Is there a way to manually mark the bad sector so I don't have to trash the drive since chkdsk didn't detect and fix the problem?
- Tom
Yes, but not exactly mark, and it depends on how bad is it and if benchmark test result still tolerable.
Just to share my few successful experience on how to keep using hard drive having bad sector(s).
From my experience, chkdsk will not be able to detect the bad sectors if not filled up with files. Instead, I use HD Tune run on bootable CD only, for the purpose of consistency benchmark result. HD Tune quick scan may not detect bad sector, use full scan, it take hours to complete.
I will use back the hard drive under following conditions:
- HD Tune benchmark test still show consistent (slowly dropping) graph w/o serious spike with acceptable read/write speed (>= 20MB/s).
- Not >2 bad sectors.
- For system drive, the front (fastest) track of disc must have at least 15-20GB (if XP) not having bad sector. For temporary storage drive, as long as the non affected area fulfill my need. I don't use bad sector hard drive for permanent storage or sensitive data storage.
First, base on HD Tune bad sector scan chart, i will calculate the estimate position(s) of bad sector(s) and give some space allowance. Do some disk space planning (calculation), once the safe disk position(s) is(are) calculated, delete all partition in hard drive.
Next, re-partition is critical. If bad sector is at the very front track, then create a partition which is just big enough to cover the front track, no need to format or quick format will do. Next, create another partition, if it sit between two bad sectors, make sure the partition size is at safe distance between 2 bad sectors, this is the portion of the hard drive that you are going to use back, run full format. Repeat the steps for next bad sector.
Next is to test the re-formatted partition, dump in disk image or fill up the good partition with full of files. Then use disk image software (I use freeware DriveImageXML in bootable CD/USB) to backup partition, if there is still bad sector on this partition, DriveImageXML will abort image backup with error message, I tested many time without fail but yet to test on Win7x64 because my bootable CD once tested on x64 machine cannot detect internal hard drive.
Hope this helps.
If someone know how to exactly mark the bad sector affected area, kindly share your thoughts.
Edited: Sorry to bring up this old thread, just saw ionbasa message after submit post.