Vanguard wrote:
> "meerkat" wrote in message
> news:n9k8i.9169$zL6.1077@newsfe7-gui.ntli.net...
> >
> > "Berra" wrote ...
> > >
> > > 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"?
> >
> > Try the HD manufacturer for test/repair discs.
>
>
> 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.
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.
--
Shaun.
>> Stay informed about: HDD sector read error! 
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