooster** · May 31st, 2005, 10:57 PM

Go to the HDD manufacturers website and download their diagnostic software.

**sr71000** · May 31st, 2005, 10:59 PM

I work on a number of different computers...at customers houses...stuff like that. I'm looking for a diagnostic tool I can take around with me to their houses. I use powermax for my own drives but i'm looking for something a little more thorough.

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**rrcn** · May 31st, 2005, 11:11 PM

Check out the Ultimate Boot CD. It has many HD utilities.

**sr71000** · May 31st, 2005, 11:21 PM

lol...it's funny...i was trying to get back to this thread but my computer was being horribly slow because i was unzipping my download of ubcd

ironic?? (just a little) thank rrcn....hopefully it'll have what i'm lookin for

.

**elroy** · May 31st, 2005, 11:41 PM

I recently used HD Tach to diagnose a Maxtor drive that PowerMax said was ok. It would run very slow intermittantly. HD Tach displays results on a graph and it showed very erratic performance. The graph was completely covered with constant huge fluctuations in speed. I retired the drive. HD Tach is certainly not a complete diagnostic program but one more tool in your toolbox.

**sr71000** · May 31st, 2005, 11:59 PM

i'm looking for something to diagnose drive failures. none of these seem to do what i'm looking for. I'm looking for a program like memtest86, except for harddrives.

**sr71000** · June 1st, 2005, 05:57 PM

bump for the day croud. ok..so i'll restate my needs. I'm looking for a bootable program that I can use to test harddrives. I'd prefer free, but if I have to pay, then so be it. oh well. anyone have any ideas?

**paul9** · June 1st, 2005, 06:31 PM

Have a look at Spinrite over at http://grc.com . It's going to cost you, but it may do what you need. It is an hdd repair utility. No demo version, but you can d/l the instructions, read through them, and see if that tells you what it can do for you. As far as I can tell, it is a highly regarded program. Especially by Steve Gibson.

**sr71000** · June 2nd, 2005, 12:46 AM

that looks perfect but I can't afford that

lol. anyone have something like that but free?

(ps...i'm not just being stingy, i'm 1200 in the hole right now and i'm starting college, car insurance, and a bunch of other stuff now...i'm broke for a long time now...cheep=good. lol. I really can't afford that, so if anyone knows ANY tools like that for free or cheeper..like under 20 bucks...please let me know

)

**sechs** · June 2nd, 2005, 01:42 AM

Was there something wrong with the ten gazillion utilities on the Ultimate Boot CD?

**sr71000** · June 2nd, 2005, 09:22 AM

there were only 4 hdd utilities and none tested for failing harddrives...they were more configuration tools. for other stuff ubcd is great! lol. As for spinrite. I "got" it. I hate not paying for it but i can't afford it right now...i'll pay for a copy as soon as i get some money! lol. anyways..thanks for the advice guys!