Extended Self Test - Estimated Time Remaining "1 minutes"

[soyo]

Hi HD Sentinel.

I got a question about the weird test time estimates. When I started the test on my Samsung SSD Pro 512GB it said something over 30 minutes at the start. Then when it reached 1 minutes it stayed like that for almost 10 hours:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dtwy7b2qfllhz ... r.png?dl=0

Any reason for that?

cheers
Lucas

[hdsentinel]

Yes, this is very common situation and I can confirm that it is completely normal.

Generally, the short self-test and extended self-test functions run "inside" the device (the hard disk or SSD) and performs test steps defined by the manufacturer.

During these tests, we can only check if the
- test is still running and its progress (in 10% steps)
- test is completed without errors - or if the test reports an error

The manufacturer provides an estimated time for the test, which is read and displayed by Hard Disk Sentinel (so the "estimated time is not counted/provided incorrectly by Hard Disk Sentinel). However, that estimated time is valid only if the device performs absolutely no other actions, no reads/writes during the test.

The test is running in the background, which means that all reads/writes pause the test which then automatically resumed.

So because of the other disk activity caused by Windows and/or other programs/applications the test may run longer (much longer...) than we expected,
but generally, it can be completed any time, as it is in the last 10% based on the current progress (usually the response code 0xF1 indicates that).

On hard disks the longest time I ever saw was that the extended self test runs for 30+ (!) hours due to the other activity of Windows and other software.

So the test is still running - and will complete in some time, but from here it is not possible to tell when, as it depends on the disk usage caused by other applications and the OS itself.

Hard Disk Sentinel on the Information page will show
- when the last test started
- what was the result when it's completed
- how long it was running

so I'd recommend to leave the system running (if the computer enters to standby / power off, the test aborts).

[soyo]

Thanks for the answer hdsentinel. But that problem I can only observe on my SSD's (I have 3 of those), while my HDDs are finishing their extended test almost to the minute. Why is that?

[hdsentinel]

Generally, it is more related to the disk controller (and its driver) than the device itself.

Are the hard disks connected to the same disk controller?
Even if they're all on the motherboard, there may be different controller(s) (usually SATA ports are color coded).

Or, it is possible that the SSD firmware has a minor issue which reports that the test is still running.

I'd suggest to try the latest possible version (4.50.18) from the Download page ( http://www.hdsentinel.com/download.php ) as it has generic improvements for almost all chipsets / controllers / drivers - so things may be different.

If you can use Report menu -> Send test report to developer option with that new version (at that point, when the test is in that final stage), it may help to check the current situation and may give some thoughts.

[soyo]

Generally, it is more related to the disk controller (and its driver) than the device itself.

Are the hard disks connected to the same disk controller?
Even if they're all on the motherboard, there may be different controller(s) (usually SATA ports are color coded).

Or, it is possible that the SSD firmware has a minor issue which reports that the test is still running.

I'd suggest to try the latest possible version (4.50.18) from the Download page ( http://www.hdsentinel.com/download.php ) as it has generic improvements for almost all chipsets / controllers / drivers - so things may be different.

If you can use Report menu -> Send test report to developer option with that new version (at that point, when the test is in that final stage), it may help to check the current situation and may give some thoughts.

All drives are connected to Motherboard sata ports. Two of the SSD's (Samsung 850 Pro and Samsung 840 Pro) are connected with Sata 3.0, the Samsung 830 SSD and Seagate HDD are connected with Sata 2.0. I also have couple HDD's I connect with docking station.

It's not such a big deal, I run these tests once a year, so I can live without it, but I won't lie to you if I say it didn't bother me a bit hence this question. I will wait (if you don't mind) for new stable version and I'll try to remember to redo the tests and send that report.

To give you more info, I was running the tests on the SSD's on my main OS (from 850 Pro).

One final question. Could you lock out the Disk before doing that test, similarly with Surface Read Test? That way there should not be any other external read/writes if I understood your first reply correctly.

cheers
Lucas

[hdsentinel]

> Two of the SSD's (Samsung 850 Pro and Samsung 840 Pro) are connected with Sata 3.0,
> the Samsung 830 SSD and Seagate HDD are connected with Sata 2.0.

This is exactly what I wrote: even if they are on the same motherboard, these are different controllers.

> I will wait (if you don't mind) for new stable version and I'll try to remember to redo the tests and send that report.

Ok, of course No need to wait long, the next version (4.60) will be finally released next week.

> To give you more info, I was running the tests on the SSD's on my main OS (from 850 Pro).

Yes, I thought it, as such issue is usually related to OS drive, which has constant (even minimal) disk activity.

> Could you lock out the Disk before doing that test, similarly with Surface Read Test?
> That way there should not be any other external read/writes if I understood your first reply correctly.

Yes, it would be possible - but
- only secondary drives (where there are no open files/folders). So the drive containing the OS can't be locked out due to the constant open files. This is (nearly) same as you can't use chkdsk /f on your system drive
- if there is a driver problem (which may not report the test progress / result correctly) then the drive may remain locked for really long time.
Because of these, it is not really good idea, that's why it is not available.

[soyo]

> To give you more info, I was running the tests on the SSD's on my main OS (from 850 Pro).

Yes, I thought it, as such issue is usually related to OS drive, which has constant (even minimal) disk activity.

The problem is that screenshot I gave you is from the 840 Pro, so not the drive on which the OS was put on :/

> Could you lock out the Disk before doing that test, similarly with Surface Read Test?
> That way there should not be any other external read/writes if I understood your first reply correctly.

Yes, it would be possible - but
- only secondary drives (where there are no open files/folders). So the drive containing the OS can't be locked out due to the constant open files. This is (nearly) same as you can't use chkdsk /f on your system drive
- if there is a driver problem (which may not report the test progress / result correctly) then the drive may remain locked for really long time.
Because of these, it is not really good idea, that's why it is not available.

I see. However, when I stop the surface test then the HD Sentinel App unlocks the drive instantly. Wouldn't be the same case over here? Also, I have dual boot on my PC, so locking the OS drive is not a problem. I just switch to the other OS (this is exactly what I did to test my 850 Pro) to do the tests. And thirdly, maybe you could just give this as an option before extended test is started, so that if a user wants it and choses it, the HD Sentinel could lock out the disk for the duration of the test. You could by default leave this option unchecked. What do you think?

[hdsentinel]

> I see. However, when I stop the surface test then the HD Sentinel App unlocks the drive instantly.
> Wouldn't be the same case over here?

It is completely different case.
When the surface test started, then Hard Disk Sentinel is performing the test itself, so it knows properly when the test completes / canceled.
But the short / extended self tests run completely "inside" the hard disk, and if the disk controller driver provides incorrect information about the test progress, we do not know when we should "un-lock" the drive.
Yes, if you click "Cancel" (as now) then Hard Disk Sentinel could unlock the drive, so it may be a solution.

> And thirdly, maybe you could just give this as an option before extended test is started, so that if a user wants it and choses it,
> the HD Sentinel could lock out the disk for the duration of the test. You could by default leave this option unchecked. What do you think?

Yes, an option may be possible, thanks for the tip

[soyo]

> I see. However, when I stop the surface test then the HD Sentinel App unlocks the drive instantly.
> Wouldn't be the same case over here?

It is completely different case.
When the surface test started, then Hard Disk Sentinel is performing the test itself, so it knows properly when the test completes / canceled.
But the short / extended self tests run completely "inside" the hard disk, and if the disk controller driver provides incorrect information about the test progress, we do not know when we should "un-lock" the drive.
Yes, if you click "Cancel" (as now) then Hard Disk Sentinel could unlock the drive, so it may be a solution.

I see. Thanks for additional information, I appriciate it.

[hdsentinelfan]

So it turned out that I had to wait for 13 hours to complete

Interesting behavior as both SSDs are technically exactly the same (model, size, etc.) and one takes 1 hour the other takes 13 hours.

At least it finished successfully and I feel confident again