Automating CHDSK-like tests for a USB disk ?

[Al Dykes]

I've got a Maxtor one-touch USB disk. It's only used once a day, for
backups from my XP system. Back runs unattended, once a day, unless I
think to check it.

I'm looking for a bit of software that I can schedule to run daily
that runs a chkdsk on the USB disk and generates a meaningfull pop for
the user if the disk is in any way less than perfect. A daily popup
should inform the user that the check ran and everything is fine.

I could make a .BAT file with a chkdsk command and schedule it but
doing the popup and other details doesn't seem obvious to me. Sending
email would be really cool.

ISTM that this should be of general interest to people with external
drives.

Disks die, generally at the worst possible time and in the worst
possible way. For myself, and for business use, I set up a backup
that flip-flops between disks (generally on a server) but there is a
limit to how much stuff I can talk a user into buying. (and on a
server, I've got SMART monitoring.

Comments?

 

[DL]

Assuming you mean hd SMART, not all controlers allow/are able to use this
I've had hd's fail with no SMART notification

 

[Al Dykes]

Assuming you mean hd SMART, not all controlers allow/are able to use this
I've had hd's fail with no SMART notification

That's a whole other discussion, and you are completely right.

Shit happens.