How to Benchmark a HDD & SSD ?

[wolf2009]

How does one go about testing a HDD to show real world testing ?

I know you can run HDTach and HDTune and show synthetic benches. But how would one do a real world comparison ?

I'm trying to do a real world test, but the results turn out to be different while copying real files to a hard drive. Sometimes the result ends up at 180s, while in others it is 150s. Could Superfetch be causing this ?

Using Vista x64 SP1, gigabyte x38-ds4, WD 2500AAKS

 

[crazy pyro]

Copy a large number of small files across while timing it.
Copy a small number of large files across while timing it.
Copy a mixture of file sizes across while timing it.

 

[mlee49]

Read Write speeds can be timed for file transfer

Access times can be monitored by random file look up or boot times.

 

[fire2havoc]

HD Tune Pro.

 

[wolf2009]

HD Tune Pro.

I appreciate your taking the time to make a post, but please read the OP

 

[Mussels]

hard drives are faster at one end of the drive than the other, it messes with RW results.

My 1TB's are 110MB/s on the innter platter and 70MB/s on the outer - if i defrag alphabetically its easy to tell what files will be slower than the rest.

 

[fire2havoc]

I appreciate your taking the time to make a post, but please read the OP

Aside from copying actual files (which is also not always consistent throughout), benchmarks are the easiest way to test.