Hard drive (free) diagnostic software?

[AGW]

If a hard drive fails in the forest when there is no-one to hear it...does it make a sound?

Why did it start making a noise?
What was the noise?
Why one drive and not the other (if they are identical)?
Has the source of the noise "stopped" just because you cant hear it?

Graeme

[BigWill]

"Please do not worry; currently your system is working fine with no issue".....................I just don't think they're getting it Paul I really don't and frankly I doubt that they ever will! It's like wading through treacle trying to explain an issue to them and get a rational answer..................ask Myk (TFC). Best to just do regular backups and wait and see if the thing goes tits up or not and if it does then try to get them to understand what a hardware failure is..................though god knows that won't be easy either!

BigWill

[Paul_R]

If a hard drive fails in the forest when there is no-one to hear it...does it make a sound?

Why did it start making a noise?
What was the noise?
Why one drive and not the other (if they are identical)?
Has the source of the noise "stopped" just because you cant hear it?

Graeme

Exactly (I think ) This is what I don't understand. The noise has stopped but only because, I presume, the 'acoustic' setting was changed to 'silent'. To me, all this has done is silenced the clicking noise and not removed/cured the cause etc. I think the points you have mentioned above may be what I should ask the Dell technician. Mind you, he seems to think there is nothing to worry about!

[Paul_R]

"Please do not worry; currently your system is working fine with no issue".....................I just don't think they're getting it Paul I really don't and frankly I doubt that they ever will! It's like wading through treacle trying to explain an issue to them and get a rational answer..................ask Myk (TFC). Best to just do regular backups and wait and see if the thing goes tits up or not and if it does then try to get them to understand what a hardware failure is..................though god knows that won't be easy either!

BigWill

Tell me about it, BigWill

[AGW]

Whats that ticking noise?....Dont worry I've just turned the bomb timer to silent mode.....

Graeme

[Paul_R]

Whats that ticking noise?....Dont worry I've just turned the bomb timer to silent mode.....

Graeme

that's ok then and as long as the nearby buildings are insured!

[Norman]

Just back from holiday so have only just seen this.

A drive that is faulty and making a noise will not have a software option to 'silence' it. It is a mechanical noise after all. If 'switching off' the acoustic setting has silenced the drive it seems to me that the noise is not being mechanically generated and is, therefore, not a fault. Just my opinion of course.

[Paul_R]

Just back from holiday so have only just seen this.

A drive that is faulty and making a noise will not have a software option to 'silence' it. It is a mechanical noise after all. If 'switching off' the acoustic setting has silenced the drive it seems to me that the noise is not being mechanically generated and is, therefore, not a fault. Just my opinion of course.

Thanks for the info, Norman. Much appreciated. I haven't yet replied to Dell's last email but, having read the above, it may seem that the problem isn't actually with the HD itself. What you say makes sense and maybe that is what the Dell technician is trying to explain. Hmm, but should I now be worried about where/what the actual noise is coming from!