What is testmode.txt?

[Darkeligos]

I have been checking my hard disk activity for a few weeks now, and testmode.txt is ALWAYS using the most bytes total.

20/10/2015 17:24:45.017 Smart Detect 0
20/10/2015 17:24:45.210 Smart OK, Valid
20/10/2015 17:24:45.238 Detect start 3
20/10/2015 17:24:45.263 CV
20/10/2015 17:24:45.289 Detect start 1
20/10/2015 17:24:45.314 CV
20/10/2015 17:24:45.340 Detect start 2
20/10/2015 17:24:45.365 CV
20/10/2015 17:24:45.390 Detect start 0
20/10/2015 17:24:45.415 CV
20/10/2015 17:25:43.744 Detect start 3
20/10/2015 17:25:43.770 CV
20/10/2015 17:25:43.796 Detect start 1
20/10/2015 17:25:43.821 CV
20/10/2015 17:25:43.847 Detect start 2
20/10/2015 17:25:43.872 CV
20/10/2015 17:25:43.898 Detect start 0
20/10/2015 17:25:43.923 CV
20/10/2015 17:26:43.748 Detect start 3
20/10/2015 17:26:43.774 CV
20/10/2015 17:26:43.800 Detect start 1
20/10/2015 17:26:43.825 CV
20/10/2015 17:26:43.850 Detect start 2
20/10/2015 17:26:43.876 CV
20/10/2015 17:26:43.901 Detect start 0
20/10/2015 17:26:43.926 CV

It writes to the file multiple times per second, and this goes on all day. Luckily the file clears itself or it would be taking up gigs of space by the end of the day. Any information as to what this is doing?

[hdsentinel]

The testmode.txt is a log file which saves the detection steps when Hard Disk Sentinel access the hard disks.
This can be used for error-detection purposes, for example when there is an issue with the current configuration, which is not really related to the hard disks, but more related to the current disk controller (motherboard), drivers or so, when these detected information can help investigating problems and improve compatibility for specific controllers / drivers.

Normally this file is NOT created or updated at all. It can be enabled if you start HDSentinel.exe manually with the /ENABLETEST command line switch.
But in some cases (especially in some beta versions) Hard Disk Sentinel may automatically enable the creation of this file, as upon really big problem (for example the software can't start due to a problem / incorrect response with a RAID controller or so) inspecting this file would help to improve the situation.

I'd suggest to
- please use Report menu -> Send test report to developer option.
This would help to check the actual configuration, verify the disk controller(s) used and check which triggered this file to be created on this system - and verify if the compatibility could be improved (and the testmode.txt would not be required at all).
- if you use older version, please update to 4.60 by the automatic update from the File menu, or even try the latest possible version 4.60.10b ( http://www.hdsentinel.com/beta4/hdsenti ... -ferwq.zip ). It is possible that the above mentioned changes already happened - so the updated version may no longer create/update the testmode.txt file.