Best software to test HDD health

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gamer87fla Posts 22 Registration date Monday October 16, 2023 Status Member Last seen December 6, 2024 - Updated on Nov 17, 2023 at 11:47 AM
DKenn Posts 7 Registration date Tuesday August 1, 2023 Status Member Last seen October 26, 2023 - Oct 26, 2023 at 02:57 PM

Hello,

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

Windows / Chrome 118.0.0.0

Related:

2 responses

HelpiOS Posts 14690 Registration date Friday October 30, 2015 Status Moderator Last seen February 7, 2025 1,869
Oct 26, 2023 at 06:46 AM

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 October 16, 2023 Status Member Last seen December 6, 2024
Oct 26, 2023 at 07:34 AM

what the best all?

HelpiOS Posts 14690 Registration date Friday October 30, 2015 Status Moderator Last seen February 7, 2025 1,869 > gamer87fla Posts 22 Registration date Monday October 16, 2023 Status Member Last seen December 6, 2024
Oct 26, 2023 at 08:34 AM

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

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

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 October 16, 2023 Status Member Last seen December 6, 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 August 1, 2023 Status Member Last seen October 26, 2023
Oct 26, 2023 at 12:32 PM

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 October 16, 2023 Status Member Last seen December 6, 2024
Oct 26, 2023 at 01:16 PM

seatools is better comparision HD Tune and sentinel?

DKenn Posts 7 Registration date Tuesday August 1, 2023 Status Member Last seen October 26, 2023
Oct 26, 2023 at 02:57 PM

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?!