Non-Hoster question for the computer experts

[mindonstrike]

A hard drive on my backup computer developed a "bad block" which made the drive non-usable. After several unsucessful attempts at fixing it with chkdsk, chkdsk did finally get it working again and recovered most of the data.

My question is, is a bad block a mechanical failure warrenting replacing the drive or a condition that can be remedied by reformatting or did chkdsk/f fix it good as new (except for the few files it couldn't recover) ?

Thanks for your input.
Sam

[Beavis]

do you just use it to store your kma's ?? or should i say data ?

[mikedomi]

ok here is the real answer for your ????

there is a utility that most drive makers have to diagnose what is wrong with the drive you will need the code that it gives you when you run that little program when you call for the rma to return the drive

My question is, is a bad block a mechanical failure warrenting replacing the drive

yes if the drive does not show any damage due to abuse

or a condition that can be remedied by reformatting or did chkdsk/f fix it good as new (except for the few files it couldn't recover) ?

to your other part if one block has gone bad then others will fallow
so get it fixed it will work for a while but cant tell you how long

[admin]

Originally Posted by mindonstrike

A hard drive on my backup computer developed a "bad block" which made the drive non-usable. After several unsucessful attempts at fixing it with chkdsk, chkdsk did finally get it working again and recovered most of the data.

My question is, is a bad block a mechanical failure warrenting replacing the drive or a condition that can be remedied by reformatting or did chkdsk/f fix it good as new (except for the few files it couldn't recover) ?

Thanks for your input.
Sam

How old is the drive? This will determine whether it is under warranty or not. If not, your only recourse is to replace the drive.

If you run chkdsk and it reports multiple bad sectors, then run it again and it reports more, then your drive has experienced a mechanical shock (drop, hit, etc.) and probably is severely damaged. Get the data off while you can onto a new drive.

If chkdsk reports the same errors after multiple runs, you may be experiencing a single sector failure (in an area you had data in). In this case, you can probably use the drive and not experience further damage.

Drive platters have a magnetic coating that stores the data. All platters have bad areas on them when they are manufacturered, and a Bad Sector Table is created to "hide" them. Over time, a new "bad sector" can appear after the Table has been created to block use of the prior "known bad sectors".

If the data is critical, i.e. not backed up already, don't risk it and make a backup now.

[Beavis]

FYI: Circuit City has a WD 300Gb internal hard drive 7200rpm/8mb for $99 after $80 Mail in rebate

i just bought 2

[mindonstrike]

Thanks everybody for your replies!

It appears there is no black or white answer.
The drive is about three years old so there is no waranty. It was just the data drive on my backup computer, most of which also exists on my show computer so nothing was ireplaceable. I do use it for bumper music between karaoke songs so losing it would be an annoyance but not a disaster. I've since backed everything up to an external drive. When it occured I had just dumped about a thousand avi files on to it and played a few with Hoster to make sure they were ok, and they were, and then proceeded to defrag the drives when the problem occured. Ironicly all of the "orphaned" files chkdsk reported were many of the avi I had just put on.

I was just hoping I wouldn't have to dump a perfectly good 160gb drive, although it appears to be working fine again I guess I'll make plans to replace it.

Thanks again everybody.

Sam

[MTUSUPPORT]

We only use the Seagate brand drives, as they have a 5 yr warranty. I have had a few bad ones, but not many. They are very easy to work with to get a replacement.