Disk Test Feature Suggestions

[Muad'Dib]

I've been running some disk tests recently and have noticed (at least) one minor bug and (at least) three missing features (I'll add more as I think of them).

"BUG":
1) During (or at the end of) a disk test, when you click on the floppy disc icon to save the test image to a JPG file, the file name is the same whether you have the Disk surface map or the Temperature and transfer speed tab in the foreground. The default file name should be different for each tab, since the image that gets saved is different depending on the tab showing. I noticed this because I wanted to save both tabs of info, and when I tried to save the 2nd tab, I was told the filename already existed. Not a big deal, but it would be nice to have the filenames automatically different. Alternatively, the info from both tabs could be saved in one file regardless of which tab was visible.

FEATURE REQUESTS:
2) Allow a pause during a disk test, so that I can continue the test where it left off - this is especially (but not only) needed on slow drive connections. I'm currently running a surface test on a drive connected via USB2.0, and the total time to complete the test is over 15 hours. I'd like to be able to pause the test if I need to do something else that I don't want to be slowed down by the disc test (i.e. copying a large file to another drive). Ideally, it would be nice to completely stop the test, quit the program, mabe even reboot, and then restart the test where I last stopped it. But I'd be happy with a pause option for now.

3) Have the taskbar indicate the percentage of the test that is completed, so that I don't have to open the test window. Many programs that do disk activity (for example, my backup programs and browser downloads) show the percentage complete in the taskbar. This would be a very useful feature.

4) Change "Est." to read "Estimated Total Time" or something similar. I keep wondering if that "Est." is the amount of time Remaining (instead of Total). Many of my other programs (and Windows itself) typically show the Remaining time to complete a task, so labeling this time more clearly would help.

I hope these make sense, thanks for considering them!

EDIT: I just noticed that HDS has been upgraded to 4.20 (I'm running 4.10, I'm subscribed to the Announcements thread, I don't know why I didn't get an email about the upgrade), so if any of the above have been addressed in 4.20, then just let me know.

M`D

[hdsentinel]

Thanks for your message and information !

1) Yes, currently the default file name is same when you save the test results. This will be changed to make saving the results easier (without manually changing the name of the resulting images). Sorry for the annoyance!

2) Of course you can "pause" the test:
Just click on any of the disk surface map (to view the contents of the sector). While that window opened, the test is paused.
The same happens if you click on the "Stop test" button as it asks for confirmation and during that time, the test is paused.

Also of course you can stop the test and then start when it stopped:

As you may see, if you select Disk -> Surface test in Hard Disk Sentinel, there is a "Configuration" panel you can use before starting the test.
There you may specify start/stop block numbers. So if start the test and need to stop it, you can then configure to start the test on the specific block next time (just may need write down the last block number tested - or save the image of the surface map when you stop the test for this information)

3) Of course this is already available (since 3.50 if I remember correctly).
During the surface test, the task bar indicates the progress of the test and after the test completes, the task bar remains green of things are correct or turns to red upon there was error(s) during the test.


Two tests running, showing the progress


Two tests completed successfully and one test completed with errors.

4) Thanks and sorry for the confusion - it may be changed !

I wonder why the e-mail did not arrive ... it may be lost somehow.

[Muad'Dib]

Good to know I can pause the test (and also start it at a specified location - I knew that, but had forgotten it).

As far as the progress indicator (item #3), I don't see the taskbar tab change at all. The icon is on the left, followed by the words "Surface Test" and the entire tab stays a solid color (silver in my case). Is this possibly due to a limitation of Windows XP (or my appearance settings?).

I was thinking about more of a percentage # displaying on the task bar (35%, 72%, etc.). That way you could quickly glance there and see how far the test has progressed. But (if it worked for me), the changing color gradient would be acceptable.

[hdsentinel]

Thanks for your message! I can confirm that this progress indicator does not work in XP - as XP has no such feature, it is available in later OSes (Win7, Win8).
However, I agree that it may be a good idea to show (in text format) the percent completed on the task bar - so it may be added to a later version.
Thanks for the tip !!