Thread: Hard drive diagnostic software

Does anyone know of some generic hard drive diagnostic software? I'm looking for a free and simple-to-use ISO that I can burn and give someone.

I've got a few CDs from years ago, like Seagate Seatools, IBM/Hitachi drive fitness test, Maxtor Powermax etc. That's the soft of thing I'm after, but they all say they are manufacturer-specific.

Knoppix etc would probably be too complicated - it won't be me using it.

Do you know anything like those that wouldn't care who manufactured the hard drive? Or should I just suck it up and write idiot-proof instructions for them to find me their drive manufacturer?

Thanks!

Spinrite has saved a few disks in the past.

Originally Posted by CrystalVPS

You could use something to look at the SMART data on the drive?

That sounds like the sort of thing I'm after. I'm basically looking for something to do a good scan of the drive and tell me if there are any errors. It's for a friend of a friend, one of those "hey, I know someone who can help you with your broken laptop" situations that I'm guessing most people here will known only too well.

I want to give them a CD they can stick in, run, come back to me and say "It says there are errors", and I can tell them to go get a new computer