C
Drive Protection System (DPS)
The Drive Protection System (DPS) is a diagnostic tool built into the hard drives installed in some
computers. DPS is designed to help diagnose problems that might result in unwarranted hard drive
replacement.
When these systems are built, each installed hard drive is tested using DPS, and a permanent record
of key information is written onto the drive. Each time DPS is run, test results are written to the hard
drive. Your service provider can use this information to help diagnose conditions that caused you to run
the DPS software.
Running DPS will not affect any programs or data stored on the hard drive. The test resides in the hard
drive firmware and can be executed even if the computer will not boot to an operating system. The time
required to execute the test depends on the manufacturer and size of the hard drive; in most cases, the
test will take approximately two minutes per gigabyte.
Use DPS when you suspect a hard drive problem. If the computer reports a SMART Hard Drive Detect
Imminent Failure message, there is no need to run DPS; instead, back up the information on the hard
drive and contact a service provider for a replacement hard drive.
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