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Disk Test Tools

Anonymous rdiez

Download links for the impatient

Bundle for Microsoft Windows that includes a small 64-bit Java 11 runtime.

File Read Test Java application or Perl script - reads disk files or directories and stops on the first read error .

Quick Disk Test Java application - fills a disk with test data and verifies that it can be read back without errors .

Introduction to the disk test tools

There are two types of tools in this page:

  • The File Read Test tools read disk files or directories and stop on the first read error. There are two alternatives to choose from: a Java application (with a point-and-click user interface) and a Perl script (to use from the command-line).
  • The Quick Disk Test tool fills a disk with test data and verifies that it can be read back without errors. This tool is only available as a Java application.

You will find more software in my homepage.

File Read Test tools

Java application (point-and-click user interface)

File Read Test is a Java application with a point-and-click user interface that reads disk files or directories and stops on the first read error.

Download the latest version of the File Read Test Java application

You will need the Java Runtime Environment to run this tool. Tested with OpenJDK 11 under Windows and Linux. There is a bundle for Microsoft Windows that includes a small Java 11 runtime, see the download link at the top.

Screenshots

Examples of scenarios where this tool is useful

  • You just burned a CD and want to verify that all data is readable. Comparing the CD contents against the original files is safer but slower and usually more cumbersome.
  • You want to check whether your user account is able to read all files under a particular directory.
  • You want to check that there are no broken symbolic links in a particular directory.
  • You want to do a quick, non-scientific read benchmark, to see how fast your CD drive or your memory stick can read sequential data.

For more information, including caveats and alternative tools, see the "Help", "About" text inside the application.

Version History

  • Version 1.33, released 5 September 2024, git tag "file-read-test-gui-1.33". Changes are:

    • A regression in error handling on start-up was fixed.
    • The ESC key does not close the progress windows any more.
    • On modal dialogs, if a pop-up menu or a drop-down list is open, the ESC key only closes it, and not the whole modal dialog.
    • The "complete" dialog does not steal the keyboard focus any more if you are working with another application.
    • Other minor UI improvements.

  • Version 1.32, released 10 December 2023, git tag "file-read-test-gui-1.32", with many minor improvements.

  • Version 1.30, released 02 April 2020, git tag "file-read-test-gui-1.30"
    This is the last version which shipped with a 32-bit Java runtime.
    Changes are:

    • Upgraded to Java 11 and NetBeans 11.3.
    • Dialog to choose Look & Feel and UI scaling for high-DPI displays.

  • Version 1.20, released 26 March 2017, git tag "file-read-test-gui-1.20-1"
    Changes are:

    • Upgraded to Java 8, NetBeans 8.1 and Swing Nimbus.
    • User-interface elements resize better. Text no longer gets cut off depending on the system font.
    • Many other small improvements overall, like better error messages and a slightly less CPU utilisation.
    • File Read Test now detects and skips symbolic links that target a file or subdirectory under the start directory.

  • Version 1.05, released 5 June 2011, git tag "file-read-test-gui-1.05-1"

    The reported number of tested files is now correct. Previously, it incorrectly included the number of directories too. Thanks to MegaTen88 for mentioning this bug.

    This version runs with Java/OpenJDK 6.

  • Version 1.04, released 9 March 2011, git tag "file-read-test-gui-1.04-1"

    This version contains some small user interface improvements.

  • Version 1.02, released 23 Jan 2011, git tag "file-read-test-1.02-1"

    Changes are:
    - Main bug fix: The timer period was off by 50%, so that the elapsed time ran slow and the reported speed was twice as high as the real one.
    - Small internal improvements.

  • Version 1.00, released 21 Oct 2010, git tag "file-read-test-1.00-1"

Perl script (command-line program)

File Read Test is a command-line program that reads disk files or directories and stops on the first read error. See the counterpart Java application for examples of scenarios where this tool is useful.

Download the latest version of the File Read Test Perl script

You need a Perl interpreter to run this tool, but this is normally included in your Unix distribution. Tested under Windows with Active State's Perl version 5.8.x (search for the free, open-source version).

Documentation (man page)

Screenshots

Quick Disk Test tool

Quick Disk Test is a Java application with a point-and-click user interface that fills a disk with test data and verifies that it can be read back without errors.

The test data is sufficiently random that it cannot be compressed or optimised away by smart disks or operating systems, but totally predictable so that the verification process can check at a later point in time that every byte read does have the expected value.

If the filling process is interrupted for whatever reason, it is possible to carry on the next time around without starting from scratch.

Download the latest version of Quick Disk Test

You will need the Java Runtime Environment to run this tool. Tested with OpenJDK 11 under Windows and Linux. There is a bundle for Microsoft Windows that includes a small Java 11 runtime, see the download link at the top.

Screenshots

Examples of scenarios where this tool is useful

  • You want to verify that your USB stick can reliably store and deliver as much data back as promised. Some USB sticks have been known to have less capacity than advertised.
  • You want to check that your new hard disk works correctly, but you do not want to invest time in finding the right low-level tool for the job, as a quick, non-scientific test suffices.
  • You want to generate pseudo-random test data for a CD in order to check that your CD burner works correctly.
  • You want to quickly wipe (most of) the free space by filling the disk with random data, so that all deleted information is permanently destroyed, but you do not need to comply with any high-security standard.
  • You want to test your network or web storage for speed, capacity and data reliability, but you don't need an accurate speed analysis.
  • You want to do a quick, non-scientific read or write benchmark, to see how fast your hard disk or your memory stick can read and write sequential data. You may also want to see how good your hard disk or operating system multitasks when an application sequentially reads or writes large data quantities in the background.

For more information, including caveats and alternative tools, see the "Help", "About" text inside the application.

Version History

  • Version 1.33, released 5 September 2024, git tag "quick-disk-test-1.33". Changes are:

    • Optionally place a copy of the generated test data files somewhere else, for troubleshooting purposes.
    • A regression in error handling on start-up was fixed.
    • The ESC key does not close the progress windows any more.
    • On modal dialogs, if a pop-up menu or a drop-down list is open, the ESC key only closes it, and not the whole modal dialog.
    • The "complete" dialog does not steal the keyboard focus any more if you are working with another application.
    • New operation history dialog. The history is however not persisted yet.
    • Other minor UI improvements.

  • Version 1.32, released 10 December 2023, git tag "quick-disk-test-1.32", with many minor improvements.

  • Version 1.30, released 02 April 2020, git tag "quick-disk-test-1.30"
    This is the last version which shipped with a 32-bit Java runtime.
    Changes are:

    • Upgraded to Java 11 and NetBeans 11.3.
    • Dialog to choose Look & Feel and UI scaling for high-DPI displays.

  • Version 1.20, released 26 March 2017, git tag "quick-disk-test-1.20-1"
    Changes are:

    • Upgraded to Java 8, NetBeans 8.1 and Swing Nimbus.
    • User-interface elements resize better. Text no longer gets cut off depending on the system font.
    • Many other small improvements overall, like better error messages.
    • Uses much less CPU and slightly less memory.

  • Version 1.00, released 8 March 2011, git tag "quick-disk-test-1.00-1"
    This is the first stable release.
    This version runs with Java/OpenJDK 6.

  • Version Beta 0.82, released 12 Feb 2011

License

All these disk test tools have been written by R. Diez, are open source and available under the GNU Affero General Public version 3.

The source code is available at the SourceForge project page.

Feedback

Please send feedback to rdiezmail-filereadtest at yahoo.de