The hard disk plays a key role in how your computer works, since it stores the operating system and all your important data. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last forever.
If your hard drive already shows signs of wear and holds important files, back it up now. If that is no longer possible, see Bot’s hard drive recovery.
How long a hard disk lasts depends on several things, such as how often and how it is used, the brand of the drive and how well it is looked after.
The good news is that hard disks show signs of wear over time, and some programs make it easier to spot those signs early.
In this post, find out what these signs are and discover some programs that help you check your hard disk’s health, so you can act before it reaches the end of its life.
How long does a hard disk last?
Like any electronic device, a hard disk has a limited lifespan.
In general, research shows that around 80% of hard disk drives are still running after four years. Only about half, however, make it past six years.
Exactly how long a hard disk lasts, though, depends on several factors.
The first is the type of drive:
- Hard disk (HDD): this type of drive has mechanical parts: magnetic platters, a motor and read/write heads. The heads fly just above the platters and must never touch them. If they do, for example after an impact or a sudden movement while the disk is running, areas of the disk can be damaged, performance can drop or the drive can fail completely. Used under normal conditions, without excessive heat or heavy use, a hard disk can last between 5 and 8 years.
- SSD (solid-state drive): it uses flash memory (non-magnetic and electrically erasable) and has no moving parts, so it is faster, more resistant to knocks and can last longer, often 10 years or more, depending on how much data is written to it.
Other factors that affect how long a disk lasts include how often it is used, the brand, the care it receives and the type of work it does.
How can I tell if my hard disk is failing?
As a disk approaches the end of its useful life, it starts showing certain signs.
If you know how to recognize them, you can move your files and documents to a safe place and replace the hard disk in time, avoiding the permanent loss of your data.
Here are some of the signs that may indicate problems with your hard disk:
Slowness and blue screen
If your files are taking a long time to open, your hard disk may be having problems.
If simple files take minutes to open, that may point to a hard disk failure.
Also watch out if your Recycle Bin takes a very long time to empty: this is another sign of hard disk problems.
Finally, Windows blue screens are another warning sign. They can mean that areas of the hard disk can no longer be read properly.
Files won’t open
If your music, documents or videos repeatedly fail to open, your hard disk may be having problems.
On its own this isn’t a very serious sign, but it is still important to take precautions and back up your data as soon as possible.
Corrupted files
Corrupted files can also point to a damaged hard disk. The cause may be system errors, improper use of the drive or simple wear over time.
It’s worth noting that, when a hard disk has this kind of fault, the corrupted files are not always of a single type or in the same folder.
Bad blocks
Bad blocks appear when the surface of a hard disk suffers some kind of physical damage, which can happen for a variety of reasons.
The main ones are improper use of the device and poor cooling.
The consequences range from the loss of important data to the failure of the whole drive.
Strange sounds
A computer shouldn’t make much noise while it’s running, apart from the sound of its fans. Clicking, grinding or scraping noises can be caused by failing read/write heads.
In these cases, the risk of the hard disk stopping altogether is much higher. If the disk still works, copy only your most important files to a safe place straight away; if the clicking or grinding continues, turn the computer off and contact a specialist, because keeping the disk running can damage the platters and make recovery impossible.
After that, replacing the hard disk is unavoidable, as repairing it would cost more than buying a new one.
Hard disk not recognized
This is the most worrying sign that your hard disk is in trouble and needs to be checked urgently.
If you’ve already ruled out the cable, the motherboard connection and the motherboard itself, you’ll need to turn to a hard disk recovery specialist to get your data back.
How to check your hard disk’s health
With the help of a few handy programs, you can scan your hard disk and spot signs that its days are numbered.
Here are some of them:
CrystalDiskInfo
This program reads your hard disk’s S.M.A.R.T. data and flags attributes that may point to serious problems.
Of course, it isn’t 100% accurate, but it can still be very useful.
One advantage is that CrystalDiskInfo has a portable version that doesn’t need to be installed.
HD Tune
This program can scan both hard disks and SSDs, letting you track the disk’s performance and detect errors (including damaged areas). It can also completely erase the drive, so be careful: that function destroys all the data on it.
Data Lifeguard Diagnostic
Developed for Windows by Western Digital, Data Lifeguard Diagnostic tests the drive, reports problems and suggests solutions for both internal and external disks, including some from other brands.
HDDScan
Whether the problem is on an internal drive, an external drive, an SSD or a USB flash drive, HDDScan can help.
It lets you track performance and diagnose almost any storage device, with a wide range of features for analyzing a drive’s health.
HDD Health
The last program on our list, HDD Health, also helps identify problems with hard disks and SSDs, offering a complete set of features for monitoring how your drives are working.
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Conclusion
Most hard disks last at least four years, and around half go beyond six, depending on how and how often they are used, as well as the brand.
Signs that it’s time to move your data to a safe place and replace your disk include slowness and blue screens, files that won’t open or are corrupted, bad blocks, strange noises and a hard disk that is no longer recognized.
To check your disk’s health and plan its replacement, you can use programs such as CrystalDiskInfo, HD Tune, Data Lifeguard Diagnostic, HDDScan and HDD Health.
Remember: the best way to keep your files and data safe if your disk fails, or when it reaches the end of its life, is to make regular backups.
Like any electronic device, a disk has a limited useful life, and when it reaches the end, it needs to be replaced. If your disk has failed and you need to recover the data, talk to us: we are specialists in disk data recovery.
