Guide: Using CrystalDiskInfo Command Line / PowerShell
CrystalDiskInfo is a popular hard drive health monitoring tool that can be used via the command line or PowerShell. This article aims to provide a detailed guide on how to use CrystalDiskInfo from the command line or PowerShell while covering the key concepts, subtitles, and code blocks required for proper execution.
Prerequisites
- CrystalDiskInfo installed on the system
- Basic understanding of command line or PowerShell
Benefits of Using CrystalDiskInfo Command Line
The command line or PowerShell interface allows for automation, scheduling, and remote management of hard drive health checks.
CrystalDiskInfo Command Line Options
The following options can be used when executing CrystalDiskInfo from the command line:
-d: Specifies the drive letter or number-n: Specifies the drive name (serial number)-q: Displays only the basic information-l: Displays detailed information-a: Displays all information
Command Line Usage Example
The following example uses CrystalDiskInfo to display basic information for drive C:
CrystalDiskInfo.exe -d C -qPowerShell Usage Example
The following example uses PowerShell to display detailed information for drive C:
Start-Process -FilePath "C:\Program Files\CrystalDiskInfo\CrystalDiskInfo.exe" -ArgumentList "-d", "C", "-l"Splitting the Report into Separate Files by Drive
To split the report into separate files by drive, a script can be created using the following example:
$drives = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_LogicalDisk | Where-Object {$_.DriveType -eq 3}
foreach ($drive in $drives) {
Start-Process -FilePath "C:\Program Files\CrystalDiskInfo\CrystalDiskInfo.exe" -ArgumentList "-d", $drive.DeviceID, "-l" -RedirectStandardOutput "CrystalDiskInfo_$($drive.DeviceID).txt"
}CrystalDiskInfo can be used from the command line or PowerShell to monitor hard drive health. The command line options can be used to display basic, detailed, or all information about a drive. PowerShell can also be used to automate hard drive health checks, which can be scheduled or run remotely. Finally, a script can be created to split the report into separate files for each drive.