![]() If it fails, then the data needs to be re-installed or re-saved.īad sectors (LBAs) may be detected during the test. If this is the case, you can attempt to repair the data. SeaTools for Windows is a useful testing tool to eliminate the hard disc drive as the source or physical cause of some system problem.Ī drive can be perfectly healthy but be holding corrupted data. More often than not, SeaTools for Windows will test with a PASS status. Upon completion of running the diagnostics, a log for each drive is saved to the RAM drive. You can abort the test at any time without harming the drive, although the drive will not be fully tested if the test is aborted. Select the Abort Tests icon from the menu bar. The SeaTools performs a data-safe test of the selected hard disc drive or device for possible malfunctions. Unfortunately, this 10% granularity is an industry standard. Please do not abort the Long Drive Self Test unless an adequate length of time has elapsed to complete the first 10%. The apparent lack of activity often gives the impression that the drive or software has stopped responding. On large drives, 10% progress may take as much as 15 minutes. During the “Long Drive Self Test” progress is reported in 10% increments only. The highest capacity drives often take 2 to 4 hours to complete. Because the long tests read every sector on the drive, the amount of time required will depend on the speed and capacity of the disc drive. The long tests will take time to complete. Consider running the long Generic or long DST test, which reads each sector on the drive if you need a more comprehensive test. The “Short Drive Self Test” is adequate for most situations. When you launch the “ Short Drive Self Test” (DST) most drives will run a thorough diagnostic routine that is built in to the hard drive’s firmware. Long Generic (progress in 1% increments).Long Drive Self Test (may take up to 4 hours, progress in 10% increments).Short Drive Self Test (20 to 90 seconds long).Select the tests that you would like to perform. All Basic Tests are data safe, read-only tests. ![]() You may select more than one drive at a time to test them simultaneously.Ī menu of the possible diagnostic tests is shown. Non-Seagate drives have a silver drive icon. ![]() Seagate and Maxtor drives models are given a gold drive icon. However, Seatools for Windows often displays the serial number and even the model number of the internal drive inside the external case, and these numbers do not correspond to the numbers that Seagate assigns to the external unit as a whole. Seagate serial numbers are alphanumeric and eight characters long. Seagate model numbers begin with the letters “ ST“. This screen also displays information about the drives such as the Model Number and Serial Number. Select the drive you would like to test by making a check mark in the box next to the drive information. Be sure to connect the AC adapter to ensure adequate power during the tests.Īfter SeaTools loads, the screen will list the different storage devices in your system. These tests are disc-intensive and will draw more current than a typical usage profile. Plug in your notebook computer – Notebook systems should not run the long tests using just battery power.Windows XP Control Panel Power Options has a setting “Turn off hard disks” and should be set to “Never” during the test. The drive is working on its own at these times and the system may decide it should go into Stand By or Hibernate modes. A complete drive scan may take a few hours to complete. Keep the computer fully powered on – Power management controls may need to be suspended while doing very long tests.Most desktop and notebook systems have one SATA or PATA internal drive. Internal drives are identified as PATA (Parallel ATA or IDE), SATA (Serial ATA), SCSI or SAS (Serial-Attached SCSI). SeaTools’ Drive Identification – External drives that connect to the system through USB, 1394 Firewire or eSATA do not have the same background activity as the Internal drive.This is harmless to the drive and a routine condition of use however, it causes the SeaTools tests to take much longer time to complete. When that happens, SeaTools will temporarily suspend its current progress while the drive is busy. Otherwise, Windows will continue to give the disc drive commands to access data for the needs of the other applications. The main reason for this is to keep the drive focused on SeaTools as much as possible. Isolate SeaTools – close all other applications before running a hard disc diagnostic.Launch SeaTools by following these steps once it is installed: This post describes how to run SeaTools for Windows and provides some comprehensive advice about using the test to assist in troubleshooting.
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