Sector Level Hard Drive Test/Scan - Any that run from Windows?

[RaiderJ]

I have a hot swap SATA drive sled and would like to error check a drive without having to boot into a DOS environment. Are there any tools that can run from Win7 x64 to do this? Being able to check USB drives would also be a plus.

 

[Ketchup]

I haven't seen one yet. Are you talking about scanning the drive you are booting off of, or a seperate drive?

The first I don't see as possible while in the OS. The best I have found is Seatools. Older versions would scan any drive, not matter who the manufacturer. I have heard that the newer versions don't fix errors found on drives from other manufactures, but that's assuming the error is fixable in the first place.

It runs in DOS mode, but is a bootable ISO when burned to a CD, so not much of a pain really.

 

[RaiderJ]

I'm looking to scan a separate drive from my OS, just as a way to check out drives that would be installed in other systems. I've used SeaTools as the main scanner in the past, but hate to bring down an entire machine just to scan a hard drive for defects.

 

[Bubbaleone]

I like Hitachi's utility since it'll scan nearly any online drive, and by double-clicking on a listed drive you'll get an immediate SMART report as well: HGST Windows Drive Fitness Test (WinDFT)

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[Ketchup]

That's a nice looking program Bubbaleone. I may add that to my arsenal. I always worry about one of the drives in my file/media server going down without warning.

 

[taq8ojh]

Last time I checked, chkdsk /r can do surface test for you. Not sure why are you people trying to come up with awkward solutions when you have the tools right in the OS.

 

[denis280]

without having to boot into a DOS environment

Thats Why Octopuss

 

[Steltek]

That's a nice looking program Bubbaleone. I may add that to my arsenal. I always worry about one of the drives in my file/media server going down without warning.

You might want to grab a copy of it now. Since HGST was purchased by and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western Digital, I wouldn't be at all shocked if it suddenly looses the ability to work with other manufacturer's drives.

 

[taq8ojh]

Thats Why Octopuss

Huh? Could you elaborate please?

 

[smitbret]

Huh? Could you elaborate please?

I agree, I am confused, too. How hard is it to go to <Start> type "cmd" in the search bar and then type chdsk /r at the prompt?

 

[Ketchup]

I agree, I am confused, too. How hard is it to go to <Start> type "cmd" in the search bar and then type chdsk /r at the prompt?

Typing involved. Can't mouse-click the letters! And Android/Linux/Google isn't there to auto-complete the command for me.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Last time I checked, chkdsk /r can do surface test for you. Not sure why are you people trying to come up with awkward solutions when you have the tools right in the OS.

I agree, I am confused, too. How hard is it to go to <Start> type "cmd" in the search bar and then type chdsk /r at the prompt?

So did you both just post in this thread to demonstrate to everyone that because you've learned how to run a simple chkdsk command, that there couldn't possibly be any good reason to use any other drive tools besides chkdsk?

Since you're both such experts with Windows CLI tools, show us the chkdsk command to produce a GUI drive SMART report in the time it takes to double-click the mouse button. While you're at it, why don't you show us the chkdsk command to produce a detailed text report of events, on the desktop, in the time it takes to click the mouse button once.

The OP asked for suggestions for a desktop application that can do both of these things, and that is exactly what Hitachi's Drive Fitness Tool can do. By the way, WinDFT is a well proven and respected tool that has been around for many years, and if neither of you happen to know about it that doesn't surprise me at all. Otherwise, neither of you would be foolishly comparing apples to oranges.

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[Ketchup]

Typing involved. Can't mouse-click the letters! And Android/Linux/Google isn't there to auto-complete the command for me.

And just to add to Bubbaleone's comment, the tools he and I mentioned do a different type of scan that check disk can't. It's great to know that there are no errors on the file system, but hardware errors on the disk that check disk doesn't cover are good to be aware of as well.

Oh, and don't forget about the nice, easy to use buttons, lol.

 

[RaiderJ]

That looks perfect - a quick or extended test and the ability to read SMART data.

CHKDSK would work too, but something a little more robust is good to have on hand. For basic error checking it'd be a perfectly serviceable solution.

I like Hitachi's utility since it'll scan nearly any online drive, and by double-clicking on a listed drive you'll get an immediate SMART report as well: HGST Windows Drive Fitness Test (WinDFT)

.

 

[RaiderJ]

Also HGST has some useful tools, Erase MBR and Erase Disk. Good to have on hand!

 

[mikeymikec]

More robust than chkdsk? Are you sure you're using the right word here?

 

[taq8ojh]

Since you're both such experts with Windows CLI tools, show us the chkdsk command to produce a GUI drive SMART report in the time it takes to double-click the mouse button. While you're at it, why don't you show us the chkdsk command to produce a detailed text report of events, on the desktop, in the time it takes to click the mouse button once.

The OP asked for suggestions for a desktop application that can do both of these things

I am obviously blind, but OP didn't say a word about that. He asked for a tool that would check a drive for errors without booting into DOS. Chkdsk does just that.

I am no Windows expert, but I believe there is nothing like less or more robust thing, if by robust we are to understand the ability to detect problems.

 

[RaiderJ]

More robust than chkdsk? Are you sure you're using the right word here?

Nope. Not an english major.

Does CHKDSK do everything HGST does?

 

[RaiderJ]

I am obviously blind, but OP didn't say a word about that. He asked for a tool that would check a drive for errors without booting into DOS. Chkdsk does just that.

I am no Windows expert, but I believe there is nothing like less or more robust thing, if by robust we are to understand the ability to detect problems.

I was at a minimum looking for a tool that would do a full sector scan of a hard drive to verify a drive functions properly. CHKDSK works for that, but a few extended options is nice to have, especially erase.

 

[mikeymikec]

Nope. Not an english major.

Neither am I... 'robust' means strong / healthy / reliable / sturdy / stable. To suggest that chkdsk isn't robust is to say that it's a flaky/unreliable piece of software.

Does CHKDSK do everything HGST does?

No idea.

 

[RaiderJ]

Replace "robust" with "has more options/features/tools that just basic error checking for hard drives in a Windows environment" - would be a better description of what I was thinking.

Neither am I... 'robust' means strong / healthy / reliable / sturdy / stable. To suggest that chkdsk isn't robust is to say that it's a flaky/unreliable piece of software.

No idea.

 

[Ketchup]

No idea.

Obviously. Refer to post 13:

...the tools ... do a different type of scan that check disk can't. It's great to know that there are no errors on the file system, but hardware errors on the disk that check disk doesn't cover are good to be aware of as well.

I really don't understand the whole attitude either, especially after the OP said that the HGST utility was exactly what he is looking for.

 

[mikeymikec]

Nice.

I responded to the OP's request, and was a bit confused by his use of the word robust, so I asked. After all, someone might know something about chkdsk that I don't, and if so I'd like to know.

Not sure what you're referring to with 'the whole attitude'.

 

[denis280]

I really don't understand the whole attitude either, especially after the OP said that the HGST utility was exactly what he is looking for.

I Agree

 

[taq8ojh]

Is anyone using HD Tune for disk testing by chance? I haven't used it in ages, but today I remembered it after thinking about a good way to test faulty disk. Chkdsk gets the job done, but after all, GUI is GUI.