HDD Stress Test with Python

[Bart Nessux]

A bit off topic, but here goes: Does this look like a reasonable hard 
drive stress-test? I run it repeatedly for a few days on our new 
PowerMac G5's (they come with Python 2.3 installed!!!) which we've had 
drive problems with. Two 80GB SATA Maxtor drives replaced already. Only 
been in use for a few days. Apple is replacing them with Seagate drives, 
not that that matters. Here's the script:

def dd_test():
    import os
    import time
    print
    print "DDing first partition to second partition... please wait."
    fp = os.popen("/bin/dd if=/dev/disk0s3 of=/dev/disk0s5", "r")
    fp
    fp.close()
    print "DD has completed."
    print
    print "Formatting first partition UFS"
    print
    fp1 = os.popen("/sbin/newfs /dev/disk0s3", "r")
    fp1
    fp1.close()
    print
    print "Formatting second partition UFS"
    print
    fp2 = os.popen("/sbin/newfs /dev/disk0s5", "r")
    fp2
    fp2.close()
    print "Sleeping 60 seconds before starting again..."
    print
    time.sleep(60)
    dd_test()
dd_test()

# Make two equal sized partitions on Mac internal HDD.
# Unmount the internal HDD, boot from firewire drive
# and run script.
# Used 'pdisk /dev/disk0 -dump' to get info about drive.
# Used 'newfs /dev/disk0s3' to format a partition UFS.