Re-installing Windows After Bad Sectors Found On Hard Disk

[pete_r]

A technical question, thanks for any answers... I've checked my main HD yesterday, using the manufacturer's utility (Seagate). 86 bad sectors were found and reallocated to spare ones (the disk size is 80GB). A new check today found no new errors.

Now I want to reinstall Windows, as some parts of the operating system may have gone missing (the Notepad has disappeared, making me worry for more important components).

My question is, instead of only re-formatting the C:\ drive and doing a clean install of Windows, I am thinking of zeroing the MBR and re-installing my 4 partitions... Is that a good idea or overkill?

There's no concern about my data, all is already backed-up.

[cdnvic]

If the data is all backed up you may as well do the whole disk and bring everything back to an even state. Far easier than doing it separately later should the need arise.

[Huw]

A technical question, thanks for any answers... I've checked my main HD yesterday, using the manufacturer's utility (Seagate). 86 bad sectors were found and reallocated to spare ones (the disk size is 80GB). A new check today found no new errors.

Now I want to reinstall Windows, as some parts of the operating system may have gone missing (the Notepad has disappeared, making me worry for more important components).

My question is, instead of only re-formatting the C:\ drive and doing a clean install of Windows, I am thinking of zeroing the MBR and re-installing my 4 partitions... Is that a good idea or overkill?

There's no concern about my data, all is already backed-up.

I always found the following a good idea:

C: 50Mb, only the boot partition.

D: Windoze OS and programs

E: Windoze clean boot

F: Docs

G: Backups

if you have lots of disk space this is useful because you can boot to E and do a disk to disk backup of the other partitions. very quick with Drive Image

Keep your programs and your documents/files on separate partitions.

HTH

[penguin]

I've had a good run with hard disks, only ever had an old Maxtor go bad on me. Once it started having bad sectors that was a sign it was on its way out. Wiping the whole disk and reinstalling Windows didn't do much good, kept having problems with this and that, replaced it soon after.

If you have any niggles after reformatting you might be better off buying a new hard disk. An 80GB Samsung sata/pata is only 1500 baht, Seagate or WD a few hundred baht more.

[pete_r]

Thanks cdnvic, I'll follow your advice.

As Penguin said, the disk is probably on its way out. It is two years old and has been operating at high temperatures (no air-conditioning in the room). The Smart function says the highest was 57 Celsius.

Huw, I take a note of your partition layout for my next hard disk. Currently I keep a Windows clean boot on a separate disk, and use it to inspect handy drives suspected of virus infections. Maybe paranoid, but I like the idea of keeping the main hard disk and potential virus infections physically separated.

Thanks a lot for your help.

[elkangorito]

I've had a good run with hard disks, only ever had an old Maxtor go bad on me. Once it started having bad sectors that was a sign it was on its way out. Wiping the whole disk and reinstalling Windows didn't do much good, kept having problems with this and that, replaced it soon after.

If you have any niggles after reformatting you might be better off buying a new hard disk. An 80GB Samsung sata/pata is only 1500 baht, Seagate or WD a few hundred baht more.

This is exactly correct. Once any disk starts to develop bad sectors, it usually indicates that the end is approaching. Since disks are magnetic, the failure soon spreads like a disease, to other nearby sectors. Save yourself the trouble of re-installing windows etc & buy a new hdd now.

[pete_r]

I've had a good run with hard disks, only ever had an old Maxtor go bad on me. Once it started having bad sectors that was a sign it was on its way out. Wiping the whole disk and reinstalling Windows didn't do much good, kept having problems with this and that, replaced it soon after.

If you have any niggles after reformatting you might be better off buying a new hard disk. An 80GB Samsung sata/pata is only 1500 baht, Seagate or WD a few hundred baht more.

This is exactly correct. Once any disk starts to develop bad sectors, it usually indicates that the end is approaching. Since disks are magnetic, the failure soon spreads like a disease, to other nearby sectors. Save yourself the trouble of re-installing windows etc & buy a new hdd now.

True. There was one problem with opening a file 2 weeks ago, then in the following days problems seemed to multiply on different partitions. I wonder if the start of the hot season has something to do with it.

[h90]

A technical question, thanks for any answers... I've checked my main HD yesterday, using the manufacturer's utility (Seagate). 86 bad sectors were found and reallocated to spare ones (the disk size is 80GB). A new check today found no new errors.

Now I want to reinstall Windows, as some parts of the operating system may have gone missing (the Notepad has disappeared, making me worry for more important components).

My question is, instead of only re-formatting the C:\ drive and doing a clean install of Windows, I am thinking of zeroing the MBR and re-installing my 4 partitions... Is that a good idea or overkill?

There's no concern about my data, all is already backed-up.

This HD is dead, you need to buy a new one....

[cdnvic]

If it's not physical damage causing bad sectors then Spinrite will more often then not sort the problem out.

[penguin]

If it's not physical damage causing bad sectors then Spinrite will more often then not sort the problem out.

While l hear Spinrite is good, the cost comparison between purchasing Spinrite and a new 80GB hard disk is ....

[think_too_mut]

A technical question, thanks for any answers... I've checked my main HD yesterday, using the manufacturer's utility (Seagate). 86 bad sectors were found and reallocated to spare ones (the disk size is 80GB). A new check today found no new errors.

Now I want to reinstall Windows, as some parts of the operating system may have gone missing (the Notepad has disappeared, making me worry for more important components).

My question is, instead of only re-formatting the C:\ drive and doing a clean install of Windows, I am thinking of zeroing the MBR and re-installing my 4 partitions... Is that a good idea or overkill?

There's no concern about my data, all is already backed-up.

If I run that utility now, very likely there will be bad sectors on my HDD. That is what HDD's microcode routinely handles for OS. In fact, it runs even lower, below BIOS and supplies it with a table of valid sectors.

Billions of HDDS are used that way and "bad sectors" are normal, expected and always there.

Unless you started receiving messages about them (don't know who would initiate the message), you have to do - nothing.

The utility that you used has forced a new rescan (prior to OS randomly requesting space in the sectors that have gone bad since initial scan) and those found bad (and unused) were remapped to a healthy place. Windows would not have a clue about that, reinstalling Win would change nothing.

If the bad sectors were on the used portions of HDD (and somehow remained undetected and not remapped), then you would see remarkable crashing of pretty much everything.

Are you sure Notepad has disappeared?

[cdnvic]

If it's not physical damage causing bad sectors then Spinrite will more often then not sort the problem out.

While l hear Spinrite is good, the cost comparison between purchasing Spinrite and a new 80GB hard disk is ....

I have 8 HDs. If 1 is all you ever own and you always backup your data and are certain that you'll not have a disk die in the future.....

[Firefoxx]

Modern harddrives will automatically detect and re-assign bad sectors on their own. However, if you're doing scandisks and detecting them, that means that the bad sectors have exceeded the normal amount. It's *usually* a sign that your drive is going to die very soon, in its current circumstances. If it was overheating constantly (which is normal for most cheap PC cases), then cooling it better (not by buying a harddrive cooler, *PLEASE*) might prevent further damage. If not, then it's much better to just buy a new one (hey, they're dirt cheap now). The old one you can use to store stuff that's not important.

[Daffy D]

I’ve had Notepad disappear a couple of times. I don’t know what caused it but it had nothing to do with a HDD failure.

I wish I could remember how I got Notepad back, I think it was by running “SFC/ SCANNOW” but can’t be sure now.

If loosing Notepad is your only problem I would not worry about your HDD too much. Run an Error-Check on your drive “My computer – Disc C – Tools – error-Check.”

Just my couple of Bats worth

D.D.

[alexth]

BTW, what disk doctors or analyzers are you guys using nowadays?

[Naam]

A technical question, thanks for any answers... I've checked my main HD yesterday, using the manufacturer's utility (Seagate). 86 bad sectors were found and reallocated to spare ones (the disk size is 80GB). A new check today found no new errors.

Now I want to reinstall Windows, as some parts of the operating system may have gone missing (the Notepad has disappeared, making me worry for more important components).

My question is, instead of only re-formatting the C:\ drive and doing a clean install of Windows, I am thinking of zeroing the MBR and re-installing my 4 partitions... Is that a good idea or overkill?

There's no concern about my data, all is already backed-up.

This HD is dead, you need to buy a new one....

"Crazy Member" = indeed!

[cdnvic]

BTW, what disk doctors or analyzers are you guys using nowadays?

Spinrite. See link above.

[Guest Reimar]

BTW, what disk doctors or analyzers are you guys using nowadays?

Spinrite. See link above.

cndvic,

I know you like Spinrite and you're right it is a very good tool! But you ever use HDD Regenerator?

I use both of them but HDD Regenerator has safe me more HDD's as Spinrite! Its not so fast as Spinrite but it works with what format the HDD has! Without to loosing data, except for sure the Data on clusters and/or sector which are physicly damaged!

A HDD from WD (200GB) with more than 2 GB bad space was reformatted 2 years ago and never shows any bad sector again. That's just one example, while Spinrite wasn't able to repair any sector of this HDD! My last check, if any other software can't do the work, is HDD Regenerator!

[cdnvic]

BTW, what disk doctors or analyzers are you guys using nowadays?

Spinrite. See link above.

cndvic,

I know you like Spinrite and you're right it is a very good tool! But you ever use HDD Regenerator?

I use both of them but HDD Regenerator has safe me more HDD's as Spinrite! Its not so fast as Spinrite but it works with what format the HDD has! Without to loosing data, except for sure the Data on clusters and/or sector which are physicly damaged!

A HDD from WD (200GB) with more than 2 GB bad space was reformatted 2 years ago and never shows any bad sector again. That's just one example, while Spinrite wasn't able to repair any sector of this HDD! My last check, if any other software can't do the work, is HDD Regenerator!

I'll have a look, Thanks

[astral]

If you have a hard disk that is developing NEW bad sectors,

IMHO it is time to replace the disk..

If the machine or the disk is under guarantee take it back to the shop.