How to tell if HDD is going bad and which HDD is fastest for sub 1tb 7200rpm?

[Carlin]

I've been having some problems with my computer lately, files corrupting, suspect its the HDD. How do I tell if its going bad or not?

Also, whats the fastest HDD under 1tb that spins at 7200rpm, I remember a while back when I looked into this subject, it was the WD 640gb AAKS, but hopefully there has been some advancement since I've built my computer.

Thanks

[DougLite]

Fastest drive under 1TB is either the 750GB Samsung SpinPoint F1 or the 750GB WD Caviar Black. 500GB platters is the current advancement under way, but noone is yet shipping them in 7200RPM drives. WD and Samsung have them in 5400RPM drives, and Seagate has 5900RPM units. If I had to bet on someone breaking the current 334GB platter at 7200RPM impasse, it would be Hitachi. It's been a while since a new Kurofune drive has been released.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=761272&highlight=Corruption+101

Corruption can be caused by bad memory, bad cables, errant overclocking, and a variety of other causes.

[mikeblas]

The Caviar Black is faster (http://www.storagereview.com/php/benchmark/suite_v4.php?typeID=10&testbedID=4&osID=6&raidconfigID=1&numDrives=1&devID_0=368&devID_1=361&devCnt=2).

[InvisiBill]

Don't the 750GB drives use 3x250GB, while the 640GB uses 2x320GB? I thought the 640's were slightly faster due to this...

There is a new version of the WD 640GB, the WD6401AALS. It's slightly faster than the 6400AAKS for a few bucks more.

[Putz]

I have a pair of wd blacks in my nas, i love them

if i didn't have velociraptors in my pc id use blacks myself, ssd it still too pricey for the space given.

[DougLite]

Don't the 750GB drives use 3x250GB, while the 640GB uses 2x320GB? I thought the 640's were slightly faster due to this...

There is a new version of the WD 640GB, the WD6401AALS. It's slightly faster than the 6400AAKS for a few bucks more.Incorrect. The 750GB Caviar Black is a 3 platter / 5 head drive using the 334GB platters. A 250GB / platter drive would be 3 platter / 6 head.

[faugusztin]

Incorrect. The 750GB Caviar Black is a 3 platter / 5 head drive using the 334GB platters. A 250GB / platter drive would be 3 platter / 6 head.

I have yet to see such WD7501AALS. All 750GB drives known to me have 3x250GB.

[Kardonxt]

all HD manufatures make a bootable diagnostics software. Seatools, WD diagnostics, Hitachi drive fitness test etc.
Just download the one you need and run it. It will tell you if your hd is on the way out.

[Carlin]

I ran a test in seatools, it f'ed everything up. Looks like I gotta order a new one. So general consensus is the 750gb or the 640gb caviar black is the fastest?

[faugusztin]

From Western Digital it is a 640GB model, WD6401AALS. Of course in case you don't want to buy the 1TB model, WD1001FALS (which is in reality 930MB, but you know that :) ).

[Kardonxt]

also keep in mind there is agood chance your seagate is still under warranty if it is less than 5 years old.

[crazyassazian]

From Western Digital it is a 640GB model, WD6401AALS. Of course in case you don't want to buy the 1TB model, WD1001FALS (which is in reality 930GB, but you know that :) ).

I know what you mean;)

[DougLite]

I have yet to see such WD7501AALS. All 750GB drives known to me have 3x250GB.According to this PDF (http://www.wdc.com/en/library/sata/2879-701276.pdf), the 500GB & 640GB Caviar Blacks are zoned differently from the 750GB and 1TB Caviar Blacks, but it's not a gap of a whole generation of platter density - the variance is about 6%. The 500 and 640 are quoted with 113MB/sec max buffer to disk, while the 750 and 1TB are quoted at 106MB/sec. The difference is much larger on Hitachi 7K1000B drives, which they do disclose use 250GB platters in their 250GB and 750GB drives from that series. Hitachi quotes 1406 Mbps for their 334GB platter drives but only 1204 Mbps for their 250GB platter drives. That's a variance of roughly 16%, which is indicative of a generational gap.

[Carlin]

also keep in mind there is agood chance your seagate is still under warranty if it is less than 5 years old.

My old HDD died, i sent it in and got a 90 day refurb. FML