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Introduction
== Guide notes ==
* '''Parted Magic is a paid utility. This can be redistributed for free legally per the GPL, but I will not help you locate these copies.'''
* '''The hard drive used in this guide was selected for this guide because it had problems. These problems are common on old, heavily used and abused hard drives.'''
* '''Every hard drive will have unique problems. Judge the drive you are evaluating based on the SMART data.'''
* '''Hard drives with SMART errors should be replaced. These drives are often too far gone and will never be reliable.'''
* '''While the major drive manufacturers ([https://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx?p=2|WD], [https://www.hgst.com/support/hard-drive-support/downloads|HGST] and [https://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/seatools/|Seagate]) offer diagnostic tools that remap the data to reserved sectorsdrive, this will only repair drives with minor problems. It is also a band-aid fixgood idea to do a backup before and after repairing the drive.'''
* The tests and inspection points in this guide are not 100% accurate. Intermittent issues may not be detected.
If you are unsure if your hard drive is failing or evaluating a used drive for reuse, this guide will show you what SMART data where most drive failures occur. Along with checking this data, the drive should also be tested. This information can be used to detect bad drives early on or prevent a sudden drive failure. This is especially important on used drives with no prior history.
Many common drive problems include:
* Heavy use (Likely to cause wear and tear failure)
* High reallocated sector cont
* Sectors pending reallocation
* Hidden drive problems
=== Why is it important to check this data before using a used hard drive? ===
Since most drive failures are sudden or provide very little warning, the SMART data can provide a clue the drive may be failing so it can be remapped or replaced.
In most cases, hard drive failures happen on drives that are known to fail (Ex: 7200.11/7.01 and post 7200.11 Seagate). While these are in the majority, good manufacturers are also known to release low grade drives that do not last as long (Ex: WD Blue/Green).