In short: to check a new hard drive, connect it and open the free CrystalDiskInfo tool. A new drive shows Health Status "Good", Power-On Hours from zero to a few hours, and zero Reallocated Sectors, Current Pending Sector and Uncorrectable Sector counts. Hundreds of power-on hours mean the drive has already been used.
Why check a new drive
Most drives arrive in working order, but a day-one check does three jobs. It shows the drive was not damaged in transit. It confirms the drive is really new, not refurbished or used and sold as new. And it gives you a baseline: if SMART values change a year later, you will spot the problem before losing data.
The check takes 5-10 minutes and needs no disassembly or special knowledge. Do it before you copy important files to the drive.
Step 1. Inspect the packaging and the drive
- Packaging. An internal HDD should arrive in an anti-static bag with shock-absorbing packaging. A bare drive in a mail bag is a reason to file a damage report at the post office.
- Case and label. No dents, scratches on the board or signs of unscrewing. The model and serial number on the label must match your order.
- Refurbishment marks. Labels saying Recertified or Refurbished mean factory refurbishment - this is not a new drive.
Step 2. Connect and initialise the drive
A new internal drive will not appear in File Explorer until you create a partition on it - that is not a fault. In Windows press Win + X, open Disk Management, accept the prompt to initialise the disk with GPT and create a simple volume. External drives are usually pre-formatted and show up immediately.
For internal SATA drives, make sure AHCI mode (not IDE) is enabled in the BIOS, otherwise speed will be lower. More in Hard drive interfaces.
Step 3. Check SMART in CrystalDiskInfo
SMART is the drive's built-in self-monitoring system that keeps counters for power-on time, errors and reallocated sectors. The easiest way to view it is the free CrystalDiskInfo for Windows (a portable version needs no installation).
- Launch CrystalDiskInfo and select the drive in the top bar.
- Look at Health Status: a new drive should show "Good" on a blue background.
- Check the key attributes from the table below.
| Attribute (ID) | Meaning | New drive |
|---|---|---|
| Power-On Hours (09) | Hours the drive has been running | 0 to a few hours |
| Power Cycle Count (0C) | Number of power-ons | Single digits |
| Reallocated Sectors Count (05) | Damaged sectors replaced by spares | 0 |
| Current Pending Sector Count (C5) | Unstable sectors waiting to be replaced | 0 |
| Uncorrectable Sector Count (C6) | Sectors that could not be read | 0 |
| UltraDMA CRC Error Count (C7) | Data transfer errors over the cable | 0 |
| Temperature (C2) | Current temperature | Usually 25-45 °C at idle |
Look at the Raw Values column: that is where the counters are. To see decimal rather than hexadecimal numbers, go to Function → Advanced Feature → Raw Values → 10 [DEC].
How to read the result
- All good: status "Good", power-on time in hours, sector counters at zero. The drive is ready to use.
- Hundreds or thousands of power-on hours - the drive is not new, even if it looks perfect. Contact the seller.
- Non-zero Reallocated, Pending or Uncorrectable on a new drive is not normal. CrystalDiskInfo will usually show "Caution" on a yellow background. Do not store important data on it and ask the seller for an exchange.
- A rising UltraDMA CRC Error Count usually points to the SATA cable or connector, not the drive itself. Replace the cable or use another port.
Seagate quirk: on Seagate drives, Raw Read Error Rate (01) and Seek Error Rate (07) show huge raw numbers even when new. This is how Seagate encodes these counters, not a sign of errors. Go by the overall status and the sector counters.
Step 4. Check the warranty by serial number
Western Digital and Seagate have warranty check pages on their websites: enter the serial number from the label to see when the manufacturer's warranty expires. If it has already expired or is much shorter than stated, ask the seller: the drive may have sat in a warehouse for a long time, been refurbished or been intended for another market.
Our store's warranty and return terms are on the Warranty and returns page.
Step 5. Full surface test (optional)
For most buyers steps 1-4 are enough. If the drive goes into a NAS or server, or will hold the only copy of a valuable archive, you can run a full test before filling it:
- SMART extended self-test - the drive checks its whole surface itself. Run it from the manufacturer's utility or smartmontools. On large drives it takes several hours.
- Surface read test in tools like Victoria or HD Tune - read mode only.
Never run write or "erase" tests on a drive with data: they destroy information. After a full test, check the sector counters in CrystalDiskInfo again - they should still be zero.
Checking an external drive or a drive on a Mac
- External HDD. CrystalDiskInfo reads SMART from most external USB drives, but some USB controllers do not pass it through. In that case use the manufacturer's utility. More about external drives in External hard drive: what it is and how to choose.
- macOS. Disk Utility shows only the overall SMART status. For full attributes use smartmontools (
smartctl -a) or third-party diagnostic apps. - Linux. Install smartmontools and run
sudo smartctl -a /dev/sdX, where sdX is your drive.
What next
Save a CrystalDiskInfo screenshot from day one: it is your baseline. Every few months compare the sector counters with it - if they grow, the drive has started to wear and your data should be copied. Other warning signs and the most common causes of hard drive failure are covered in How long does a hard drive last.
We sell new drives only and check SMART on every one before shipping, so your check should show the same picture. Catalog: internal hard drives · external hard drives.
