Hello Knute,

> Following a discussion on another thread about the life limits of an
> SDCard I thought I would write a program to write one to death and see
> just how long it lasts.

> I'm running some tests now on an old card I had lying around.  I am
> going to order some new cards once I am sure I have the right test
> going.

> I would appreciate comments on the testing algorithm and on my code if
> you have any.

Your test consists of files always the same length, and same contents.
I do not think that is a realistic test.
First you could use random file-lenghts and contents, i.e. all figures from 0
to 255 up and down etc.
But there is a more drastic way of testing.
Use two micro-SDcards of the same size and make and two SDcard readers.
Fill one completely until it is almost full except a few byts unused.
Then make a copy with DD to the other card, i.e. a full backup.
After that lowlevel format the destionation card, so its is really empty,
and make again a full backup of the first card, etc..
Then count the amout of perfect copies without errors, and also the time
every backup copy takes.
As soon as you get much longer backup times and/or many errors,
you know the destination card died. Then look at the BackUp counter,
how many copies were made and in how much time?
Does that sound more realistic?
By this way of testing, you almost completely mislead the anti wear techniques,
as you only copy full discs and erasing them and so on.
After the test you know how many backups could be made safely with the same
media.
Good luck in testing.

Henri.

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