The best computers almost always include an SSD as their primary drive, but when you have a lot of stuff to store, a traditional hard drive is still the most cost-effective choice, and knowing how to check the health of your hard drive will extend its lifespan.
Yes, SSDs offer superior speeds than chunky SSDs. But if you’re a big digital collector like me (I still have music albums I don’t want to break up with because in the 90’s it took about a week to download via dial-up…), you’ll have a hard drive on your computer or Connecting to external storage is a lot cheaper than buying some fancy SSD storage space.
However, one caveat with hard drives is that they are relatively delicate hardware that doesn’t last as long as SSDs, and many people give up after a few years. Luckily, if you think your hard drive is nearing the end of its life, there are a few ways to troubleshoot it, extending its lifespan before the worst happens, or giving you time to back up everything.
How to check the health of your hard drive
1. Use the SMART tool
Modern hard drives have a feature called SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) that allows you to quickly check status. This feature should automatically notify you if there is a problem with the drive, but if you think there is a problem, you can check it manually.
To do this in Windows start that command prompt from open that start menu And water tap “cmd” — click on command prompt when it appears. entry text “wmic diskdrive model, get status” Then press enter/return. You should now see the drives listed along with the status of each drive. “Confirm“OK if yes or”dictionary error‘ when you go out.
(Image courtesy of Microsoft)
To do this on macOS open mind that disk utility tool ApplicationThen utility. click The status of the drive you want to check is “confirmed” or “fail“where”smart stateClick on the ” section ormeThe ” icon is in the upper right corner.
note: If you are running a computer from 2015 or later with an SSD installed, this information will not be displayed.
2. Run the hard drive health check utility
The SMART tool is quick and easy, but it doesn’t do more than tell you if your hard drive is healthy or near death. An independent program that may provide more extensive information is available here.
For Windows, CrystalDiskInfo is a free tool that gives you a little more insight into the health of your hard drive, while MacOS users should take a look at DriveDX, which costs $19.99 but comes with a free trial.
If you want to be a party, it’s a good idea to check with your hard drive manufacturer if they have their own tools. B. Western Digital’s Drive Utilities or Seagate’s practical SeaTools.
(Image courtesy of Microsoft)
What to do if a drive fails
(Image credit: Doug McLean/Shutterstock)
What do you do if you run a scan and find that the drive is dying? Well, the first thing to think about is how to back up all your data.
The easiest way to do this is to use a cloud storage service as it does not require any additional hardware and is relatively easy. Windows OneDrive and macOS iCloud both provide these services, so it’s a good idea to make sure your data is already backed up to the cloud.
Or if the connection doesn’t suit your job or you are racing against time before the clock crashes. Copy or clone the contents of the hard drive to another drive. The easiest way to do this is Just copy/paste or drag everything from your hard drive to the second drive., this is the best option if you only have media files such as songs or movies on your hard drive. However, if you have programs installed or if you want to transfer system information, choosing this method may result in programs missing.
instead you drive cloneUse a program like EaseUS Todo Backup, which has a free version for Windows or a paid version with a free trial for macOS users.
Now you know how to check the health of your hard drive. You may want to read our guide to cloud storage and external hard drives to see if abandoning them is a better option. If you are a Windows user, learn how to enable God mode in Windows 11 or 10. Or, if you’re on macOS, check out How to Use macOS – Essential Tips and Tricks.
More information
How to check your hard drive’s health
Though the best computers almost always contain SSDs as their primary drive, traditional hard drives are still the most cost-effective choice if you have a lot of things to store — and knowing how to check your hard drive’s health should extend its lifespan.
Yes, SSDs offer superior speeds than their clunky counterparts. But if you’re as big a digital hoarder as I am (I still have music albums that I refuse to part with as they took me about a week to download on dial-up in the 90s…) having a hard disk either inside your computer or plugged in as external storage is a lot cheaper than forking out for a load of fancy SSD space.
A caveat of hard drives, however, is that they’re relatively delicate pieces of hardware that aren’t as durable as SSDs, with many kicking the bucket after just a few years of usage. Thankfully, if you think your hard drive may be on its last legs, there are a few ways to perform triage on it, giving you time to either extend its life or back everything up before the worst happens.
How to check your hard drive’s health
1. Use the S.M.A.R.T. tool
Modern hard drives have a feature known as S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology,) which allows you to quickly see their health status. Though this feature should automatically notify you if there are any issues with your drive, you can check it manually if you think something’s not right.
To do this on Windows, launch the Command Prompt by opening the Start menu and typing “cmd” — click Command Prompt when it appears. Input the text “wmic diskdrive get model,status” then press enter/return. You’ll now see your drive(s) listed, along with a status by each one — “OK” if it’s, well, OK, or “Pred Fail” if its on its way out.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
To do this on macOS, open the Disk Utility tool by going to Applications, then Utilities. Click the drive you want to check, and its status will read either “Verified” or “Failing” in the “S.M.A.R.T. status” section in the bottom-left, or by clicking the “i” icon in the top-right.
Note: This information won’t appear if you’re running a post-2015 machine with an SSD installed.
2. Run a disk health check program
Though the S.M.A.R.T. tool is quick and easy, it doesn’t do much beyond telling you whether your disk is fine or about to die. That’s where standalone programs come in handy, which can offer more extensive info.
For Windows, CrystalDiskInfo is a free tool that can delve a bit deeper into your disk’s status, while macOS users should take a look at DriveDX, which costs $19.99 but comes with a free trial.
If you’d prefer to go first-party, it’s worth seeing if your disk manufacturer has its own tool, such as Western Digital’s Drive Utilities, or Seagate’s handy SeaTools.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
What to do if your drive is failing
(Image credit: Doug McLean/Shutterstock)
If, after running checks, you discover your drive is dying, what do you do? Well, the first thing you’ll want to consider is how to backup all your data.
The easiest way to do this may be by using a cloud storage service, since this requires no additional hardware and is relatively simple. It’s also worth checking whether your data has already been backed up in the cloud, since Windows’ OneDrive and macOS’ iCloud both offer these services, which you may not have realized were turned on.
Alternatively, if your connection isn’t up to the task, or if you’re racing against time before meltdown occurs, you may want to copy or clone your disk’s contents to another drive. The easiest way to do this would be to simply copy/paste or drag everything from the disk to the second one, which is the best method if your disk only contains media files such as songs or movies. However, if you have any programs installed or system info you’d like to be brought across, this is likely to be left out if you choose this method.
Instead, you’re going to need to clone your drive, using a program such as EaseUS Todo Backup, which has a free version for Windows or a paid version with a free trial for macOS users.
Now you know how to check your hard drive’s health, you may want to check out our guide on cloud storage vs external hard disk drive to see if ditching your drive may be the better option. If you’re a Windows user, find out how to enable God Mode in Windows 11 or 10. Or, if you’re rocking macOS, check out how to use macOS — essential tips and tricks.
#check #hard #drives #health
How to check your hard drive’s health
Though the best computers almost always contain SSDs as their primary drive, traditional hard drives are still the most cost-effective choice if you have a lot of things to store — and knowing how to check your hard drive’s health should extend its lifespan.
Yes, SSDs offer superior speeds than their clunky counterparts. But if you’re as big a digital hoarder as I am (I still have music albums that I refuse to part with as they took me about a week to download on dial-up in the 90s…) having a hard disk either inside your computer or plugged in as external storage is a lot cheaper than forking out for a load of fancy SSD space.
A caveat of hard drives, however, is that they’re relatively delicate pieces of hardware that aren’t as durable as SSDs, with many kicking the bucket after just a few years of usage. Thankfully, if you think your hard drive may be on its last legs, there are a few ways to perform triage on it, giving you time to either extend its life or back everything up before the worst happens.
How to check your hard drive’s health
1. Use the S.M.A.R.T. tool
Modern hard drives have a feature known as S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology,) which allows you to quickly see their health status. Though this feature should automatically notify you if there are any issues with your drive, you can check it manually if you think something’s not right.
To do this on Windows, launch the Command Prompt by opening the Start menu and typing “cmd” — click Command Prompt when it appears. Input the text “wmic diskdrive get model,status” then press enter/return. You’ll now see your drive(s) listed, along with a status by each one — “OK” if it’s, well, OK, or “Pred Fail” if its on its way out.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
To do this on macOS, open the Disk Utility tool by going to Applications, then Utilities. Click the drive you want to check, and its status will read either “Verified” or “Failing” in the “S.M.A.R.T. status” section in the bottom-left, or by clicking the “i” icon in the top-right.
Note: This information won’t appear if you’re running a post-2015 machine with an SSD installed.
2. Run a disk health check program
Though the S.M.A.R.T. tool is quick and easy, it doesn’t do much beyond telling you whether your disk is fine or about to die. That’s where standalone programs come in handy, which can offer more extensive info.
For Windows, CrystalDiskInfo is a free tool that can delve a bit deeper into your disk’s status, while macOS users should take a look at DriveDX, which costs $19.99 but comes with a free trial.
If you’d prefer to go first-party, it’s worth seeing if your disk manufacturer has its own tool, such as Western Digital’s Drive Utilities, or Seagate’s handy SeaTools.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
What to do if your drive is failing
(Image credit: Doug McLean/Shutterstock)
If, after running checks, you discover your drive is dying, what do you do? Well, the first thing you’ll want to consider is how to backup all your data.
The easiest way to do this may be by using a cloud storage service, since this requires no additional hardware and is relatively simple. It’s also worth checking whether your data has already been backed up in the cloud, since Windows’ OneDrive and macOS’ iCloud both offer these services, which you may not have realized were turned on.
Alternatively, if your connection isn’t up to the task, or if you’re racing against time before meltdown occurs, you may want to copy or clone your disk’s contents to another drive. The easiest way to do this would be to simply copy/paste or drag everything from the disk to the second one, which is the best method if your disk only contains media files such as songs or movies. However, if you have any programs installed or system info you’d like to be brought across, this is likely to be left out if you choose this method.
Instead, you’re going to need to clone your drive, using a program such as EaseUS Todo Backup, which has a free version for Windows or a paid version with a free trial for macOS users.
Now you know how to check your hard drive’s health, you may want to check out our guide on cloud storage vs external hard disk drive to see if ditching your drive may be the better option. If you’re a Windows user, find out how to enable God Mode in Windows 11 or 10. Or, if you’re rocking macOS, check out how to use macOS — essential tips and tricks.
#check #hard #drives #health
Synthetic: Vik News
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