Type cmd or command into the taskbar search field and click Command Prompt to open the Command Prompt. Here’s how to check your hard drive health on Windows by doing an HDD test or S.M.A.R.T. How to check if your hard drive is failing on Windows If you have a modern version of Windows, a S.M.A.R.T. HDD test warns you of imminent failure so you can prevent data loss and replace the hard disk drive in time. And to ensure optimal performance, learn how to format your hard drive and start from scratch.Ī S.M.A.R.T. HDD test on your drive regularly to keep tabs on it. test for short - can stop minor hard drive issues from snowballing into major problems.

hard drive test comes with most modern hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), and eMMC drives (embedded MultiMediaCard drives).Ī hard drive S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) hard drive test monitors different aspects of your hard drive, analyzing the threat of hard drive failure and reporting the results. Testing your hard drive: What is a S.M.A.R.T. So if your system is signaling a bad hard drive, get it checked out right away by doing a S.M.A.R.T. It may be hard to tell if signs of a failing hard drive appear because of normal wear and tear - but if you wait, it might be too late. If your problems persist, your hard drive failure symptoms might be signaling real trouble. Or, check out our comprehensive guide to speeding up and cleaning up your PC to do a full inventory of what might be causing poor performance.ĭisk fragmentation happens on hard disk drives too, so if you have an HDD try running a defrag tool, which will help with junkware removal (it’s like cleaning your hard drive’s closet). Learn how to fix 100% disk usage in Windows to see if your symptoms clear up. Sluggishness, buggy apps, and other erratic behavior from your computer may not indicate your hard drive is failing.

Here are the most common hard drive failure signs: Make sure you test your hard drive to locate the source of any problem. Failing hard drive signs can be merely annoying at first, but if left unaddressed they can quickly destroy your Windows or Mac computer. Just as when you’re sick, symptoms of hard drive failure can seem small before becoming a full-blown problem.

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