Set-top disk health diagnostics

An apparatus comprising:

• a module configured to:
• determine a number of simulation operations to perform on a disk, wherein the number of simulation operations is based on read and write capabilities of the disk;
• determine a bitrate at which to perform each of the simulation operations;
• perform the simulation operations on the disk at the determined bitrate;
• and
• monitor the disk for critical errors;
• and
• an interface configured to be used to output a notification indicating the need for replacement of the disk if one or more critical errors are observed while the simulation operations are being performed on the disk.

A method comprising:

• running one or more self-monitoring tests on a set-top box disk;
• logging the occurrence of critical disk errors at the set-top box disk;
• running one or more use-case specific tests on the set-top box disk, wherein the one or more use-case specific tests are based on a use of the set-top box;
• and
• based on the results of the self-monitoring tests, the occurrence of critical disk errors, and the results of the one or more use-case specific tests, outputting a notification indicating the need for replacement of the set-top box disk.