DriveDx

SoftRAID offers essential SMART testing. We believe in the core data from such studies as googles study of 100,000 disks and backBlaze disk statistics, what indicates a drive that should be predicted to fail. SoftRAID does not think for example that disks that previously got hot, or have more powerups, are more likely to fail. its possible, but there is no data to prove that, at least that we have found.

DriveDx tries to offer more information, a techy version of SMART data, that shows many factors that may be related to disks wearing out, but statistically have not been shown that is the case yet. And lots of data that is interesting.

If you like the "deep dive" and to see the additional information, go ahead. They do not conflict.

One advantage DriveDx has over SoftRAID is with SSD's and some USB drives.

SoftRAID does not work on getting SMART on all available SSD's. We have not focused on this yet, as there is still no meaningful way to predict failure on SSD's except for the wear indicator.

Getting SMRT data from USB is tricky and mostly prevented in Catalina, Big Sur and later. But when you can get SMART USB data, DriveDx does support more USB enclosures. I sometimes try getting users to install DriveDX when they have a USB enclsoure, and are having problems, to see if there is a drive starting to fail.

DriveDx is a good product, a bit too geeky for most users, but many people like more data, rather than "just the facts". You can test drive it for free and make your own mind up.

Many thanks for the explanation!

Regrards

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