Hard Drive Diagnostics

Testing for a failed hard drive

Most supported computers have built in hardware diagnostics that can be run if the Operating System does not boot properly.

Many models of laptop and desktop will have either a boot option or a BIOS option available to test the hard drive.You can visit the Hardware Diagnostics Overview page for links to the various vendor hardware diagnostics. 

If you receive an error code with one of these tests, it is likely the hard drive has failed or is failing and should be brought in for service or sent for a professional data recovery.

If the drive has failed...

If the hard drive has failed, make sure the client is contacted before ordering any replacement parts.

We are required to return the failed drive to the manufacturer within 7 days once we receive the warranty replacement.

Some manufacturers sell a Keep Your Hard Drive warranty, which allows for a warranty replacement of the drive without requiring a return of the failed drive. In these cases, after checking to verify the warranty, the replacement can be ordered right away.

The client may opt to ship the drive off the Drive Savers or another Data Recovery Center and this would void the warranty on the drive. Please see the Profession Disk and Data Recovery page for more information.

Return to Hardware Diagnostics Overview