| == 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 because it had problems. This is common on older and heavily used drives.''' |
| * The tests in this guide are not 100% accurate. Intermittent issues may not be detected. |
| == A word on drive repair/remapping == |
| * '''Hard drives with SMART errors should NOT be remapped. These drives should be replaced.''' |
| * '''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 repair tools that remap the drive, these tools do not work on drives with a lot of bad sectors.''' |
| * '''Before attempting a sector remap it is a good idea to do a backup first.''' |
|
| If you are testing a hard drive you use that you suspect is failing or evaluating a used drive for reuse, this guide will show you how to test the drive and determine if it has any SMART errors. |
|
| Many common drive problems include: |
| * Heavy use (Likely to cause wear and tear failure) |
| * High reallocated sector cont |
| * Sectors pending reallocation |
| * Hidden drive problems |
|