Testing drives

[BlazeStar]

Hi guys,

I have 4 X 4 TB SATA drives that I want to test.

I'd like to run a SMART long tests on them.

I'm wondering if there's a way to do that without having to open up my FreeNAS box and plugging the drives in SATA.

I have drive enclosures that would allow me to connect the drives with USB.

I don't think I can run SMART test though USB, am I right?

Could I run tests from a Windows or OS X machine with the USB enclosure?
Is that reliable as much as the SMART test ?

Or I could use a machine that's sitting around, install the drives and install FreeNAS or FreeBSD for the sole purpose of testing the drives but I feel this is complicated just for testing drives.

So, my question, basically : what's the most efficient, yet reliable, way to test HDD ?


Thanks !

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

I don't think I can run SMART test though USB, am I right?

Right, for all practical purposes.

what's the most efficient, yet reliable, way to test HDD ?

I use eSATA docks attached to a Vostro 420 Ubuntu box for all kinds of drive testing, data recovery etc.

 

[Mirfster]

Or I could use a machine that's sitting around, install the drives and install FreeNAS or FreeBSD for the sole purpose of testing the drives but I feel this is complicated just for testing drives.

Actually, this is what I have been doing. I have a "Dev/Test" system that is exactly the same as my other boxes. This allows me not only to test HDDs, but RAM and other components as well. In a worst case scenario, I could grab parts from this box if needed. While it may not be the most economical route for everyone, it seems to fit me well.