How To Test Your SSD Or HDD For Potential Problems
Unless you keep all 512GB of your local files backed up to the cloud, having your computer drive crash on you is one of the worst nightmares there is. Just imagine being unable to access your precious photos from way back in high school, or the urgent documents you need to submit to your client by the end of the day.
Once your SSD or HDD fails, you’ll notice several other issues with your computer, too. One of thekey warning signs of a failing SSDor HDD is difficulty booting up. You may need to power it on multiple times before it loads the OS properly. If you encounter problems with your PC or laptop, such as random freezing when running certain programs or opening specific files, it may also indicate that your drive is nearing the end of its lifespan.
No matter how well-maintained your drive is, it will eventually degrade after several years. Before that happens, though, it’s a good idea to test your SSD or HDD for potential problems. This way, you’re prepared for any unwanted incidents.
See if your Windows disk has any potential problems
To test the SSD or HDD on your Windows computer for potential problems, you can use multiple native tools. One of the most flexible ones is chkdsk. It’s a command-line utility designed to diagnose and fix any physical or logical issues with the storage drive. You can use chkdsk for several things, such as get the status of your disk, fix errors, look for bad sectors, or run an offline scan, among many other things. Follow these steps to test your drive with chkdsk:
You can check chkdsk’s other available commands by running:
Make sure to read the command’s description properly before using it — some are only applicable to certain types of disks. If you’re not a fan of command-line utilities, you may also go withfree Windows appslike CrystalDiskInfo on the Microsoft Store. It can show you the drive’s health status and temperature, along with other relevant information.
Test your Mac computer’s storage drive for errors
macOS features a built-in app called Disk Utility that helps you run a health check on your computer to check if your storage drive is about to crash. Here’s how to use it:
If Disk Utility determines that your drive is beyond repair, it’s best to take it to a service center for replacement.
