Free SSD diagnostic and test software?

Baldbloke · 8 Nov 2022 at 22:13

Hi,
Got myself a used 4TB SSD. Crucial MX500.
I've cloned my original 2TB mx500 to it. The 4TB seems to run ok.
I chose to do some tests on the 4TB anyway.

S.M.A.R.T deems it clean. As does CHKDSK. No problems found.
Crystal disc shows healthy read/write rates. 550mb/s or some such. Can't remember exact figures.

I ran a Userbenchmark test to check it. Userbenchmark says it is running at somewhere down in the 8th percentile vs similar hardware. I am aware Userbenchmark doesn't have a fantastic reputation but 8th percentile? Really? 8%? Best do some more checking, I says to myself.

So I then used Crucial storage exec. Storage exec checks my 2TB ssd ok In every way but the 4TB just will not complete the tests. Any test is deemed unsuccesful as soon as I attempt starting it stating in Storage exec " the test was aborted by the drive".
Googling suggests the Crucial Storage Exec app is flawed. (But why would it play ball with the 2tb and not the 4tb drive?) One suggestion I found online helped suggesting If I make the 4TB drive busy by checking the integrity of program files then whilst it is doing the integrity tests, the Storage Exec does its thing. It does. But I can't keep integrity checking going long enough to complete a thorough, in depth, disc test.

I reckon, (hoping really) possibly the 4TB drive is healthy. Perfectly fine. I'm probably just having a bit of bad luck with poorly performing ssd checking utiities.

Question is, are there any free, fully functional ssd health check apps out there?

I've only just installed the drive and have a 24 month warranty on it . So no worries if I do find an issue. Just don't want to return the drive because I may have misdiagnosed it and find it is actually fine.

Many thanks.

Edit: spotted spelling errors. I hate that once I've spotted them after postnig. Do'h!

mickyflinn · 9 Nov 2022 at 11:49

15 Best Free Tools to Check SSD Health in 2024

Installing a new SSD can do wonders for your computer. It can breathe new life into it and make it faster. Windows doesn't provide users with any built-in

techviral.net

ODuffer · 9 Nov 2022 at 12:04

'Perhaps check the firmware (there is some other crucial 'optimisation' software here as well as well).

Baldbloke · 9 Nov 2022 at 13:18

mickyflinn said:
15 Best Free Tools to Check SSD Health in 2024

Installing a new SSD can do wonders for your computer. It can breathe new life into it and make it faster. Windows doesn't provide users with any built-in

techviral.net

Thank you mickeyflinn. I gave a few of those in that link a shot yesterday. Many of those utilities are restricted versions. Need to buy them to get full function. I wouldn't mind paying a couple of quid but tbh, 15 quid or thereabouts to run a full test seems a bit much. Edit: Yikes! one of them was wanting $110. I'm a miserly old fart.There are a few I've not tried tbf. I'll give them a go.

ODuffer said:
'Perhaps check the firmware (there is some other crucial 'optimisation' software here as well as well).

Thanks ODuffer, This is a link to Crucial Storage exec. Tried it previously. Either Storage exec is flawed or my drive is. I suspect Storage exec is the issue. (poor show from Crucial if that is the case). Dunno though. That's the reason I'm trying to find an alternative.

Tetras · 9 Nov 2022 at 18:34

One thing to check in the smart data is if the drive is reporting ECC-uncorrectable errors, bad blocks (only if they're post-manufacture) or using reserved blocks, they can also be reported with event viewer. If the drive isn't randomly freezing, not getting corrupted zips or other files that don't open, not reporting errors in SMART or event viewer and has a healthy TBW left, I'd feel fairly confident for the time being. Full scans on drives with recently copied files or having been recently formatted are not hugely meaningful, tbh.

Baldbloke · 10 Nov 2022 at 08:23

Tetras said:
One thing to check in the smart data is if the drive is reporting ECC-uncorrectable errors, bad blocks (only if they're post-manufacture) or using reserved blocks, they can also be reported with event viewer. If the drive isn't randomly freezing, not getting corrupted zips or other files that don't open, not reporting errors in SMART or event viewer and has a healthy TBW left, I'd feel fairly confident for the time being. Full scans on drives with recently copied files or having been recently formatted are not hugely meaningful, tbh.

Thank you for that Tetras. I had a shuftie in event viewer. I'm not sure I understood what I was seeing but It looked perfectly fine to me. Crystaldisk shows decent speeds. Like you say, I'm fairly confident it is fine. Many thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.