I have some questions about “bit rot” in 2.5-inch HDDs (the corruption or loss of files that were previously readable). Does this happen silently to files stored on an external 2.5-inch HDD? Is it possible to prevent bit rot? I have an external 2.5-inch HDD containing files; I access it once a year, connect it to my PC, and check its health using CrystalDiskInfo, after which I disconnect and store the drive. Is it necessary to perform an additional annual check specifically for bit rot-related corruption?
I access my 2.5″ external HDD one once a year: I connect it to my PC, check the S.M.A.R.T. data using CrystalDiskInfo or Kitfox, then disconnect it and put it back in my drawer.
Is it also necessary to perform a full surface scan once a year—using software like HD Tune or similar—to prevent “silent bit rot” (data corruption)?
