Samsung Test

[LunarMist]

There is a bootable CD ESTool on Samsung's website, but it looks like a 20+ year old DOS app. Waiting 5 hours for each test is very annoying when there is a small pile of HD204UI drives to check. :tdown: Is there a better way to thoroughly test the drives in Windows? Thanks.

 

[Buck]

I'm not sure about the tool you are mentioning, but the DOS tool I've used from Samsung is much better than any other HDD manufacturer's tools I've used. It takes longer, but does a much more thorough test.

 

[Stereodude]

Depends on how you want to test them. You could IOmeter the crap out of them then do the quick test and a full format.

 

[LunarMist]

I'm not sure about the tool you are mentioning, but the DOS tool I've used from Samsung is much better than any other HDD manufacturer's tools I've used. It takes longer, but does a much more thorough test.

It is ESTool 3.00.

 

[Stereodude]

Version 3.01 exists too. link

 

[time]

You can launch an 'extended' self test from a variety of 3rd party utilities such as HDDScan and SpeedFan. That ought to be the fastest way to verify the media, but arithmetic says it will still take several hours to traverse a 2TB drive.

The self-test may be all the Samsung utility does as well.

 

[LunarMist]

It is doing the low level format. 160 min. and only at 45% complete.

 

[paugie]

It is doing the low level format. 160 min. and only at 45% complete.

That is par for the course. My Samsung 160Gb SATA went through a low level format. took 2 hours.

 

[Mercutio]

Spinrite will also take hours. Those sorts of tests are the only ones I'd trust.

 

[LunarMist]

Spinrite has not been updated in years from what I see on the website. Does it function correctly with advancing format drives or drives over 3TB?

 

[MaxBurn]

I wish he would I rather liked spinrite.

 

[LunarMist]

I tested the wrong drive. What a waste of time and power.