This article will show you how to find and fix errors on the hard drive of a computer running Windows or Mac OS X. You can do this with a non-working hard drive by connecting it to another computer and checking it with a special program, or with a working hard drive using into the system utilities. Keep in mind that only a specialist can fix a broken hard drive, and in many cases, broken hard drives cannot be repaired at all.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Diagnose a Broken Disk in Windows
Step 1. Connect the non-working hard drive to another computer
To do this, remove the drive from your computer, connect it to a USB adapter, and then connect the adapter to another Windows computer.
- Depending on the hard drive, you will need a SATA-USB or IDE-USB adapter. An IDE connector is a long connector that accepts a wide ribbon cable, while a SATA connector is a shorter one with a narrow cable.
- Modern hard drives are equipped with SATA connectors.
Step 2. Install HDDScan software
HDDScan is a free hard drive diagnostic software. To install it:
- go to the page
- click on the red "DOWNLOAD" button;
- open the downloaded zip file;
- extract the contents of the zip file; to do this, click Checkout> Checkout All> Checkout;
- double click on the "HDDScan" installation file;
- click "Yes" when prompted;
- click “Agree”;
- wait for the window of the installed program to open.
Step 3. Select your hard drive
Open the menu at the top of the window, and then click on the name of your hard drive from the menu.
- By default, HDDScan works with the computer's internal hard drive, so select the name of the connected (external) hard drive from the menu.
- If your hard disk is not in the menu, the program did not recognize it, because it is badly damaged. In this case, take the disc to a workshop.
Step 4. Click SMART
It's on the left side of the window.
Step 5. View the information about the hard drive
A long list of hard drive options will open; a colored circle appears to the left of each parameter, and the data associated with the parameter is displayed to the right.
- If the hard drive is not working and you are going to carry it to the workshop, print this list by clicking Print at the top of the window.
- The parameter with a red circle to the left is in poor condition. For example, if a red circle is displayed to the left of "Spin Up Time", the hard drive is taking too long to accelerate, which is most likely causing problems.
Step 6. Click on TESTS
It's a magnifying glass in the middle of the window.
Step 7. Click VERIFY
It's on the left side of the menu. A new window will open.
Step 8. Click on the arrow directed to the right
It's on the right side of the window. HDDScan will start scanning the selected disk for errors.
Step 9. Review the scan result
Once the scan is complete, select it at the bottom of the window and then click "Report" to see the number of errors. The more errors, the more damaged the hard drive.
The "READ" test reads data from the hard drive to identify bad sectors on the hard drive
Step 10. Take the hard drive to a workshop
If the hard disk has more than two significant errors, it needs repair, which can only be performed by a specialist.
Most likely, the workshop will recover the data from the hard drive, not the drive itself (that is, the disc can be thrown away)
Method 2 of 4: Diagnose a Broken Disk in Mac OS X
Step 1. Connect the non-working hard drive to another Mac
To do this, remove the drive from your computer, plug it into a USB adapter, and then plug the adapter into another Mac.
Most Mac hard drives have a SATA connector, so you'll need a SATA to USB or SATA to USB / C adapter
Step 2. Open the Go menu
It's at the top of the screen.
If this menu is not there, first click on the desktop or open Finder
Step 3. Click on Utilities
You will find this option in the Go menu. The Utilities folder will open.
Step 4. Launch Disk Utility
Double click on "Disk Utility" - it's a gray hard drive icon with a stethoscope.
Step 5. Select the connected hard drive
To do this, click on the name of your hard drive in the sidebar.
If your hard drive is not on the side panel, the program did not recognize it because it is badly damaged. In this case, take the disc to a workshop
Step 6. Click on First Aid
It's a tab at the top of the window.
Step 7. Click Run when prompted
It will appear at the top of the window.
Step 8. Click Continue when prompted
Disk Utility will begin scanning your hard drive, fixing minor errors, and looking for fatal errors.
Step 9. Review the scan results
When the scanning process is complete, a list of errors will be displayed, one of which may be the cause of the hard drive failure.
Most likely, a message will open stating that the hard drive will soon fail. If possible, back up your hard drive, because a damaged drive cannot be recovered
Step 10. Take the hard drive to a workshop
If the hard disk has more than two significant errors, it needs repair, which can only be performed by a specialist.
Most likely, the workshop will recover the data from the hard drive, not the drive itself (that is, the disc can be thrown away)
Method 3 of 4: Diagnose the scratch disk in Windows
Step 1. Open the Start Menu
Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen.
Step 2. Open an Explorer window
Click the folder-shaped icon at the bottom left of the Start menu.
Step 3. Click on This PC
It's a computer-shaped icon on the left side of the window, although you may have to scroll down the left sidebar to find it.
Step 4. Select your hard drive
In the "Devices and Drives" section in the middle of the window, click on the hard drive you want to check the status of.
- Typically, your computer's built-in hard drive is labeled "C:".
- If you don't have any drives, click on "Devices and Drives" to display them.
Step 5. Click Computer
It's a tab in the upper left corner of the window. The toolbar will open.
Step 6. Click Properties
You will find this icon as a white square with a red check mark on the left side of the Computer toolbar. A window with the properties of the selected hard disk will open.
Step 7. Click the Service tab
It's at the top of the Properties window.
Step 8. Click Check Now
You will find this button in the upper right side of the Tools tab.
Step 9. Click Start if prompted
The Check Disk utility will begin scanning your hard drive for errors.
If you see a message that Windows cannot check the drive you are using, click Start, then close all open windows and restart your computer. Windows will check the hard drive before booting the system
Step 10. Follow the instructions on the screen if minor errors were found
To do this, let the utility fix them.
Windows will fix most minor bugs without asking
Step 11. Restart your computer
Click Start
, click on "Power"
, and then click Restart.
Method 4 of 4: Diagnose the scratch disk in Mac OS X
Step 1. Restart your computer
Open the Apple menu
in the upper left corner of the screen, select Restart, and then click Restart Now when prompted.
Step 2. Press and hold ⌘ Command and R.
Do this when the computer screen goes blank; hold these keys until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Step 3. Launch Disk Utility
Click "Disk Utility" in the "Recovery" window, and then click "Continue" in the lower-right corner of the window.
Step 4. Select a hard drive
Click on its name (for example, "Macintosh HD") in the sidebar.
Step 5. Click on First Aid
It's a tab at the top of the window.
Step 6. Click Run when prompted
It will appear at the top of the window.
Step 7. Click Continue when prompted
Disk Utility will begin scanning your hard drive and fixing minor errors.
Step 8. Follow the instructions on the screen
Disk Utility will automatically fix most minor errors and report errors that cannot be resolved.
- In many cases, hard drive problems are related to overlapping files, one of which may be damaged. If Disk Utility finds such an error, it will display a list of files, one (or several) of which need to be deleted or renamed.
- If a message appears stating that the hard drive is about to fail, back it up, because the damaged drive cannot be recovered.
Step 9. Restart your computer
Open the Apple menu
, select Restart, and then click Restart Now when prompted.
- If Disk Utility has fixed the errors on the hard drive, it will return to normal operation.
- If Disk Utility provided a list of corrupted files, delete them so that the hard drive starts working normally.
Advice
If you have problems with your old drive, restore your data and buy a new drive. The performance of a hard disk will decrease over time (the more it works, the faster it will become unusable)
Warnings
- Be especially careful with laptop hard drives. While these drives are quite durable, they are thinner and smaller than desktop hard drives. If you bend such a disc, you will most likely not be able to install it in your laptop.
- Handle the hard disk with care. Do not drop it when you remove it from the computer.
- Format the disk only if you are absolutely sure that it works and does not have the data you need. Formatting will lead to the complete destruction of information on the disk.