[crashnburn]

HDD Burn Test - DBAN, Zero Write, Surface Level Scans, OEM Software Check?

I've had a case of HDDs failing on me so before this new 3 TB Caviar Green from an RMA goes into my NAS, I'd like to perform the most thorough tests on it possible.

Recommendations and Experiences welcome

[Mkruer]

Though I have not used it you may want to look at http://real-world-sy...en_manual.html. That being said, From my experiences the best thing you can do for a HDD is disable the power savings, just keep it spinning. I have found that in the past the constant spin up and spin down kills drives faster than anything I know. But that is just my opinion.

[continuum]

Just run the manufacturer diagnostic... you can do more with MHDD or whatever, but honestly, you're not going to catch a huge amount more failures, at least not on a typical one-drive-example.

Assuming the drive arrived in an umdamaged box and you handled the drive properly you oughta be fine.

[erb]

ALWAYS TEST DRIVES BEFORE ADDING TO AN ARRAY

Agreed, manufacturer's diagnostic programs is good enough. Although, some do not have WRITE tests available.
It shouldn't be too hard to find a Windows program that will do a write test. I think HDTune Pro does.

I prefer to advocate the use of linux:

Boot to a live linux (Ubuntu, ArchLinux) and run a full write test. THIS WILL DESTROY ALL DATA:

badblocks -svw /dev/{HDD} 

To find your hard drive {HDD}:

parted -l

This post has been edited by erb: 24 March 2013 - 11:59 AM