There are a few ways in which you can identify how old your hard drive is without requiring too much technical expertise.

Why does the age of a hard disk matter?

Hard disks, like most components, have a lifespan. It’s not a matter of if, but when a hard disk will stop working. Mechanical drives have moving components like spindles and motors that can wear out, and a hard drive with a significant number of hours on it cannot be reliably used for mission-critical use cases.

Here are five ways in which you can identify the age of a hard disk

1) Check the drive's S.M.A.R.T. data

SMART, or Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology, is a system built into most modern hard drives.

SMART analysis reveals performance metrics like power-on hours, temperature, and error rates of a hard disk, all of which combined can give us a good idea of hard drive health. Moreover, some hard drives will also log the manufacturing date in SMART data.

2) Decode the serial number of the hard drive

All hard drives include a serial number that indicates the production batch. The serial number can be found on a label, via SMART data, and even via the command prompt.

To find out the serial number using the command prompt on Windows, type the following command

wmic diskdrive get model,serialnumber

You can then enter the serial number on an online database like Hard Disk Sentinel to identify specifics about the hard disk, including its manufacturing date and specifications.

3) Inspect the Physical Label

External and internal hard drives have labels on them that indicate the date of manufacturing. While you might have to disassemble your PC or laptop to access the hard drive, this isn’t the case with external drives.

The format of the label might differ, but it’s an easy way to identify the date of manufacturing.

4) Check the warranty status on the manufacturer's website

Simply visit the manufacturer’s website (such as Western Digital, Seagate, or Toshiba), enter the serial number in their warranty check tool, and submit the form.

If the warranty period has expired, it can help you estimate how old the drive is based on the warranty duration.

5) Examine system logs for installation date

If none of the other methods work for you, there's one more method that can be used to identify when the hard drive might've been installed in a computer.

If your hard drive has been in a system that hasn't been reformatted, the operating system installation date can give you an idea of how a hard disk has been in use.

Understanding your hard disk's health and lifespan is critical to safeguarding your data

By using these methods, you can better understand the age and condition of your hard disk, helping you make informed decisions about its continued use or replacement

Source - XDA 

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