HDD sector read error!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Berra
  • Start date Start date
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Berra

Hi all!

I have an HDD wich gives read error on sector 5948 whenI try to backup
it. Windows (98se) refuces to boot, but ok in safe mode.

Is there an disk editor that I can use to mark the sector as "BAD"?

I remember long time ago (the msdos 3.3 years) there was floating
around disk editors that not only permitted to edit down to bit-level
but also showed wich file used that particular spot. Nowdays with big
disks I am not shure this little disk-editor will work (if I find it
again).

/Bertil
 
Berra said:
Hi all!

I have an HDD wich gives read error on sector 5948 whenI try to backup
it. Windows (98se) refuces to boot, but ok in safe mode.

Is there an disk editor that I can use to mark the sector as "BAD"?

I remember long time ago (the msdos 3.3 years) there was floating
around disk editors that not only permitted to edit down to bit-level
but also showed wich file used that particular spot. Nowdays with big
disks I am not shure this little disk-editor will work (if I find it
again).
Click to expand...
Try the HD manufacturer for test/repair discs.
 
in message
...

Try the HD manufacturer for test/repair discs.
Click to expand...


If the HD manufacturer does have a decent diagnostics and sector recover
utility, you might have to start looking at some real software, like
GRC's SpinRite. If you have one bad sector, you have others.
Otherwise, start shopping around for a replacement drive.
 
Thanks guys,
Yes Seagate had an app that solved the bad sector problem.

Now to the next problem, but that will be in an other thread.

/Berra
 
Vanguard said:
in message



If the HD manufacturer does have a decent diagnostics and sector
recover utility, you might have to start looking at some real
software, like GRC's SpinRite. If you have one bad sector, you have
others. Otherwise, start shopping around for a replacement drive.
Click to expand...

I have a Samsung 80GB 7,200rpm Spinpoint (SP0802N) that a client had
instaled as a replacement for a 16GB 5,400 Seagate with no extra care taken
for cooling. It was an old case that didn't breathe well and the owner lived
in a non-AC trailer, it was a hot NZ summer. The machine started to get
flakey and kept crashing. It was bought to me, I replaced the Samsung with a
new Seagate (I *always* use Seagate) and fitted a HD cooler into a 5 1/4"
bay with a (after-market cooler) huge hunk of aluminium conacting it (I even
smeared about a half-teaspoonfull of TIM between the two, very thinly, after
removing the label from the HDD) and two noisy little fans blowing thru/over
it.

I took the Samsung as part-payment as it was only a couple months old and
the owner wasn't affluent (it's a curse, being kind) as it would run for
days sometimes between OS crashes. However, using both Samsung's LL format
utility and SpinRite 6.0 I can't get rid of a 'bad block' that shows up on
SpinRite (Samsung's util says it's all good).

Sad really, it's not got any worse but I don't trust it. I installed XP on
it in one of my machines and it ran fine, no trouble at all until I tried to
do a disk image of the boot partition with Ghost. It failed every time.
Unreadable sectors. Now it's a paperweight. I guess I could use it as a data
drive but any data worth backing up is probably too valuable to trust to
this drive except as part of a double-redundant backup system. Even then...

When I buy a case HDD cooling is one of my highest priorities. A lot of
cases come with provision for a fan near the HDDs but almost none of them
supply it as standard. I *always* fit one, and always buy a case that wil
take a 12cm fan in that position, even for machines destined for AC'ed
rooms.

A CPU gets too hot it either throttles or fails, no data lost. A HDD fails,
it can be a disaster.
 
A CPU gets too hot it either throttles or fails, no data lost. A HDD
fails,
Click to expand...
it can be a disaster.

Agreed

Gotta disagree about case cooling availability (for home use) ... well in
the UK anyway.

There are a host of cases that have provision for (or even include) fans,
especially the 80mm & 92mm sizes, with 100mm gradually gaining ground.

What is less available is good filtering and when it is included it has
often been poorly thought out.

Due to circumstances the largest case that I can use is 460mmH x 500mmD
which restricts me to most midi sized cases.
The other features I require are provision for 100mm fan front & rear and
that the inlet fan has an easy access filter.

With this in mind I've looked at the specs of over 150 cases to find
something suitable but they all fall short in one respect or another. That's
how I know that there are a heck of a lot of cases with fans built in.

I ended up with an Enermax CA3030 Pandora Case ;

No psu
120mm back & front fans included - I upgraded mine to Akasa Amber.
Front fan filter, slides out sideways for cleaning however it's not close
enough to the fan, leaving a gap for the dust to get through - brilliant
idea if they got it right, quick and easy.
Floppy drive bay covered with hinged flap.
Two hinged flaps for hiding optical drives.
2 front usb ports plus phones & mic
Quick release drive mounts.

I got mine from here;
http://www.xcase.co.uk/p/288998/enermax-pandora-3030---black-silver---no-psu.html

Reviews
http://www.caseclosed.co.uk/review_enermax_ca3030pandora.htm
http://www.enermax.com.tw/english/product_cases_detail.asp?PrID=2
http://www.coolergiant.com/products/pc_cases.html#one
 
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