Diagnosing the lifespan of a hard disk, how to use Cristal Disk Info

This time, we will explain how to diagnose the lifespan of a hard disk and how to use Crystal Disk Info.

If you are experiencing trouble with your hard disk or SSD, or if you are worried that your hard disk is about to have trouble because you have seen signs of it, please use this as a reference.

It also explains how to determine whether a hard disk is failing or near the end of its life based on symptoms, and how to read the items in Crystal Disk Info.

How to diagnose hard disk lifespan

Hard disks have a limited lifespan. In terms of years, the average lifespan is 3 to 4 years, but the lifespan varies depending on which hard disk you use and how you use it. Since the friction between the head and track of a hard disk increases when it is started, the lifespan of the hard disk may vary depending on the number of times it is started.

• Data corruption frequency clearly increases
• My computer runs slowly
• Noticeably more freezes and command errors
• Abnormal sounds, smells, or heat occur

If you notice any visible abnormalities with your computer, the hard disk may be at the end of its lifespan or malfunction.

If this kind of abnormality starts to occur, first check the health status of the hard disk using software.

Data corruption frequency clearly increases

If your hard disk is malfunctioning and the frequency of data corruption is clearly increasing, the hard disk may be nearing the end of its lifespan.

If files are becoming more frequently corrupted or the contents cannot be read, it can be a sign of hard disk failure.

In addition, there are cases where the characters are garbled when you look at the contents.

My computer runs slowly

If your hard disk is malfunctioning and your computer becomes increasingly slow, the hard disk may be nearing the end of its lifespan.

If it takes a long time to load files or data, it may be a sign of failure. In such cases, we recommend that you first back up your important data before it becomes unreadable.

Noticeably more freezes and command errors

If the hard disk is malfunctioning and the number of freezes and command errors has increased significantly, the hard disk may be nearing the end of its lifespan.

If the HDD suddenly freezes, the OS may no longer be able to recognize the HDD, which is a dangerous situation.

Abnormal sounds, smells, or heat occur

If your hard disk malfunctions and you experience abnormal sounds, smells, or heat, it may be nearing the end of its lifespan.

The hard disk may burn due to heat, causing an abnormal odor.

In such a case, it is dangerous, so be sure to turn off the power immediately.

Also, if you hear scratching or unusual noises, there is a possibility of a malfunction.

In this case as well, it would be better to turn off the power before the damage gets worse.

If you notice any abnormal sounds or smells as mentioned above, it clearly indicates physical damage, so it is best to replace the hard disk without checking the health status of the hard disk using software. Seems wise.

How to use and read hard disk diagnostic software Crystal Disk Info

If you want to check the health status of your hard disk, you can use the diagnostic software Crystal Disk Info.

In the first place, hard disks and SSDs have a self-diagnosis function called SMART.

This self-diagnosis function stores various numerical values, and by viewing them, you can check for abnormalities in the hard disk or SSD.

For example, it records errors that have occurred, temperature, usage time, and the status of bad sectors, so it is an important function for knowing the health status of the hard disk.

However, this SMART information cannot be read using standard Windows functions. The reason seems to be that the specifications of this self-diagnosis function differ depending on the manufacturer.

Therefore, if you want to obtain SMART information, you will need separate software.

Crystal Disk Info is software that allows you to check SMART information in a list.

This Crystal Disk Info can be used not only for SATA/PATA internal HDDs, but also for eSATA and USB-connected external HDDs.

It also shows the health status of your hard disk in three stages: ``Normal,'' ``Caution,'' and ``Abnormal.''

This article explains how to use Crystal Disk Info.

• Download and install Crystal Disk Info
• How to read Crystal Disk Info
• How to use Crystal Disk Info without installing it

Download and install Crystal Disk Info

Crystal Disk Info can be obtained from the following site.

CrystalDiskInfo – Crystal Dew World [en]

In addition to the regular version, Crystal Disk Info also has "Shizuku Edition" and "Kurei Kei Edition". "Shizuku Edition" and "Kurei Kei Edition" are versions with supporting voices by voice actors, so you can choose the one you like.

There are also 32-bit and 64-bit versions, so please choose the one that suits your PC.

The method to check the bit is as follows.

[How to check whether your PC is 32bit or 64bit]

1. Press Windows key + E to start Explorer
2. Right-click “This PC” and select “Properties”
3. Check the operating system number in the "System type" item.

Once the download is complete, launch the installer and follow the instructions to install.

If it is a zip version, unzip the data to any location.

How to read Crystal Disk Info

When you start Crystal Disk Info, the hard disk's SMART information will be displayed in a list.

(The items displayed differ depending on the manufacturer of the hard disk.)

You can switch between hard disks and SSDs for which you want to view information using the tabs located at the top.

In addition, in the "Health Status" section, the health status of the hard disk is evaluated in three stages: "Normal", "Caution", and "Abnormal" + "Unknown".

If it is "normal", there is no problem, but depending on the standard setting of the health condition, "warning" may be displayed if there is even one bad sector.

If you find this difficult to use, you can change the settings yourself.

[How to change the standard settings for health status]

1. Select "Function" from the Crystal Disk Info menu bar
2. Select "Advanced features"
3. Select "Health status settings"
4. Enter the value and select "Apply"

How to read temperature in Crystal Disk Info

Crystal Disk Info also allows you to check the temperature of your hard disk.

Temperature is displayed below health status.

The normal temperature range for a hard disk is said to be between 25 degrees and 45 degrees, so if the temperature is too high, try taking measures such as cleaning your PC.

How to read SMART information items in Crystal Disk Info

SMART information is displayed in a list at the bottom of Crystal Disk Info.

The mark on the left side of the item changes from "blue" to "yellow" to "red" depending on the value.

Items vary, but include the following:

• Number of sectors that have been replaced

The number of sectors that have been replaced indicates the number of sectors that were allocated in place of bad sectors.

A bad sector is a sector (unit of data storage) that cannot be read normally when reading or writing data. These bad sectors basically occur due to the deterioration of the magnetic material on the surface of the hard disk.

• Number of sectors pending replacement processing

The number of sectors pending replacement processing is an item that indicates how many bad sectors there are for which replacement processing is pending.

• Number of unrecoverable sectors

The number of unrecoverable sectors represents the number of uncorrectable errors that occur when reading sectors on your hard drive.

If the number of unrecoverable sectors is large, the hard disk may malfunction or fail. If the number increases rapidly, you should be careful and consider replacing the hard disk if necessary.

• Read error rate

Read error rate displays the number of errors that occur when reading data from the hard disk. This is the number of errors, so the higher the number, the more likely an error has occurred on the hard disk.

• Seek error rate

The seek error rate shows how much the hard disk's magnetic head is worn out. A high value indicates that there are many failures in magnetic head movement. If the seek error rate value is large, there is a high possibility that the hard disk is physically worn out, so be careful.

• Number of power ons

As the name suggests, it represents the number of times the hard disk was powered on.

It seems that the lifespan of a hard disk is affected by the number of times it is turned on more than the drive time, so it is a good idea to check this.

How to use Crystal Disk Info without installing it

Crystal Disk Info allows you to use the portable version without installing it on your computer by putting it on a USB.

Crystal Disk Info has an installer and a zip version, but you can carry it by getting the zip version and putting it in a USB etc.

Unzip the zip version of Crystal Disk Info and put the extracted file on the USB.

After that, insert the USB containing the Crystal Disk Info data into the computer where you want to use Crystal Disk Info, and start the software.

With this USB, you can use Crystal Disk Info not only on one computer but also on other computers, which is convenient.

How to read Crystal Disk Info on SSD and check remaining lifespan

This article explains how to read Crystal Disk Info when using an SSD.

• How to read Crystal Disk Info when using SSD
• How to check the lifespan of an SSD with Crystal Disk Info

How to read Crystal Disk Info when using SSD

Even if you are using an SSD, the way you view Crystal Disk Info does not change much.

Check the health status of the SSD by looking at the list of items and the health status section.

Also, as detailed below, you can check the remaining lifespan of some SSDs.

How to check the lifespan of an SSD with Crystal Disk Info

Crystal Disk Info allows you to check the remaining lifespan of your SSD.

Regarding this remaining lifespan, some SSDs do not have an item.

According to the standard settings, if the value falls below 10%, "Caution" will be displayed in the health status section.

Also, the remaining lifespan of this SSD is just a reference value.

Diagnosis of hard disk lifespan, summary of how to use Crystal Disk Info

This time, we explained how to diagnose the lifespan of a hard disk and how to use Crystal Disk Info.

Crystal Disk Info allows you to check the health status of your hard disk or SSD.

This software has an installation version and a portable version (zip).The portable version is convenient because it can be stored on a USB memory and carried around, and there is no need to install it on each computer.

You can also change the warning standard values, etc., so please try using it according to your purpose.

Some SSDs allow you to check the remaining lifespan, so it's a good idea to check that as well.

If you are using a hard disk, you may be able to extend its lifespan by being careful about the number of startups and forced termination.

Also, if you are in a warning state and there are other abnormalities, you should suspect that the hard disk or SSD is malfunctioning and take measures such as replacing it as soon as possible.