Hard Drive Failure Database - FAQ
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What is the goal of the HDFD?
The goal of the HDFD is to provide a comprehensive list of the relative failure rates of
various hard drive manufacturers and models.
Won't the data be skewed, as people will tend to enter more failed drives than working
ones?
Yes, but all the data will be skewed evenly. This website intends to answer questions
like, "Are Samsung drives more reliable than Western Digital?" - not necessarily provide
a definitive answer of the actual failure rate for any manufacturer or brand. Because more
failed drives are entered for every manufacturer, the failure rates will be overstated, but
they will be overstated for all manufacturers and models, thus leaving the relative
failure rate intact.
How will you prevent fake data from being entered?
I cannot prevent all fake data from being entered, but I trust that most users will have
honest intentions. I will frequently look through the data manually, and run various queries,
functions, and sorts to find any possible fake data. Any data that is suspicious to me, I
will simply delete. Any data entered by bots will be deleted immediately as well.
What is the serial number for?
I am gathering serial numbers to allow people to update their drive's status if it dies.
If a user enters a drive with serial #123456789 as working, and 10 months later it dies,
they can come back to the website and enter the same serial #, and it will overwrite the
original entry. Note that since the serial numbers are not revealed anywhere on the website,
you need not worry about another user tampering with the data you entered. The serial number
(or lack thereof) also helps me to identify possibly fake entries.
How can I enter a drive into the database?
Simply use the menu on the left-hand side to enter a new drive. Every drive entered is
greatly appreciated!
Can I enter multiple drives at the same time?
Unfortunately, not yet. This will be a feature added at a later time.
What data will you reveal about me if I enter a drive?
If you choose to provide a username, I will only reveal the total number of drives you
have entered and the specific models you have entered. Things like the serial numbers
of your drives and your IP address will never be revealed to anyone but myself.
How can I find the information about my hard drive?
You shouldn't need to open up your computer case to find the information you need.
You will need to know the manufacturer, interface, model number, and (optionally) serial
number of your drive. The personal-use edition of HDTune
can detect the model and serial numbers of most hard drives. If you do not know the
manufacturer or interface of your drive, use HDTune to find your model number, then enter your
model number into google to find the other necessary information.
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