# HD Tune for Windows PC - **Name:** HD Tune for Windows PC - **Version:** 2.55 - **Developer:** EFD Software - **License:** Freeware - **Platform:** Windows - **Requires:** Windows 7 / 10 / 11 - **File type:** EXE Installer - **Size:** 0.6 MB - **Category:** System & Utilities - **Updated:** 2026-10-26 - **SHA-256:** 4256abb5b5583aeb5c61937415555657a5ae3b76fcc59657edfcb3bce792f958 - **Canonical page:** https://filecobra.com/app/hd-tune-disk-health-pc/ - **Download page:** https://filecobra.com/download/hd-tune-disk-health-pc/ - **Direct download:** https://www.hdtune.com/files/hdtune_255.exe > HD Tune checks hard drive health, speed and surface errors in one tiny window: read benchmark, S.M.A.R.T. health status, temperature and a full error scan — the free classic build from EFD Software… HD Tune is a long-running hard disk utility from EFD Software that measures a drive's read performance, scans its surface for errors, reports S.M.A.R.T. health attributes and shows drive temperature and detailed drive information, all in a single small window with one tab per job. It works with internal and USB-connected hard drives and SSDs that Windows recognises as disks. Two editions exist on the official download page: this free build, HD Tune 2.55, which is free for personal use, and HD Tune Pro, sold as a 14-day trial, which adds write benchmarks, secure erase, folder usage, a disk monitor and more. The free 2.55 build is old and deliberately simple — a read benchmark graph, a block-by-block error scan (with a quick-scan option), the S.M.A.R.T. table and temperature — and it still does those jobs on modern Windows. ## The three jobs HD Tune still does best HD Tune, from EFD Software, survives because it does the three jobs people actually open a disk tool for, in a single small window with one tab per job and no learning curve. The **Benchmark** tab graphs read transfer rate and access time across the whole drive — the classic curve that shows an ageing hard drive slowing toward its inner tracks. The **Error Scan** checks every block and paints damaged areas red on a grid (with a quick-scan option when time is short), so a failing surface is impossible to argue with. The **Health** tab reads S.M.A.R.T. attributes and drive temperature and summarises them as a plain OK-or-warning readout. It works with internal and USB-connected drives that Windows recognises as disks, and the whole installer is only about 628 KB, making it ideal to keep on a technician's USB stick. ## Free 2.55 versus Pro: know which build you have Two editions share the official download page, and confusing them causes most disappointment. This listing is **HD Tune 2.55, free for personal use with no time limit**: read benchmark, error scan, drive information and S.M.A.R.T. health. **HD Tune Pro** — currently sold as the Pro 6.10 trial — is the separate paid product with a 14-day trial, and it reserves write benchmarks, secure erase, folder usage analysis and a disk monitor. If a feature you read about is missing here, it is almost certainly a Pro feature rather than a fault: the free version cannot run write benchmarks, securely erase a disk, show folder usage or monitor a drive over time. The free build is deliberately simple — and for a quick verdict on a second-hand drive, or a laptop that has started clicking and pausing, that simplicity is the point: it remains one of the fastest routes from question to answer. ## Age and limits: SSDs, big drives and no repairs Version 2.55 is an old build, and its age should be stated plainly. Its interface and drive reporting **predate NVMe**: SSD reporting is basic, showing raw attributes and temperature but none of the wear-level or percentage-used interpretation that modern SSD tools provide, so SSD wear indicators and modern controller details are better read in a newer or drive-vendor utility. A **full error scan on a large multi-terabyte hard drive takes hours**, and the free version adds no logging or scheduling to manage that. It also does not repair anything: HD Tune finds unreadable blocks and surfaces S.M.A.R.T. warnings, and the correct response to a growing error count is to back the drive up and replace it, not to keep scanning. Treat the free build as a **quick health-and-surface checker for hard drives and basic SSD checks**, not as a complete modern diagnostics suite. Requirements are minimal — Windows 7 to 11, 512 MB of RAM and 5 MB of space. ## Installation 1. **Download the official free build** — Download hdtune_255.exe, the free HD Tune 2.55 build, from EFD Software's download page using the button above — not the separate Pro trial installer listed next to it. 2. **Run the installer** — Double-click the downloaded EXE and follow the short setup wizard; the program is under a megabyte and installs in seconds. 3. **Pick a drive and a test** — Select a drive from the drop-down at the top, then use the Benchmark tab for read speed, Error Scan for a surface check, and the Health tab to read the S.M.A.R.T. status and temperature. ## Editorial verdict HD Tune 2.55 survives because it does the three jobs people actually open a disk tool for, in about a megabyte, with no learning curve. The read benchmark draws the classic transfer-rate curve that shows an ageing hard drive slowing toward its inner tracks, the error scan paints damaged blocks red so a failing surface is impossible to argue with, and the Health tab turns raw S.M.A.R.T. attributes into a plain OK-or-warning readout alongside the drive temperature. For a quick verdict on a second-hand drive or a laptop that has started clicking and pausing, it remains one of the fastest routes from question to answer. Age is its real limitation, and it should be stated plainly: 2.55 is an old build that EFD Software keeps available next to the paid HD Tune Pro 6.10 trial. The free version cannot run write benchmarks, securely erase a disk, show folder usage or monitor a drive over time — all of those are Pro features — and its interface and drive reporting predate NVMe, so SSD wear indicators and modern controller details are better read in a newer tool. Treat the free build as a quick health-and-surface checker for hard drives and basic SSD checks, not as a complete modern diagnostics suite. ### Strengths - The error scan checks every block on the drive and marks damaged areas red on a grid, giving a clear visual verdict on a failing hard drive surface. - The Health tab reads S.M.A.R.T. attributes and drive temperature and summarises them in plain language, so early failure warnings are hard to miss. - The read benchmark graphs transfer rate and access time across the whole drive, which quickly exposes a mechanical drive that is slowing down. - The installer is only about 628 KB and the program itself is a single simple window, making it ideal to keep on a technician's USB stick. - It is genuinely free for personal use with no time limit, unlike the Pro edition's 14-day trial sold on the same download page. ### Trade-offs - Version 2.55 is an old build: write testing, secure erase, folder usage and disk monitoring are reserved for the paid HD Tune Pro. - SSD and NVMe reporting is basic, with none of the wear-level or percentage-used interpretation that modern SSD tools provide. - A full error scan on a large multi-terabyte hard drive takes hours, and the free version adds no logging or scheduling to manage that. ## FAQ **Is HD Tune free?** HD Tune 2.55 is free for personal use. HD Tune Pro is a separate paid product with a trial; the free 2.55 build listed here covers read benchmarking, error scanning, drive information and S.M.A.R.T. health reporting. **What is HD Tune used for?** HD Tune is used to benchmark a drive's read performance, scan its surface for errors, inspect detailed drive information and temperatures, and read S.M.A.R.T. health attributes. It works with internal and USB drives that Windows recognises as disks. **What software can I use to fix bad sectors on my hard drive?** HD Tune does not repair bad sectors itself. Its Error Scan finds unreadable blocks and its Health tab surfaces S.M.A.R.T. warnings; back up the drive immediately, because a growing number of errors usually means the drive should be replaced rather than trusted after a software workaround. **What is the best software for checking hard drive health?** HD Tune 2.55 is a good free basic check: it combines S.M.A.R.T. attributes, temperature, a surface error scan and a read benchmark in about a megabyte. Its reporting predates NVMe, so use a newer or drive-vendor utility when you need detailed SSD wear figures. --- Source: https://filecobra.com/app/hd-tune-disk-health-pc/ · Mirrored from the publisher's own release channel by FileCobra. FileCobra runs no antivirus lab of its own.