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Smart hard drive monitor

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  • 20-02-2015 12:21am
    #1
    eeepaulo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭


    Anyone got any experience with these programs.

    I installed crystaldiskinfo, just wondering if it will give me any useful warning of failure.

    thanks


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    #2
    CreepingDeath
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,015 ✭✭✭CreepingDeath


    I use "HDTune", there was a free version which displayed the "S.M.A.R.T." drive information on the drive.

    If you start seeing errors, especially "Read Error Rate", then you know your drive is dodgy.

    Slow hard drive performance, noticeable "clicking" sounds and delays in booting the machine can be a sign of problems to come too.

    Remember to backup any important data quickly if you suspect any problems.


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    #3
    eeepaulo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭eeepaulo


    Thanks for the info,

    My question wasnt clear, im happy enough with crystaldiskinfo, it gives me all the smart monitor info, a little icon in the tray for each harddrive, loads on boot, refreshes every x seconds, emails me if there is a problem.

    This crowd have done a large test showing which shows which smart categories suggest failure.
    https://www.backblaze.com/blog/hard-drive-smart-stats/

    What im wondering is how much time i might get, if it notifies me 60 seconds before the drive fails its not really any use, just wondering if anyone has any experience working with these tools


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    #4
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    First off, backblaze produce nice graphs, but their tests are totally unfair, theyve been ripped apart before. Not all drives are used in the same work loads so the figures mean little.

    SMART isnt that smart, its of limited value. Its convenient, and costs nothing, all drives have it. Sector re-allocations are the real "f'ck f'ck f'ck shut down" indicator, but you wont always get them before a death. Arm can seize, motor can die, PCB can die, head could make contact, ribbon cable could fail.....none of that would be indicated by SMART.

    Treat every drive as if its going to die tomorrow. Anything you need, keep it backed up.


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    #5
    28064212
    Registered Users Posts: 10,635 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    eeepaulo wrote: »
    What im wondering is how much time i might get, if it notifies me 60 seconds before the drive fails its not really any use, just wondering if anyone has any experience working with these tools
    What will you do if it tells you that it will fail in 24 hours? Use that time to back it up?

    All hard-drives can fail instantaneously at any time. You should always have at least one backup, preferably 2, one at an offsite location. Assume your drive will fail tomorrow: how much will you lose?

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    #6
    eeepaulo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭eeepaulo


    28064212 wrote: »
    What will you do if it tells you that it will fail in 24 hours? Use that time to back it up?

    All hard-drives can fail instantaneously at any time. You should always have at least one backup, preferably 2, one at an offsite location. Assume your drive will fail tomorrow: how much will you lose?

    Yes.

    I back up my os, photos, music, and boxing. The photos and music are also with relatives. Might lose a few as offsite is not real time.

    I have 8 sata slots, 6 in use, 4X3TGB + 1X6TB, 14 of 18tb used + ssd, so i could back it all up by buying 2 6tb drives, but its kind of expensive. Its all the multimedia i would lose, i would not be distraught.


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    #7
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    I wouldnt bother backup up content that isnt uniquely yours. Not worth it really.

    I would, and do, however create some redundancy. Using FlexRaid any one drive in my NAS can die and I wont loose data. Saves having double the required outlay of disks, but gives a reasonable level of protection. Over time I'll expand and swap out old disks for newer larger ones. In that situation odds are very much in my favour that I wont have a problem, touch wood.


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    #8
    eeepaulo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭eeepaulo


    ED E wrote: »
    I wouldnt bother backup up content that isnt uniquely yours. Not worth it really.

    I would, and do, however create some redundancy. Using FlexRaid any one drive in my NAS can die and I wont loose data. Saves having double the required outlay of disks, but gives a reasonable level of protection. Over time I'll expand and swap out old disks for newer larger ones. In that situation odds are very much in my favour that I wont have a problem, touch wood.

    Just had a quick look at flexraid, looks perfect, will do some further reading, thanks.

    Found this a while ago, looks like smart monitor a no no, (according to google in 2007) it appears that when there is a smart error there is a strong correlation with certain errors and disk failure, but as you suggested earlier in over 50% of cases there is no smart error, 1 in 2 makes it no good for me.


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