Wishlist/roadmap: Installable and schedulable via commandline

[silversword]

I can't find the roadmap of features planned for SpinRite 7.0, would like you to consider adding one if it's not on there already.

I'm a remote IT tech, so requiring USB drive and in person tasks makes my ability to use SpinRite a non-starter.

Would love to be able to install Spinrite (via commandline)...and once installed be able to schedule a "reboot and run level 2/3" via command or Task scheduler late at night. Windows is the majority OS.

Thx for the consideration...would make 3 more yabba dabba doos from me!

 

[PHolder]

Let's assume a disk has an undiagnosed problem that SpinRite is not going to be able to repair. Now you want to be able to run that remotely and that would end up leaving the machine basically dead until you get there in person to physically pull the drive. This doesn't sound like a safe or wise plan to me.

On the other hand, if you configure your machines to boot from the network (PXE) then in theory, if you can remote reboot it, you could configure it's PXE configuration to run any maintenance, such as SpinRite.

 

[ColbyBouma]

I can't find the roadmap of features planned for SpinRite 7.0

https://forums.grc.com/threads/spinrites-development-roadmap.32/

 

[DanR]

I can't find the roadmap of features planned for SpinRite 7.0, would like you to consider adding one if it's not on there already.

The SpinRite roadmap referenced by Colby is the "current" version. Please note, however, that the SpinRite 7 section is no longer correct.

SpinRite's scope is currently anticipated to be:
- UEFI/BIOS dual boot capability
- Full native driver support for USB drive technology
- Fill native driver support fort NVMe drive technology

When Steve acquired RTOS-32 source code in late 2022, he was able to demo and confirm the feasibility of dual booting. RTOS-32 also has native plain vanilla drivers for both USB and NVMe. Steve anticipates modifying these plain vanilla drives to customize them for SpinRite's needs. This activity is likely some months away from starting.

Would love to be able to install Spinrite (via commandline)...and once installed be able to schedule a "reboot and run level 2/3" via command or Task scheduler late at night. Windows is the majority OS.

SpinRite 7.0 will boot its own run time environment, either UEFI or BIOS depending on the hardware, and run by itself in that environment. As such it will be OS agnostic. It is not a windows app.

 

[silversword]

Let's assume a disk has an undiagnosed problem that SpinRite is not going to be able to repair. Now you want to be able to run that remotely and that would end up leaving the machine basically dead until you get there in person to physically pull the drive. This doesn't sound like a safe or wise plan to me.

Let's assume:
I have backups.
I want to run regular (every 3-6 month) integrity checks on bad sector accumulation so I know if problems start occurring I can proactively replace failing drives before I have a doorstop on my hands I need to emergency fix.
I have SSD's loosing performance regularly, and want to annually run a level 3 to fully rewrite the entire drive and turn them back into like-new SSD's.

I do some of this already with SMART and full scans regularly. I think spinrite is going to do a better job than SMART, and SSD reconditioning I'm only going to get benefits from using spinrite at level 3. Since I started monitoring with SMART, and running preventative maintenance scans on storage devices 7+ years ago I sleep better at night because those morning (usually Monday) calls about "computer won't boot" have basically disappeared. On 1000+ device fleet I usually have about 5-10/week I'm seeing bad sector issues...and monitoring/repairing/testing issues. I replace when I start seeing accumulation or other bad signs...and it gives me a heads up so I can be proactive rather than reactive to client devices.

@PHolder Sounds like you might benefit from rethinking your workflow.

Thx everyone for their replies. This ain't my first rodeo. I started with Security Now at Episode 1 and haven't missed a single one. I'm well aware of all the announced plans etc.

The intent of this was hopefully getting:
- Unattended
- Schedulable via commandline
- readable logs for auditing/monitoring
capabilities that require no user interaction...otherwise again Spinrite is 98% worthless to me because I'm not going to be going onsite...I have to be able to schedule this remotely via an RMM.

I've never heard Steve mention even once anything that isn't a manual running from bootable device. I hope I can get him to consider: installable, automatable, and logging into a spinrite 7 refresh.

 

[AlanD]

I've never heard Steve mention even once anything that isn't a manual running from bootable device. I hope I can get him to consider: installable, automatable, and logging into a spinrite 7 refresh.

One of the problems that you have to overcome is multi-tasking operating systems. It could be dangerous to be reading/writing a drive whilst another system can also read/write to the same drive. This is why SR has always been a separate bootable environment that has sole control and access to the drives.

What you want might be achievable if SR could be installed to a separate bootable partition and some way found to reboot the machine remotely into this environment. After completion, SR could reboot into "normal".

 

[silversword]

What you want might be achievable if SR could be installed to a separate bootable partition and some way found to reboot the machine remotely into this environment. After completion, SR could reboot into "normal".

Yes, I assumed it would be a reboot to SR partition...run scheduled run type....and then restart into regular mode.

There would be no way to have it run at the same time as windows

 

[PHolder]

There would be no way to have it run at the same time as windows

I'm sure it's actually possible if you really wanted to because Windows has an API to do sector locking for support of doing Defragging while Windows is running. The problem ends up being more one of what happens if some other app collides with SpinRite or if the user manages to terminate it while running... that could end up with a very ugly result.

 

[PHolder]

Sounds like you might benefit from rethinking your workflow.

Sure, that's always possible. On the other hand, I have NEVER used SpinRite for "maintenance" and my life has been just fine. (In particular because I don't have valuable data on any local PC, all my valuable data goes to a NAS, and SpinRite is not recommended for use on a WORKING NASes disks, and the NAS runs its own maintenance on a monthly schedule.) Preventative maintenance is a form of therapy and/or placebo. It works because you believe it works. I doesn't work if you don't believe it works. Opinions will vary, and all opinions are probably valid.