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In-House Testing Center
At Direct Hardware Supply, we operate our own in-house test center where our skilled technicians thoroughly inspect every piece of equipment we receive. This process ensures that no faulty hardware enters our stock, allowing us to provide our customers with reliable drives that are built to last.
Our Hard Drive Testing Process
We don’t rely on brand-specific systems for testing. Instead, we connect the drives to a drive shelf, which is then linked to a server running Linux with SmartMonTools. This approach allows us to access and analyze the raw data, offering a clear picture of the drive’s health and detecting early signs of failure. This is known as S.M.A.R.T testing (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology).
How We Determine Drive Quality
Our method for determining whether a drive is functional or faulty follows guidelines similar to those of Backblaze, combined with practical expertise in working with refurbished hardware. You can explore their analysis in more detail here:
- Hard drive SMART Stats
- What SMART Stats Tell Us About Hard Drives
Regardless of the brand we don’t use the original brand’s system for testing. For example, some HP systems only perform a short S.M.A.R.T test when a drive is inserted, which can miss potential issues since it doesn’t involve a full write test. We go beyond that by running comprehensive S.M.A.R.T tests for every brand to ensure a deep and accurate assessment.
Relying on brand systems alone can be risky. Some storage systems don’t perform any S.M.A.R.T tests at all, meaning they won’t detect a problem until it’s too late. A drive that appears to be in good condition might actually be failing, which is why we prioritize raw S.M.A.R.T data to gauge reliability. This method helps us avoid unexpected drive failures and reduces the need for returns, ensuring our customers receive dependable products.
Why Our S.M.A.R.T testing Matters
By performing full S.M.A.R.T tests on every drive, regardless of the brand, we ensure the highest quality standards are met. Our customers can trust that the hard drives they receive are not only usable but dependable for the long run.
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