Hardware or software?  What we use to test computer hard drives

Over the years, we have explored a wide range of diagnostic tools for use in our computer repair business here in Regina, Saskatchewan. When a customer comes in with issues on their computer, these issues could be 1) software, 2) hardware, or 3) a combination of both. Even if we were to fix the software problems, an underlying hardware issue could result in an incorrect repair and an unhappy customer.

So, the first thing we do is not assume that everything is caused by a bad Windows update or even a virus. To rule out drive issues, we need to test the system's drive. Hard drives and solid-state drives each require different tests.

Drive tests come in a range of flavors, and separate tests should be used depending on the drive type.

Parted Magic

Parted Magic is an open-source Linux-based suite of tools used in the computer repair business. It can be run off a USB stick, from a CD, or as part of a network suite of programs. It runs on RAM outside of the computer's operating system and checks the SMART data and various other aspects of the drive.

SeaTools for Windows

SeaTools for Windows has been around for many years. Unlike Parted Magic, it can be installed directly in Windows, where it tests the drive and reports back to the user. While it's a decent program, we prefer the tools found in Parted Magic as it runs outside of the affected operating system and, in our opinion, provides a more comprehensive set of test results.

HardDisk Sentinel

HDD Sentinel is a multi-OS SSD and HDD monitoring and analysis software. Its goal is to find, test, diagnose, and repair hard disk drives. We like using this program when testing SSDs, as it looks for things that may not show up in a standard hard drive test. This includes the temperature of the drive and its estimated life left on the drive (SSDs have a limited number of read/writes typical to their technology).

In the event that the drive checks out with any or a combination of these tools, we can rule out drive failure and look for operating system-related errors and problems.

For reliable computer repair service in the Regina area, and comprehensive solutions other computer problems, trust RescueTECH Regina for expert diagnostics and efficient resolutions.