[jtwrace]

I just purchased a new 1.5TB drive so I have a second backup which will be a secure one.  It doesn't seem right to take it out of the box set it up and backup the first backup and store it away until the next time I backup to it. 

Do backups fail in the first 72 hrs?  Should I leave it on for a specific amount of time? 

I purchased this http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB

[srb]

Hard drives don't need to be burned or broken in.  I suppose they could initially get a little quieter with break-in, but usually get a little noisier if anything over time.
 
Steve

[jtwrace]

Hard drives don't need to be burned or broken in.  I suppose they could initially get a little quieter with break-in, but usually get a little noisier if anything over time.
 
Steve

Steve,

My question is strictly for time before failure.  If they fail mostly in the first 24 hrs of operation it would make sense for me to leave it on for say 72 hrs.  Right?  There is no doubt that things can break at any time but I guess I'm trying to find out what the usual time of failure is when new. 

Hope I make sense.

[jmc207]

I sometimes let drives run for a couple of days before really using them just for that early fail reason. Hitachi/IBM Drive Fitness test has a "Drive Exerciser" routine that should make any obvious defect show up.

The download of the DFT CD image is halfway down the page, and the "Exerciser" part works on any brand hard drive. You may also want to get the basic HD test software from your HD brand manuf. to run after a while, or at least do a CHKDSK if you are running Windows.

https://www1.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

[jmc207]

OK, I wasn't paying real close attention. I don't think my suggestion of the Hitachi DFT will work on an external drive or if you are using a Mac. Running the drive for a couple of days would be my suggestion. I'm not yet familiar with Mac test tools.

[srb]

Yes, that makes sense.  Most hard drive failures I have seen are between months and years.  Sure there are some that will die upon installation or within hours, days or weeks, but it you have one of those drives (luck of the draw), you probably will not reveal any immediate impending failure by having it just spinning.  You will need to have the head assembly(s) seeking, reading and writing to give it a test.
 
So let it start backing up and check the backup logs or file statistics if manually copying.

When I format a drive, given an option, I always go with the 'slow' format to uncover any bad sectors.
 
Steve

[jtwrace]

So let it start backing up and check the backup logs or file statistics if manually copying.

Steve

I've partioned and reformatted the drive for Mac.  I'm using my favorite backup program (SuperDuper!) and it's copying.  It will go for 12 hrs non stop.  We'll see how she goes...

 

[srb]

Although it doesn't do much for catastrophic and immediate mechanical or electrical failures caused by physical shock or electrical surges, the S.M.A.R.T monitoring protocol built-in to most modern hard drives does pretty well to warn against impending failures.
 
Steve

[JEaton]

Some people advocate first testing a drive and then checking the SMART information before actually using it.  Most drive manufacturers offer drive testing software.  What's suggested is filling the drive with zeros or ones so that the entire drive's storage area is tested.  Then check the SMART information to see if any sectors have been reallocated or are pending.

I'm too impatient to go through all that.  I just keep an eye on the SMART info, usually using CrystalDiskInfo.

[bfr1992t]

Your 12hr copy should have uncovered any issues with the drive. In the IT field they generally "burn in" storage by deploying an o/s image and letting it run for 1-3 days before putting it in to a production environment. Ideally, run a utility to verify the files against the originals and read the SMART info afterward. SMART on a new drive won't give you any useful data until you generate enough through activity. I haven't bothered to perform write testing on new drives in over 10 yrs.

[charmerci]

I just purchased a new 1.5TB drive so I have a second backup which will be a secure one.  It doesn't seem right to take it out of the box set it up and backup the first backup and store it away until the next time I backup to it. 

Or you could use the new drive as your first backup as you know first backup is already reliable.