| 1 |
On 23/05/20 08:39, Michael wrote: |
| 2 |
> Is there a way to determine if a drive on sale is SMR *before* purchase? I |
| 3 |
> assume after purchase it is a matter of filling up the drive with zeros and |
| 4 |
> keeping an eye on it stalling for minutes at a time; or is there some hdparm/ |
| 5 |
> smartctl output to inform accordingly? |
| 6 |
|
| 7 |
THAT IS THE PROBLEM! |
| 8 |
|
| 9 |
If you read up where people have been surprised, the information is |
| 10 |
encoded in the last four letters of the drive model. In other words, the |
| 11 |
bit that nobody looks at. |
| 12 |
|
| 13 |
For example, I can't remember whether EFAX is CMR or SMR, but that is |
| 14 |
what tells you on a WD Red. And even if you're lucky enough to be told |
| 15 |
the drive model, that is the bit that is updated every time the model is |
| 16 |
updated, and it's the bit they don't tell you, and it's the bit you only |
| 17 |
discover when the drive is in your hands and you can read the |
| 18 |
information plate on it and google it. |
| 19 |
|
| 20 |
Cheers, |
| 21 |
Wol |
Archives