Re: [OT] how to detect a dying hard drive
--- Brian McKee <map@map-heb.com> wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> On 26-Feb-08, at 5:18 PM, Kamaraju S Kusumanchi
> wrote:
>
> > Is there any tool available in Debian which can
> tell the remaining
> > life of a
> > hard drive? Also, what log files should one
> monitor to see if there is
> > something wrong with the hard drive? What are the
> various error
> > messages I
> > should look out for?
> >
> > I checked the hard drive for badblocks and there
> are none. But
> > somehow I
> > feel (cannot prove) that it is taking up a lot of
> time to write
> > large files
> > than it did before. That is why I think the hard
> drive could be dying.
> >
>
> smartmontools http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/
> will retrieve
> smart info and
> can be helpful. Also worth doing is checking the
> manufacturer's
> website for a
> bootable cd image that will run non-destructive
> checks (of course,
> backup first anyway!)
>
> I find if smart says it's bad, it's bad, but the
> reverse is not
> necessarily true.
>
> Note modern drives automatically try to work around
> bad blocks once
> they see them.
> You can 'fix' a drive by writing lots of data so
> that the problems
> are seen by the drive hardware.
> Once it runs out of relocatable sectors though....
>
> HTH
> Brian
I am waiting for shipment of a new drive for my Dell
Inspiron, and the telltale signs of worry for me are
different sounds coming from the drive occasionally.
This indicator, albeit a simple one, has served me in
the past.
Plus the fact that my current Hitachi drive is over 3
years old.
Can't wait to get my new Seagate Momentus. :)
Best regards.
--
Angus
"All churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, appear
to me no other than human inventions, setup to terrify and
enslave mankind - and to monopolize power and profit."
--
Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
######Linux Laptop powered by Debian Linux######
###########Reg. Linux User #278931############
____________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals?
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
Reply to: