SMART Short Test/Extended Test

[BernBern7]

Does anyone have a good article/reference on what actually happens when a SMART short test/Extended test runs? I have so far found information that that the short test is quicker but only finds failure in about 60% to 70% of cases while the extended test has a rate of 95%. I also know about the list of attributes that the tests look for. However I want to know what it is actually doing to the HDD. I have not found anything solid from a reliable source. Thank you.

[BlackST]

Nothing but some basic tests for end user. Beside some late alert, SMART utility is controverted.

[withyou]

Hi friend,
As per your post really great for know how about the things about the hard drive functionality but you will get these type answers from these type of senior persons as we think they are having only and only the experience about to answer with these type of CRAP numirious posts..
Sorry friend i dont have any expertise to send you any article but there are lot of softwares to rectify this SMART problem for the hard drive as i dont Know about internal structure about this SMART problem as you can search with your system level programmer with C++programming..
As I am only having some great utilities for rectifyng only
As always with you

[Vulcan]

Hi,

Does anyone have a good article/reference on what actually happens when a SMART short test/Extended test runs?

Some precise details of the testing can vary between vendors/drives (from the vendor docs I've read), and this is allowed since the requirements are very general in the ATA spec - but the main functionality is mentioned in this public doc e.g. 1st paragraph:

http://www.t10.org/t13/technical/e01139r0.pdf

However other short tests may be done as well e.g. write/read/compare on all heads on a maintenance (SA) cylinder, to check for correct write operation - which obviously isn't tested by the reading of customer data areas

Hope that is some help...

[BernBern7]

Thanks so much for the ATA/ATAPI-6 spec. It was very helpful.