MemTest86, Benchmark Test, Check Disk Test..oh my!

[Leo Nguyen]

For us long time geeks, and newer generations, the tools we use most is not Facebooking and Twitting software, but diagnostic software. Continuing in keeping your fly bench, rods, and reels maintained is excellent habit conditioning. However, what about the tool we use to ensure that our catches, pictures, and releases (both in water and oil) is properly recorded and stored? Well, let's break it down a bit. Little maintenance will prevent you massive headaches and unseen costs later down the road:

1. Hard drive maintenance and detection: The hard drive is like our stomachs. It stores and feed the system with info. If that goes down, most of the system shuts down. Depending on what operating system (OS) you're using, such as Windows, MAC, Linux, smartphone types, whatever it maybe, each operating system has its own command/application to use for diagnostic. Most, if not all, newer operating systems have a built-in command for taking care of the diagnostic and repair. It just waits for you to use it, once every month or so. Monthly diagnostic of your hard drive will prevent you from the "UH OH!! DANG IT!!" moment, where you may lose everything you've recorded, downloaded, and stored for the past XX years.

We can go into discussions about primary hard drive to use, versus a second hard drive as a storage device later. For now, we'll just focus on the primary hard drive that you tend to shove everything onto.

You can chime in on what operating system (OS) you're using so we can give you diagnostic command for usages, such as Windows (during boot, you'll see a logo indicating Windows 98, Windows XP Home/Pro, Windows Vista, Windows 7 Home/Pro/Ultimate), MAC versions 1 to 10, and if you're using Linux, you're already a geek. If you're using a touchpad, iPad, phone, etc, well, make and model will give us a clue on your OS type. If you're using smartphone, you're a semi geek yourself.

2. Benchmark test: this allows you to see how efficient and well built your system is. There are tons of benchmark test application, which tailored for your system operations system. Over time, installation of useless application will slow down your system. Benchmark tests will show you the performance level before you turn your system into a paper weight, as well as monthly performance level due to unknown installation of malwares, adwares, trojans, and viruses (the nasties that will slow your system down)

3. Memtest86 is a great freeware that will save you lots of headaches, beside cleaning up dust bunnies that wreck your system internal components. What is Memtest86? It's a very small program that, when you use your memory stick/USB stick/Flash drive or burn the image to a CD to boot from, it pushes your system to stress test your computer internal memory modules:

http://www.memtest86.com/ (mainly for PC and Linux. MAC has its own specialized software and free apps)

My systems crashed various time in the past, and didn't know what was the cause due to Windows XP and Linux lack of detection protocols. With newer OSes and better detection protocols, we get a better idea. If you live in dusty environment, heavy dust bunnies built-up in the past among the components, or prone to electrical blackouts/light storms, well, good to test your system's memory once every other months to ensure the memory is in tip top shape. Dick experienced the thrill of the damage memory and the headaches that follows. Windows XP didn't detect it, but surely, Windows 7 did, but didn't give us more info about it. However, we figured it out based on the partial diagnostic info we received from the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH (BOSD, which no one wants to see and fear of).

Conclusion:

What to take from all of this?

a. Make sure your system is free from dust bunnies, inside, outside, and completely all around. Pay especially attention to the fan(s) that cool your computer brain down. You MUST remove the fan and clean the grill/radiator that has the condensed dust, which prevents your system's brain down correctly. This makes your system pretty much half dead, lethargic..

b. Test your hard drive and your internal memory (RAM), the two are different, every other month. Doing so will keep your system at peak performance. Throw in a hard drive disk defragmentation to organize the files structure to increase system performance speed.

c. Think about having two hard drives. The main one can be smaller, but faster, and use as a primary device to make your system go go go. The 2nd one can be bigger, but slower, to store your files.

Example: My main hard drive is 1 terabyte. It's a Western Caviar Black, running at 7200RPM (high performance), but smaller. My second hard drive is a 2 terabytes, Western Caviar Green, 5400RPM (med performance, eating less power, and make less heat). My third hard drive is a 3 terabyte Western Digital Green, 5400RPM, power saving and med performance). My fourth hard drive is a 120 gigabyte backup, to dump my operating system from my 1 terabyte, and create a safe keeping, just in case something goes wrong. We call this ghost imaging the main drive, without the extra software burden. This is a bit more advance for normal users, but for geeks, we love it.

 

[Leo Nguyen]

PUahahahahaha!! Yep. Green is too green behind the collar. I prefer the Black or Red. It's all about whether or not you manage to get a good one out of the bunches. Fujitsu, Seagate, WD, all the same when it comes to quality control for their products. Unfortunately, not a lot you can do, unless you want to shell out $200 hard drive for the top quality.