EggXpert

I just ordered a new hard drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

which I will not really be using till sometime after October 22. I will then be doing a clean install of Win7, going from XP, which is why the clean install.

My question is what should I do when I receive the drive?  I plan to do a full format right away, but how should I test it?  A number of full time builders here have stated they always test a new hard drive before using, but I would like to know the best procedure.  Thanks

It depends a bit on what other equipment/parts you have.  Personally I plug a new hard drive into an external docking station, format, and usually put a few bigger files on it and move them around to other pc's and maybe put more files from the others on there.  Then delete whatever was put on there, put in a case and go.

My testing has always involved putting the hard drive in the computer and turning it on to see if it is recognized by the BIOS and that it works.  :)  Seriously, I have never done any sort of testing before trying to use the drive, whether new, refurbished, or pulled out of another PC.  I always do a "long" format the first time I use one.

I do a full format then check the drive using HDtune and/or HDtach to make sure it is performing to specs.

Same thing I do. Over the past  10 yrs of buying hard drives I just install them and do full formats. They might fail regardless of if you run tests on them from the start or not. That is why is always beneficial to back up any data you store on your drives