What does MTBF stand for?

MTBF stands for Mean Time Before Failure. MTBF numbers represent the average number of working hours (when the disk is being used) before the device is expected to fail. Usually the number is in the 100,000s but can go up to 6 or 7 times higher. Don't misunderstand the number though - its only an average. Your drive could stop functioning after only days, or even surpass the average by a large amount. The only real thing that is going to help you is the Warranty. What does SMART stand for? SMART stands for Self Monitoring And Reporting Technology. It is an additional silicon feature on some hard disks, providing a way to learn beforehand if a drive is malfunctioning. SMART uses techniques to detect bad sector formation, error correction levels, and more. The actual techniques used are up to the manufacturer though, so effects may differ. What is Thermal Recalibration? Some parts of the hard disk are vulnerable to heat - enough to affect size or shape temporarily. Because of this, a ...  more