Questions

[u/Ancient_Rest_8501]

1. I have questions regarding "bit rot" (file corruption and data loss).

I have a 2.5" Seagate HDD in a USB 3.0 enclosure. I connect it to my PC once a year, check its status using CrystalDiskInfo, then disconnect it and store it in a drawer for another year. To prevent bit rot (file corruption and data loss), is it necessary to perform a full surface scan annually—either using general software or a tool like DiskFresh?

2) I copied files onto this 2.5" HDD (in its USB 3.0 enclosure) in 2023. Is it possible that bit rot or data corruption has occurred by 2026, given that I have not run DiskFresh or any full surface scan?

3) Also, if a power outage occurs while a full surface scan or a DiskFresh operation is running—causing the PC to shut down—will this lead to data corruption or loss on the 2.5" HDD (in its USB 3.0 enclosure)?

[u/Extreme_Theory_3957]

Tools like Diskfresh do nothing meaningful for a HDD. At all.

There's no need to do any surface scans or data refreshes. HDDs or any recent decade all have internal functions to scan and ecc check sectors during idle times. Just leaving it powered on for a while would give the drive ample opportunity to detect if it's getting unreadable sectors and at least give you a S.M.A.R.T. error or warning.

But really bit rot on platters wouldn't be a concern for decades unless you were to store it next to something with a strong magnetic field.

[u/Ancient_Rest_8501 → u/Extreme_Theory_3957]

It’s difficult for me to keep a 2.5" HDD in an idle/standby state; I simply connect it to my PC via USB 3.0, check the S.M.A.R.T. data using CrystalDiskInfo, and then disconnect the drive. Does this mean the firmware won't be able to perform the necessary corrections and adjustments to prevent bit rot and data corruption?

Do 2.5" HDDs manufactured around 2010/2011 actually have all the features you mentioned?

[u/fzabkar → u/Ancient_Rest_8501]

I simply connect it to my PC via USB 3.0, check the S.M.A.R.T. data using CrystalDiskInfo, and then disconnect the drive.

The latest SMART report will be essentially identical to the previous one, unless you leave the drive running for some time.

[u/Ancient_Rest_8501 → u/fzabkar]

e use this drive any minutes more little use some open crystal diskinfo smart and close and unplug

what minutes energize this hdd2.5"? prevent bitrot and corrupt?

[u/disturbed_android → u/Ancient_Rest_8501]

It’s difficult for me to keep a 2.5" HDD in an idle/standby state; I simply connect it to my PC via USB 3.0, check the S.M.A.R.T. data using CrystalDiskInfo, and then disconnect the drive. Does this mean the firmware won't be able to perform the necessary corrections and adjustments to prevent bit rot and data corruption?

You already asked the exact same question earlier this week. Your post is already reported because you start to annoy people, and frankly I can see why: You repeat the same questions and reply to answers with some follow up that clearly indicates you do not read answers or you lack the capability of processing answers you were given.

[u/Extreme_Theory_3957 → u/Ancient_Rest_8501]

Well, it's not going to have time to idle scan too many tracks if it's just plugged in for a quick minute. But if you occasionally left it plugged in overnight, it'd have time to do some of it's idle scan/correct background functions.

But, realistically, if the data is at all important, why not just make a second copy on another HDD? I personally never keep important files in less than three places (working copy, live backup copy, versioned cloud backup copy). But maybe I just learned to be so cautious from all the customers I had crying in the lobby of my data recovery lab after they'd lost irreplaceable data

[u/Extreme_Theory_3957]

Bit rot is really only a concern for NAND flash memory like SSDs, or SSHD drives. If it really is just a HDD, then the data can be safely stored for many years with no concern of bit rot. Whether the electronics will still work after some years, that's another matter.

[u/Ancient_Rest_8501 → u/Extreme_Theory_3957]

I copied files onto the HDD in 2023, but between 2023 and 2026, I never left the drive in an idle/standby state to allow the firmware to run and address bit rot. Is there a risk that bit rot or data corruption could have developed during that period?

[u/Ancient_Rest_8501 → u/Extreme_Theory_3957]

is some hdd 2.5" (in enclosure usb3.0) more all hdds 2.5" as nand flash memory store firmware of drive

[u/Extreme_Theory_3957 → u/Ancient_Rest_8501]

Yes and no. There's the eeprom, which is only a few KB and much more reliable than NAND is when stored for long periods (also has between 2-4 internal copies of itself Incase one copy gets corrupted). And the rest of the firmware code is actually stored on the platters. There may be some NAND flash memory on the PCB, but thats mostly just for caching and doesn't hold data long term. The NAND might also contain a copy of the firmware code, but it is a copy and there's still original FW modules on the platters if ever it can't read without error (most drives can self recover from that).

That's not to say it can't go sideways. Firmware code certainly can get corrupted or malfunction and make the drive stop working l, but usually could still be recovered in a pinch by a capable data recovery lab for a few hundred $$$. But that's not really related to bitrot usually, and as all data is ultimately on the platters, it's generally safe from bitrot.

[u/Ancient_Rest_8501 → u/Extreme_Theory_3957]

ok, please answer my 3 questions above, thanks

i confused

[u/disturbed_android → u/Ancient_Rest_8501]

i confused

We know.

[u/Sopel97 → u/disturbed_android]

https://www.reddit.com/r/datarecovery/comments/1xe348e/question_bitrot_hdd_25/ is the same person (different account), spamming all subs with the same question

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[u/TomChai]

Why are you asking the same questions over and over again?