Best software to test HDD health

Solved/Closed
gamer87fla Posts 22 Registration date Monday 16 October 2023 Status Member Last seen 6 December 2024 - Updated on Nov 17, 2023 at 11:47 AM
DKenn Posts 7 Registration date Tuesday 1 August 2023 Status Member Last seen 26 October 2023 - 26 Oct 2023 à 14:57

Hello,

What best software to test external HDD search badblocks and errors?​​​​​​​

Windows / Chrome 118.0.0.0

Related:

2 responses

HelpiOS Posts 15569 Registration date Friday 30 October 2015 Status Moderator Last seen 2 July 2026 1,880
26 Oct 2023 à 06:46

Hi,

Here are the best tools to check your hard drive's health:

You can also use Windows built-in option to check your hard drive for errors. Open Command Prompt as admin, then type chkdsk E: /f /r /x and press Enter. Replace E by the letter corresponding to the hard drive to scan.


gamer87fla Posts 22 Registration date Monday 16 October 2023 Status Member Last seen 6 December 2024
26 Oct 2023 à 07:34

what the best all?

HelpiOS Posts 15569 Registration date Friday 30 October 2015 Status Moderator Last seen 2 July 2026 1,880 > gamer87fla Posts 22 Registration date Monday 16 October 2023 Status Member Last seen 6 December 2024
26 Oct 2023 à 08:34

Try Hard Disk Sentinel - it has advanced features for disk checking.

DKenn Posts 7 Registration date Tuesday 1 August 2023 Status Member Last seen 26 October 2023
26 Oct 2023 à 10:04

SeaTools is free and will test any HDD. If anybody knows their stuff it's Seagate!

CHKDSK will only test visible partitions and does not test/read any other metrics, e.g. drive self test, S.M.A.R.T.

gamer87fla Posts 22 Registration date Monday 16 October 2023 Status Member Last seen 6 December 2024
Updated on Nov 17, 2023 at 11:38 AM

what is better?

Is it a myth or truth that surface tests can generate badblocks on the HDD?

DKenn Posts 7 Registration date Tuesday 1 August 2023 Status Member Last seen 26 October 2023
26 Oct 2023 à 12:32

I have tested thousands of hard drives and have never heard of this issue - sounds like anecdotal internet nonsense to me!

If you are looking for physical drive problems use a diagnostic tool, like SeaTools.

gamer87fla Posts 22 Registration date Monday 16 October 2023 Status Member Last seen 6 December 2024
26 Oct 2023 à 13:16

seatools is better comparision HD Tune and sentinel?

DKenn Posts 7 Registration date Tuesday 1 August 2023 Status Member Last seen 26 October 2023
26 Oct 2023 à 14:57

It would depend on how you compared them - if that is even possible.

Ultimately, SeaTools is made by Seagate, the largest hard drive manufacturer in the world, and HD Tune and Sentinel are made by small software developers - who is likely to have the most knowledge in this area?!