Bad sectors on a Hitachi

malef!c · 22 Nov 2008 at 19:57

Guys.

Any ideas how I can mark a couple of bad sectors on an Hitachi HDT725040VLA360?

I tried the Windows checkdisk thing and try to auto fix errors but when I am trying to unzip something to that drive its still getting the errors.

Is the only way by using the official Hitachi software or is there a couple of other things I can try first - don't fancy low level formats (if you can still do those!!)

Luckily got all the data off the drive anyway so any ideas greatly appreciated.

M

Edit - forgot to say, XP SP3 if that makes any difference.

deadite66 · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:16

spinrite could do it but it costs the price of a drive

malef!c · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:23

Cheers for that - might as well get a new drive.
I am right in thinking if there are sectors starting to die the drive is on its way out anyway?

Can you tell its been a long time since I actually plunged into the guts of a PC

deadite66 · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:33

its possible it could be dying, it also could be damaged if the pc crashed when writing spewing data across the drive or cosmic rays fliping bits.

malef!c · 22 Nov 2008 at 20:40

There was a powercut a few days back - guess that could have fudged it.......them damned cosmic rays, didn't think of them

Guess it is really new drive time them, - now do I brave the cold and the purple monkies in the local PC store tomorrow or just buy online.

Will go looking for a 500Gb drive online I think