Hi,
it is possible to add surface test some command line parameters, or doing surface scan in background with very low priority to reread periodically all sectors?
It can happen that sectors became unreadable and this could uncover that before it spreads across drives.
Scheduler for surface test
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hdsentinel
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Re: Scheduler for surface test
Yes, this is possible.
Just it is not really a good idea to schedule / run a complete disk surface test in such unattended/automatic mode, exactly because of what you wrote: upon minor problems, issues can spread so quickly over the disk surface.
This is exactly why currently the complete surface test can't be scheduled and can't be started automatically - just manually.
Instead, I always recommend to schedule the hardware hard disk self tests (Disk menu -> Short self test, Extended self test).
These could be scheduled in Hard Disk Sentinel Pro if you open Configuration -> Operations page: create a new project with type = "Test hard disks" and specify disk test type and disk(s) to be tested. You may select to test all hard disks at the same time. Then the created project can be scheduled to perform testing on any specific day(s), at specific time. Plus the project can send e-mail notification after the test completes (or just when a problem is found).
Generally when these test show problems (usually fail quickly upon non-perfect status), the appropriate disk testing method can be used.
This is the time when it is recommended to have a backup (at least the important files), then manually start the Disk menu -> Surface test -> Read test to reveal issues and depending on the results, if required, perform other tests to repair the hard disk, improve the situation by using the Disk menu -> Surface test -> Disk repair test (available first in version 4.71.10 of Hard Disk Sentinel Pro) or Reinitialize disk surface if required.
Anyway, this may be changed in a future version. Generally there are some plans for the surface tests: for example to allow starting the test easier with specific options (or on multiple drives at the same time).
Just it is not really a good idea to schedule / run a complete disk surface test in such unattended/automatic mode, exactly because of what you wrote: upon minor problems, issues can spread so quickly over the disk surface.
This is exactly why currently the complete surface test can't be scheduled and can't be started automatically - just manually.
Instead, I always recommend to schedule the hardware hard disk self tests (Disk menu -> Short self test, Extended self test).
These could be scheduled in Hard Disk Sentinel Pro if you open Configuration -> Operations page: create a new project with type = "Test hard disks" and specify disk test type and disk(s) to be tested. You may select to test all hard disks at the same time. Then the created project can be scheduled to perform testing on any specific day(s), at specific time. Plus the project can send e-mail notification after the test completes (or just when a problem is found).
Generally when these test show problems (usually fail quickly upon non-perfect status), the appropriate disk testing method can be used.
This is the time when it is recommended to have a backup (at least the important files), then manually start the Disk menu -> Surface test -> Read test to reveal issues and depending on the results, if required, perform other tests to repair the hard disk, improve the situation by using the Disk menu -> Surface test -> Disk repair test (available first in version 4.71.10 of Hard Disk Sentinel Pro) or Reinitialize disk surface if required.
Anyway, this may be changed in a future version. Generally there are some plans for the surface tests: for example to allow starting the test easier with specific options (or on multiple drives at the same time).
Re: Scheduler for surface test
Test could be stopped when issue is found and that info could be written to WMI, that test found error.
Idea was, that these test you suggest (internal) are not validating each sector that can be read. If they do, you cannot influence impact on drive performance of other processes.
But full tests which are great BTW could find such errors (fail quick is good approach). One suggestion is to add option for lowering process IO priority to low if scan starts during PC heavy load.
Another benefit is that regular reread of whole drive is self healing because if sector was not read for long time, magnetism is degrading - read could force drive firmware to correct sector information.
But at least commandline to test suite with result codes is good start.
Idea was, that these test you suggest (internal) are not validating each sector that can be read. If they do, you cannot influence impact on drive performance of other processes.
But full tests which are great BTW could find such errors (fail quick is good approach). One suggestion is to add option for lowering process IO priority to low if scan starts during PC heavy load.
Another benefit is that regular reread of whole drive is self healing because if sector was not read for long time, magnetism is degrading - read could force drive firmware to correct sector information.
But at least commandline to test suite with result codes is good start.
-
hdsentinel
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3128
- Joined: 2008.07.27. 17:00
- Location: Hungary
- Contact:
Re: Scheduler for surface test
Generally the "Extended self test" is 100% working in the way you wrote:
- it does not influence drive performance. It runs in the background during inactive (idle) periods of the drive, so generic read/write operations are not delayed in any ways.
- performs complete scan of the disk surface (verifies all sectors) until an error detected
- it stops upon the first problem and results error. This information (last test time, duration, result) automatically saved and displayed on the Information page. The new 4.71.10 version can also automatically save all disk test results to specific folder, so in this case a complete report would be saved also
This is why this is the best method to be started periodically to confirm if the hard disk is running error-free and its status is perfect - and if it reports an error, other tests can be done to reveal all possible problems (Disk menu -> Surface test -> Read test) and fix them (Disk menu -> Surface test -> Reinitailise disk surface or in the new version Disk menu -> Surface test -> Disk repairrr )
Anyway, command line disk surface test functions may be added in a later version, thanks for the tip !
- it does not influence drive performance. It runs in the background during inactive (idle) periods of the drive, so generic read/write operations are not delayed in any ways.
- performs complete scan of the disk surface (verifies all sectors) until an error detected
- it stops upon the first problem and results error. This information (last test time, duration, result) automatically saved and displayed on the Information page. The new 4.71.10 version can also automatically save all disk test results to specific folder, so in this case a complete report would be saved also
This is why this is the best method to be started periodically to confirm if the hard disk is running error-free and its status is perfect - and if it reports an error, other tests can be done to reveal all possible problems (Disk menu -> Surface test -> Read test) and fix them (Disk menu -> Surface test -> Reinitailise disk surface or in the new version Disk menu -> Surface test -> Disk repairrr )
Anyway, command line disk surface test functions may be added in a later version, thanks for the tip !