Hard Disc Testing: Command Line Options

[John Latter]

Hi,

I've downloaded Seatools to test my HDD but the program hangs whenever
I run the boot CD.

In the help file it says:

"J. Command Line Options
--------------------
To restart SeaTools on the RAM drive from the command line use:
seatools /ve:32

/GRAPHICSFIX - some graphics cards give problems during the
display of progress and horizontal scroll bars. This switch
uses a different style progress bar and disables the horizontal
scroll bar on the trees. Without doing this, there
is either a crash or a hang.
seatools /GRAPHICSFIX /ve:32 (video mode must be last on the
line)

/FIXALL to pre-approve writing zeros to any bad sectors that
may be detected during the long test scan. Starts automatically
and assumes all drives. Provides unattended repair. Do not
use this option if you have to protect critical data.

/ve:32 video mode for 800x600 resolution, 256 colors
/ve:31 for 640x480

How do I access the command line while the boot CD is running?
(or do I do it while windows is still running? dunno much about this
stuff!).

Thanks,

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech

 

[Alan Smith]

Hi,

I've downloaded Seatools to test my HDD but the program hangs whenever
I run the boot CD.

In the help file it says:

"J. Command Line Options
--------------------
To restart SeaTools on the RAM drive from the command line use:
seatools /ve:32

/GRAPHICSFIX - some graphics cards give problems during the
display of progress and horizontal scroll bars. This switch
uses a different style progress bar and disables the horizontal
scroll bar on the trees. Without doing this, there
is either a crash or a hang.
seatools /GRAPHICSFIX /ve:32 (video mode must be last on the
line)

/FIXALL to pre-approve writing zeros to any bad sectors that
may be detected during the long test scan. Starts automatically
and assumes all drives. Provides unattended repair. Do not
use this option if you have to protect critical data.

/ve:32 video mode for 800x600 resolution, 256 colors
/ve:31 for 640x480

How do I access the command line while the boot CD is running?
(or do I do it while windows is still running? dunno much about this
stuff!).

Thanks,

Are you following their instructions exactly, does it run from the OS or
from a separate boot disk, are you creating a ramdisk from your boot disk as
it seems to require?
This may be a problem specific to your hardware. email Seagate and tell them
your problem but don't do what you've done here- give them the information
about your computer to give them a chance to help.

 

[John Latter]

Are you following their instructions exactly, does it run from the OS or
from a separate boot disk, are you creating a ramdisk from your boot disk as
it seems to require?
This may be a problem specific to your hardware. email Seagate and tell them
your problem but don't do what you've done here- give them the information
about your computer to give them a chance to help.

Hi Alan,

I followed Seagate's instructions & burned an iso file to a CD &
booted from that. Everything was going ok (on a full scan) until it
reached 14% checked & then the program hung.

A couple of weeks ago I tried running the program from floppy disks.
On one occasion I got to 77% checked before it hung, on another I got
to 55%.

I emailed Seagate & they suggested using the CD.

Does anyone now what (and when!) they mean by this:

Thanks,

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech

 

[Alan Smith]

Hi Alan,

I followed Seagate's instructions & burned an iso file to a CD &
booted from that. Everything was going ok (on a full scan) until it
reached 14% checked & then the program hung.

A couple of weeks ago I tried running the program from floppy disks.
On one occasion I got to 77% checked before it hung, on another I got
to 55%.

I emailed Seagate & they suggested using the CD.

Does anyone now what (and when!) they mean by this:


Thanks,

that is a switch specific to that executable. try seatools /? to see if
there is more info. or seatools /help (this may not work, it depends on what
they've written into it).
If you still have problems try the tools from a different maker, they should
work too. I've found IBM's (now Hitachi) ok in the past.

 

[Anna]

Hi,

I've downloaded Seatools to test my HDD but the program hangs whenever
I run the boot CD.

In the help file it says:

"J. Command Line Options
--------------------
To restart SeaTools on the RAM drive from the command line use:
seatools /ve:32

/GRAPHICSFIX - some graphics cards give problems during the
display of progress and horizontal scroll bars. This switch
uses a different style progress bar and disables the horizontal
scroll bar on the trees. Without doing this, there
is either a crash or a hang.
seatools /GRAPHICSFIX /ve:32 (video mode must be last on the
line)

/FIXALL to pre-approve writing zeros to any bad sectors that
may be detected during the long test scan. Starts automatically
and assumes all drives. Provides unattended repair. Do not
use this option if you have to protect critical data.

/ve:32 video mode for 800x600 resolution, 256 colors
/ve:31 for 640x480

How do I access the command line while the boot CD is running?
(or do I do it while windows is still running? dunno much about this
stuff!).

Thanks,

John:
Assuming you have a floppy drive, why not download Seagate's SeaTools
Desktop diagnostic that you can easily create on a single floppy disk?
http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/
Anna

 

[Malke]

John:
Assuming you have a floppy drive, why not download Seagate's SeaTools
Desktop diagnostic that you can easily create on a single floppy disk?
http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/
Anna

He said he'd started with the floppy and had the problem and that's why
he switched to cd. John - two things:

1. Open the computer and find the mftr. of the hard drive, or if you
already know it go to their site (assuming it isn't Seagate) and d/l
their specific hard drive testing utility and run it.

2. If the drive is made by Seagate and/or you still get problems running
a diagnostic, there are hardware problems:

a. The drive is bad.
b. The motherboard is bad.
c. Or both.

Things to try, testing after each change:

1. Swap out the drive cable for a known-working one.
2. Put the drive on a different IDE (or SATA if appropriate) connector
on the motherboard.
3. Swap out the power supply for a known-working one.
4. Try the drive in a different computer.

This will help determine which hardware component is failing and will
need to be replaced.

Malke

 

[John Latter]

Hi Alan,

The problem I have is I don't know when or how to access the command
line. Do I go start - run while windows is still running or is there a
way to access the command line while seatools boot Cd is running?

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

Hi Alan,

The problem I have is I don't know when or how to access the command
line. Do I go start - run while windows is still running or is there a
way to access the command line while seatools boot Cd is running?

Start | All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
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