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Oct 05, 2023

Help out your computer: Learn how to monitor the hard drive and more

QUESTION: What should I be doing to monitor my hard drive? ANSWER: Of all the components that make up your computer, the hard drive should be considered the most important to maintain and monitor

QUESTION: What should I be doing to monitor my hard drive?

ANSWER: Of all the components that make up your computer, the hard drive should be considered the most important to maintain and monitor because it stores your valuable data.

Recognizing signs that it may be stalling can help you avoid a catastrophic event that could result in the loss of your critical data.

Depending upon the age and type of hard drive, the potential failures can be mechanical or electronic, so the first thing to do is pay attention!

One item that you should regularly monitor is the amount of free space on your drive. Your computer constantly uses empty hard drive space for temporary memory, so it’s not just about having enough space to save your data.

Windows users can follow these steps. Mac users can follow these steps.

As your drive approaches 80% to 85% capacity, purge programs and files (especially video files) or consider replacing them with a much larger hard drive.

Computers with older magnetic hard drives may start to generate strange noises, which indicates a major issue.

If you start hearing a strange noise coming from your computer, don’t ignore it! Mechanical components, such as your hard drive and power supply, wear out over time. If you hear a noise, quickly determine its origin; it is important.

If the noises seem to mirror the flashing of your hard drive's LED indicator, it’s most likely a failing drive.

If you’re unsure where the origin of the noise is, get help before it becomes a major problem.

Another indication of a faltering hard drive can be performance-based symptoms.

Windows users who start to see many Blue Screen errors should consider this a serious sign and start by having the hard drive evaluated.

Mac users who begin to see the "spinning beach ball" constantly should also take the time to have the hard drive tested.

Since both scenarios can be caused by a number of other things, testing the hard drive is always a good first step.

Most hard drives incorporate a monitoring technology titled S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology).

S.M.A.R.T. is one of the easiest ways to know if your drive is beginning to exhibit signs of an impending failure.

While the technology is designed to warn users automatically, you can manually check your drive by following the instructions.

If you’re interested in more extensive hard drive testing programs, a variety of companies offer utilities that you can install for ongoing monitoring and testing.

More from Ken Colburn:Using AI doesn't have to be difficult. These ChatGPT tips can simplify your lifestyle

The three rules of computing are backup, backup, backup! I’ve always contended that there are only two types of hard drives: those that have failed and those that will eventually fail.

There’s a common misconception that newer Solid State Drives, also known as SSDs, aren’t prone to failure because they don’t have moving parts.

SSDs can fail from several causes, so make sure you have a solid 3-2-1 backup system in place as your ultimate safety net.

Ken Colburn is founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services, datadoctors.com. Ask any tech question at facebook.com/DataDoctors or on Twitter @TheDataDoc.