software for repairing a bad sector

MrViper

MrViper

MrViper

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18 Oct 2002
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my old Packard Bell laptop crashed last night so i put in the xp CD to install windows again

I didn't choose the quick format option and it has been stuck at 27% for over an hour so i believe it has bad sectors

is there any bootable CD i can run to mark the bad sectors?

back in the x386 days i used to low level format a hard disk and it would make the disk avoid any defects.

it has an old 40gb ide drive to my only option is to buy an old one from fleabay

any help would be apreciated :D
 
Depending on the make of drive the manufacture's diagnostic may have the necessary tools.

2.5" IDE drives are still easily available without resorting to the second-hand market.
 
Drives, even older IDE 2.5 inchers, sort out their own bad sector problems onboard. There is a certain number of sectors reserved for relocation, trouble really starts when the number of sectors marked for relocation exceed the number of reserved sectors. In my experience there isn't much software can do for this except provide some kind of placebo fix, as you'll almost certainly have problems with it eventually (sooner rather than later)
 
the drive is 40gb and it is stuck at 27% so could i get away with partitioning 10gb and just use that partition ?

*edit* i just tried the above and it is installing xp
 
Last edited:
bremen1874 said:
Depending on the make of drive the manufacture's diagnostic may have the necessary tools.

2.5" IDE drives are still easily available without resorting to the second-hand market.
Click to expand...

You can still get them but damn they are pricey. WD 80GB Blue Mobile Drive £70! With respect I doubt the op laptop is worth that :D
 
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