This is not a regular article, it is a blatant (and deserving) plug for one of the coolest pieces of software I have ever used.

Gibson Research Corporation (GRC) has just released SpinRite 6.0.  It is the world's best hard drive data recovery and defect detection program.  In a nutshell, it ensures your hard drive data is safe.  We use it regularly to keep our hard drives in check.

SpinRite features:

A few SpinRite features, all link to grc.com:

• Data-loss preventative maintenance: It prevents loss of data and prevents your hard drive from crashing by detecting defects before they destroy your data. (This is our main use of SpinRite.)
• Data recovery: It recovers lost data from damaged hard drives.  It has been known to recover completely crashed and inoperable hard drives. (We have not had an opportunity to test this feature.)
• Fully compatible with NTFS, Linux, Novell, and any other file systems.
• Magnetodynamics.  It explains how SpinRite works.   (This is the page I was most interested in.)
• Exclusive Feature Summary lists features only found in SpinRite.
• Absolute Satisfaction Guarantee:  GRC will refund your purchase without question for any reason.
• Programmed by hardware and assembly language software guru, Steve Gibson.

Download SpinRite 6 here:  SpinRite 6.0

SpinRite 6.0 Movie

SpinRite's creator, Steve Gibson, appeared on The ScreenSavers on G4/TechTV with Patrick Norton.  Check out this 6 minute video to see SpinRite 6.0 in action.

SpinRite 6.0 "The Movie" 

Screen Shots:

Detailed Technical Log:

Dynastat in Operation:

Graphic Status Display:

Option Settings:

Real Time Activities:

Smart System Monitor:

Download SpinRite 6:

Download SpinRite 6:  http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

SpinRite's Quality:

Well, NASA uses SpinRite. Sometimes this is the easiest way to have newcomers respect SpinRite.  People always use NASA to showcase quality, too much really, and here I am doing the same thing!  At any rate, it is a testament to SpinRite's quality.  Just recently, a 60 Gig drive on International Space Station is using SpinRite 6.

For those of you more technically oriented and wish to understand the way things work, like myself, please check out the magnetodynamics page.  After which, you will not need to hear the opinions of others to judge SpinRite.

About the Author:  I am Matthew Doucette of Xona Games, a team-of-two indie game development studio working on Xbox 360 games .  I am currently working on Duality ZF, a groundbreaking arcade-style shoot'em up*.  It features 4x local multiplayer, dual play (control two fighters at once), six game modes (home, survival, arcade, score rush, bullet hell, boss rush) including full 8-stage campaign modes and single-stage challenge modes, four control modes (solo play, dual play, multidirectional, g-mode) so you can play the entire game as a dual-stick multidirectional shooter if you wish, individual and team scores, 96 game styles, 96 online scoreboards, a beautiful electronic Imphenzia soundtrack, and a massively upgradable 32-stage duality spread/laser weapon system.  4x dual play allows up to eight fighters at once.  Many of these features are never before seen shoot'em up firsts.  Check out our Duality ZF trailer and help spread the word with our official dualityzf.com website.  Coming soon to Xbox LIVE Indie Games.

*Also known as a shmup or 2D shooter.