DATA RECOVERY
How to Check Disk Health
Checking Disk Health Using Diagnostic Tools (Surface Scan, S.M.A.R.T)
To assess disk health or examine its surface for bad block, you can use the following tools:
- CrystalDiskInfo
- HDDScan
- HD Tune (free version download here)
CrystalDiskInfo
The first of them (CrystalDiskInfo) is one of the most popular programs for reading S.M.A.R.T data (a system for monitoring and reporting hard drive errors). Thanks to CrystalDiskInfo and reading S.M.A.R.T data, we can immediately see if something is wrong with our disk. The program has a general disk assessment defined as "status", this assessment is additionally supplemented with information in the form of a percentage value (100% = "good" status). In order to check the disk status in detail, we read the available values of the subsequent S.M.A.R.T. attributes. A professional approach requires changing the naming to English. From the menu, select Language and select the option "S.M.A.R.T. data in English". It should be noted that by default, the values of individual S.M.A.R.T attributes are expressed in hexadecimal (HEX). To switch to the decimal system, select from the menu: Function -> Advanced Feature -> Raw Values -> 10 [DEC].
S.M.A.R.T Attribute Table
| ID | HEX | Attribute name | Description | Critical | Better |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | Raw Read Error Rate | This attribute depends on the number of read errors and the condition of the disk surface, and indicates on the frequency of hardware read errors that occurred while reading data from the disk surface. Low values indicate a problem with the disk surface or read/write heads. NOTE: SEAGATE drives do not monitor the Raw Read Error Rate parameter, hence the high values during the S.M.A.R.T. test. | Yes |  |
| 02 | 02 | Throughput Performance | The overall (throughput) efficiency of the drive. If the value of this attribute is decreasing, there is a good chance that the drive is about to have problems. | No |  |
| 03 | 03 | Spin Up Time | The average time to spin up the platters (from 0 RPM to full speed). The RAW value of this attribute expresses time in seconds or milliseconds. | No | |
| 04 | 04 | Start/Stop Mount (Number of spin-up times) | The RAW value of this attribute is the number of start/stop cycles of the disk. | No | |
| 05 | 05 | Reallocated Sectors Count | The number of reallocated sectors. When the disk encounters a read/write/verify error, it marks this sector as reallocated and moves the data to a special reserved area (spare area). This process is also called remapping and the reallocated sectors are called remaps. This is why, on modern drives, we do not see "bad blocks" during surface tests. | Yes | |
| 06 | 06 | Read Channel Margin | Channel reserve when reading data. The function of this attribute is not covered by the specification. | No | |
| 07 | 07 | Seek Error Rate | The frequency of seek errors of the magnetic heads. In the event of mechanical damage to the positioning system, servo damage, or thermal expansion of the disk, the seek error rate increases. More seek errors indicate deterioration of the disk surface and the disk mechanical subsystem. In new Seagate drives, e.g. 7200.11 series, this parameter is high and this is normal for these drives. | No | |
| 08 | 08 | Seek Time Performance | Average performance of magnetic head seek operations. If the attribute value decreases, it is a sign of problems with the mechanical subsystem of the disk. | No | |
| 09 | 09 | Power-On Hours | Number of hours in the power-on state. The RAW value of the attribute corresponds to the total number of hours (or minutes, seconds, depending on the manufacturer) worked by the disk. A decrease in this value to a critical level (threshold) indicates a decrease in the MTBF parameter (mean time between failures). However, in reality, even if the MTBF drops to zero, it does not mean that the MTBF resources have been completely exhausted and the drive will stop working. | No | |
| 10 | 0A | Spin Retry Count (Spin-up retries) | The number of retries to spin up the platters. This attribute stores the total number of attempts to start the platters before reaching full rotational speed (provided that the first attempt was unsuccessful). An increase in this attribute is a sign of problems with the mechanical subsystem of the disk, e.g. impending bearing failure. | Yes | |
| 11 | 0B | Recalibration Retries | This attribute indicates the number of recalibration requests (provided that the first attempt failed). A drop in this attribute is a sign of problems with the mechanical subsystem of the drive. | No | |
| 12 | 0C | Device Power Cycle Mount (Start/stop count) | This attribute indicates the total number of full power cycles of the drive. | No | |
| 13 | 0D | Soft Read Error Rate | This is the number of software read errors that occur when reading data from the disk surface. | No | |
| 184 | B8 | End-to-End Error | This attribute is part of HP's S.M.A.R.T. technology. IV generation and informs that errors occurred on the path between the cache buffer and the disk. | Yes | |
| 185 | B9 | Head Stability | Head stabilization. An attribute found in Western Digital drives. | No | |
| 186 | BA | Induced Op-Vibration Detection | Detection of inductive vibration growth. Attribute found in Western Digital drives. | No | |
| 187 | BB | Reported UNC Error | The number of errors that cannot be recovered using the ECC hardware correction technology. | No | |
| 188 | BC | Command Timeout | The number of operations interrupted due to the disk not responding to commands. Normally this parameter should be zero, if it is different it may indicate serious problems with the drive power supply (connector, power supply, etc.) | Yes | |
| 189 | BD | High Fly Writes | Technology that monitors how the head writes. If the head moves beyond the normal operating range above the platter surface during writing, the operation is interrupted and the writing is repeated in a safe area. | No | |
| 190 | BE | Airflow Temperature | In WDC drives (Ambient (air) temperature) NOTE: Manufacturers define this parameter differently, e.g. in drives Seagate ST3802110A correct value is 100. | No | |
| 13 | 0D | Soft Read Error Rate | This is the number of software read errors that occur when reading data from the disk surface. | No | |
| 184 | B8 | End-to-End Error | This attribute is part of HP's S.M.A.R.T. technology. IV generation and informs that errors occurred on the path between the cache buffer and the disk. | Yes | |
| 185 | B9 | Head Stability | Head stabilization. An attribute found in Western Digital drives. | No | |
| 186 | BA | Induced Op-Vibration Detection | Detection of inductive vibration growth. Attribute found in Western Digital drives. | No | |
| 187 | BB | Reported UNC Error | The number of errors that cannot be recovered using the ECC hardware correction technology. | No | |
| 188 | BC | Command Timeout | The number of operations interrupted due to the disk not responding to commands. Normally this parameter should be zero, if it is different it may indicate serious problems with the drive power supply (connector, power supply, etc.) | Yes | |
| 189 | BD | High Fly Writes | Technology that monitors how the head writes. If the head moves beyond the normal operating range above the platter surface during writing, the operation is interrupted and the writing is repeated in a safe area. | No | |
| 190 | BE | Airflow Temperature | In WDC drives (Ambient (air) temperature) NOTE: Manufacturers define this parameter differently, e.g. in drives Seagate ST3802110A correct value is 100. | No | |
| 13 | 0D | Soft Read Error Rate | This is the number of software read errors that occur when reading data from the disk surface. | No | |
| 184 | B8 | End-to-End Error | This attribute is part of HP's S.M.A.R.T. technology. IV generation and informs that errors occurred on the path between the cache buffer and the disk. | Yes | |
| 185 | B9 | Head Stability | Head stabilization. An attribute found in Western Digital drives. | No | |
| 186 | BA | Induced Op-Vibration Detection | Detection of inductive vibration growth. Attribute found in Western Digital drives. | No | |
| 187 | BB | Reported UNC Error | The number of errors that cannot be recovered using the ECC hardware correction technology. | No | |
| 188 | BC | Command Timeout | The number of operations interrupted due to the disk not responding to commands. Normally this parameter should be zero, if it is different it may indicate serious problems with the drive power supply (connector, power supply, etc.) | Yes | |
| 189 | BD | High Fly Writes | Technology that monitors how the head writes. If the head moves beyond the normal operating range above the platter surface during writing, the operation is interrupted and the writing is repeated in a safe area. | No | |
| 190 | BE | Airflow Temperature | In WDC drives (Ambient (air) temperature) NOTE: Manufacturers define this parameter differently, e.g. in drives Seagate ST3802110A correct value is 100. | No | |
| 209 | D1 | Offline Seek Performance | Self test during offline seek performance | No | |
| 211 | D3 | Vibration During Write | Vibration during write. This technology is intended to analyze and protect against accidental vibrations during disk operation, most often helpful in laptops and portable drives (constant vibrations). | No | |
| 212 | D4 | Shock During Write | Shocks during write operations. This technology is intended to analyze and protect against accidental shocks during disk operation, most often helpful in laptops and portable drives (sudden impacts, changes in position). | No | |
| 220 | DC | Disk Shift | Disk shift relative to the axis. This shift could have been caused by a fall or high temperature. | No | |
| 221 | DD | G-Sense Error Rate | The number of errors occurring during disk overloads (G). The attribute based on the overload sensor provides the total number of errors caused by, for example, dropping the disk or sudden changes in position resulting in overloads. | No | |
| 222 | DE | Loaded Hours | Usage Time battery of magnetic heads caused by normal use. Only the operating time of battery counts. | No | |
| 223 | DF | Load/Unload Retry Count | Time of use of magnetic heads for operations such as: reading, writing, head positioning. Working time of head position changes in the data zone. | No | |
| 224 | E0 | Load Friction | Resistance caused by friction in mechanical parts during operation. Condition caused by friction of mechanical parts. (note: This parameter informs about problems with the disk's mechanical system) | No | |
| 225 | E1 | Load/Unload Cycle Count | The total number of park/unpark cycles from the parking zone (Landing Zone). | No | |
| 226 | E2 | Load 'In'-time | The total time the heads worked over the data zone. (Time not spent in parking zone) | No | |
| 227 | E3 | Torque Amplification Count | Number of attempts to spin up the platters. How many times the disk tried to spin up the disk to the operating speed. | No | |
| 228 | E4 | Power-Off Retract Cycle | The amount of automatic protection of the magnetic mechanism due to power loss. | No | |
| 230 | E6 | GMR Head Amplitude | Head vibration amplitude (GMR-head) during operation. | No | |
| 231 | E7 | Temperature | Temperature Disk | No | |
| 240 | F0 | Head Flying Hours | The time in which the head is positioned. | No | |
| 241 | F1 | Total LBA-s Written | Total number of sectors written. (WD parameter) | No | |
| 242 | F2 | Total LBA-s Read | Total number of sectors read. (WD parameter) | No | |
| 250 | FA | Read Error Retry Rate | The frequency of errors when reading data from the disk. | No | |
| 254 | FE | Free Fall Protection | The amount of reading from the Free Fall Sensor (Free Fall Sensor for detecting monitored portable electronic devices) This sensor is designed to inform you when a drive has fallen. Patent | No | |
HDDScan
HDDScan is a tool used to diagnose hard drives or other data carriers. Thanks to it, we can check the aforementioned devices for errors (bad blocks), we can also read S.M.A.R.T. attributes. The program has the ability to work in task mode (tasks), which allows for a series of tests to be performed on several successively selected media.
HD Tune
HD Tune is currently a very popular, easy-to-use tool, thanks to which we can check the disk surface, run a so-called "benchmark" (speed test) or check parameters related to the disk health through S.M.A.R.T data ("Health" tab). Free version (2.55) can be downloaded here.