Dell Desktop HDD mystery

[komatsu]

I was dealing with a Dell desktop recently (Win10)

HDD was performing like s*hit. Tested using HD Tune.

However, it passed the Short and Long diagnostic tests. Happy days.

But, as a test, I got a brand new Toshiba 7200rpm 1TB and cloned the old drive onto it.
But that too, while a little better, was performing poorly according to HD Tune. No signs of overheating.

What do you think the issue was here?

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

So you cloned the drive and ran HD tune from the cloned OS? My thought would be the OS had issues.

 

[komatsu]

But HD Tune is designed to measure hard drive performance is'nt it?

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Yes, that is one of it's functions. However it is much more accurate if you slave the hard drive you want to test to another machine and run HD Tune from that machine so that it's not running from the HDD you're trying to test. I suspect file system issues on the drives you are testing are causing performance issues.

 

[komatsu]

ok thanks SKM!

 

[NviGate Systems]

Also, although rare, you can also experience controller issues where the drives will have to retry communication. I've seen lots of drives that came out of failed laptops where they had like 6,000+ data communications errors.

Always have a test rig that you know and trust so if in doubt, test a drive there.

 

[HFultzjr]

I always check drives in a know good working "workstation".
Quick way to rule out the drive if it's something else going on.

 

[FremontPC]

Is Intel RST or it's ilk installed?

 

[komatsu]

No, I don't think so.

Would that make a difference?

 

[FremontPC]

It can have some pretty weird effects sometimes. I just go with the MS driver if possible.