Try GOLD - Free
Back it up: Most hard drives that fail do so within 3 years
PCWorld
|June 2023
Your storage isn't inherently destined to die young, though
Follow any tech site with regularity and you'll hear the same refrain over and over-back up your files. The longer you wait, the more you flirt with disaster, and you don't have as much time as you might think. In March, a Los Angeles storage recovery service revealed that on average, their clients' failed hard drives died within the first three years of use (fave.co/4551Vvj). And now a study from Backblaze has corroborated that finding with much more data.
In the original report, Secure Data Recovery came to its discovery by cataloging the details (fave.co/457cwnh) of 2,007 faulty drives from six prominent manufacturers, with capacities ranging from 40GB to 10TB. Backblaze’s latest release of drive statistics (which the cloud storage and backup service publishes quarterly about the storage powering its data centers) paints a similar picture.
BACKBLAZE AVERAGE AGE OF DRIVE FAILURE BY MODEL
This story is from the June 2023 edition of PCWorld.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM PCWorld
PCWorld
RENTERS, REJOICE! 8 EASY SMART HOME UPGRADES THAT WON'T LEAVE A TRACE
RENTING? CHECK OUT THESE APARTMENT-FRIENDLY SMART DEVICES, FROM SMART SPEAKERS AND LIGHTS TO VIDEO DOORBELLS AND WATER LEAK DETECTORS.
6 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
AI can easily impersonate you. This trick helps thwart scammers
A special phrase can keep your friends and family from losing money.
2 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
GOT COMCAST OR SPECTRUM INTERNET? NOW'S A GREAT TIME TO THREATEN YOU'LL CANCEL
CABLE COMPANIES ARE DESPERATE TO RETAIN THEIR INTERNET CUSTOMERS. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR INSECURITY AND DEMAND A BETTER DEAL WHILE YOU CAN.
4 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
Airrobo PC10 robotic pool cleaner: An effective low-budget cleaning option
This bot won't break the bank, but it won't pick up all the debris in your pool, either.
3 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x: Snapdragon laptops become more affordable
It's the cheapest Copilot+ PC I’ve seen yet—assuming you don’t count sale prices.
9 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
I took control of Windows startup and sped up my PC in seconds
This simple change makes a huge difference!
2 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: A delightful Al Chromebook
Sleek Chromebook with an OLED screen and a fresh MediaTek chip.
8 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
Nintendo Switch 2: A worthwhile upgrade, just not a big leap
A smart upgrade with better graphics and faster load times, but its weaker battery, LCD screen, and high price suit hardcore fans more than casual players.
10 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
Windows 10 gets an extra year of free security updates (with a catch)
You'll have to turn on Windows Backup or redeem some of those unused Bing rewards points. But Windows 10 is getting a stay of execution.
2 mins
August 2025
PCWorld
‘Vibe coding’ your own apps with Al is easy! 7 tools and tricks to get started
Want to code your own scripts and apps using Al? Here’s some guidance to get you started off on the right foot.
6 mins
August 2025
Translate
Change font size