[ale] Disk testing app wanted

[rs at ale.spam.futz.org (rs at ale.spam.futz.org)]

>Is there a simple read/write test or script I can turn loose on a suspect SATA drive and let it run? There's no data on the disk I care to preserve.

Whenever I get a new disk, I do the following:

- smartctl -t short /dev/sdX  (~ 2 minutes)
- smartctl -t long /dev/sdX   (1TB drive, ~ 240 minutes)
- mke2fs -c -c /dev/sdX1      (1TB drive, 24+ hours)

If all those pass, then I re-partition the drive like I want and put it into
service.  I'm actually on that 3rd step for 2 1TB drives that arrived
yesterday. And yes, I've had new drives fail these tests. Sometimes the 3rd
test will fix a drive failing a selftest, as writing to a bad sector causes it
to be remapped...


-- 
Arguing with an Engineer is like wrestling a pig in mud.
After a while you realize the pig is enjoying it.