bad block

Question

From the first use of this computer, Dimension 3100, the internal hard disk (HARD DRIVE..., 80GB, S2, 7.2K, 8M, LEAD FREE..., SAMSUNG...) has been logging "bad block" messages in Windows Event Viewer. It seemed few of the error messages were logged while the anti-virus program scanned the computer.

It has been that way probably for 2 years, and it didn't seem to really affect the use of the computer. ( As I understand, when a bad block is detected, that one gets a replacement from a pool of available spare blocks. When these spare blocks run out, you don't get replacement any more. So, I was just wondering this hard disk still has spare blocks for these constantly discovered bad blocks. )

Any way to fix this problem? Or, any info on this?

Thanks in advance

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Disk
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7
Date:  11/28/2007
Time:  12:52:23 AM
User:  N/A
Computer: FD1
Description:
The device, \Device\Harddisk0\D, has a bad block.
Data:
0000: 03 00 68 00 01 00 b6 00   ..h...¶.
0008: 00 00 00 00 07 00 04 c0   .......À
0010: 00 01 00 00 9c 00 00 c0   ....?..À
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ........
0020: 00 2a 38 6e 00 00 00 00   .*8n....
0028: aa da 02 00 00 00 00 00   ªÚ......
0030: ff ff ff ff 01 00 00 00   ÿÿÿÿ....
0038: 40 00 00 84 02 00 00 00   @..?....
0040: 00 20 0a 12 40 03 20 40   . ..@. @
0048: 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00   ........
0050: 00 00 00 00 a0 d0 9f 82   .... Ð??
0058: 00 00 00 00 70 de 9f 82   ....pÞ??
0060: 02 00 00 00 15 1c 37 00   ......7.
0068: 28 00 00 37 1c 15 00 00   (..7....
0070: 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ........
0078: f0 00 03 00 00 00 00 0b   ð.......
0080: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ........
0088: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ........

Message Edited by dudeboy on 11-28-2007 02:25 AM

PETER345 · Answer

That is very dangerous. If the bad block occurs where you have useful data it is lost. If more bad blocks occur, it is an indication that the HD is failing and you might lose everything.

You should run chkdsk and scan for all bad blocks and mark them. I believe the block is just marked "bad" and never used. It does not need to be replaced. The drive just gets a little smaller.

In the longer run, I would replace the drive because you are playing with fire (unless you don't have any data of value on that drive).

peter

dudeboy · Answer

I probably should have mentioned this.  Every night, at 12:05 am, anti-virus program launches scanning of the computer.  It takes about one hour.  During this scanning, 'bad blocks discovered' error messages are logged; exactly 4 of them; and the first 2 of them and the remaing 2 are always 6 to 7 minutes  apart.    This happens every night.  And, there is this clear pattern.  Thus, I was wondering whether this is happening really because of bad blocks or some other malfanctioning of the hard disk due to things like firmware issues.

PETER345 · Answer

@tr4 wrote:
Does it give the block number? Sounds like the antivurus is detecting bad blocks and marking them but since it is not Windows, it is not able to mark them permanently. Have you done a thorough scandisk? You are probably just reading the same block over and over. If you lost that many blocks every day, you would have lost a lot of capacity.

I think that is correct. You need to run chkdsk to mark them bad so they won't be reused. The anti-virus is not "marking" them but just reporting the error.

Peter

tr4 · Answer

Does it give the block number? Sounds like the antivurus is detecting bad blocks and marking them but since it is not Windows, it is not able to mark them permanently. Have you done a thorough scandisk? You are probably just reading the same block over and over. If you lost that many blocks every day, you would have lost a lot of capacity.

shesagordie · Answer

dudeboy

You should keep all the data you wish to save, backed up to other media and consider replacing the hard drive, before the drive fails.

Bev.

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dudeboy · Answer

You are  right.  The bad blocks are discovered when Anti-virus is trying to read, but it is not anti-virus program which registers that bad block message.  Anyway, after scanning the hard disk surface and fixing problem area, the error messages are gone.  Thanks much.

Storage, Drives & Media

bad block

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