danebdon
asked on
Keep Getting HDD "Bad Areas"
I've had two hard drives in the last 12 years.
With the first I kept getting requests to run surface check on bootup (under Win98SE) and it found bad areas, labelled them and carried on, then the disk slowed down and eventually failed. I presumed this was due to a clapped disk, even though it wasn't particularly old.
The second time, brand new HDD, same thing is happening, I'm getting the bad areas, just found 7 bad areas! Can anyone shed any light on what is going on? Could it be problems with my BIOS or other hardware? It was build myself from scratch 3 years ago.
With the first I kept getting requests to run surface check on bootup (under Win98SE) and it found bad areas, labelled them and carried on, then the disk slowed down and eventually failed. I presumed this was due to a clapped disk, even though it wasn't particularly old.
The second time, brand new HDD, same thing is happening, I'm getting the bad areas, just found 7 bad areas! Can anyone shed any light on what is going on? Could it be problems with my BIOS or other hardware? It was build myself from scratch 3 years ago.
Cause of Bad Sectors
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/comp/hdd/errorsBadSectors-c.html
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/comp/hdd/errorsBadSectors-c.html
The average life span for a HDD is 3 years.
HDD are mechanical devices and do ware out after a period of time.
Backup all your data and get ready to buy a new drive.
HDD are mechanical devices and do ware out after a period of time.
Backup all your data and get ready to buy a new drive.
ASKER
Gah! How frustrating, sorry guys, what a pain in the neck -my question was meant to read in the last 12 MONTHS, not years, a hugely important change! Really sorry.
Could you re-address the quesion, please?
Could you re-address the quesion, please?
Are the drives new or used?
What sort of drives are they? Some are a lot more likely to fail than others.
Have you checked your power supply? Have you got a high quality power filter installed? Bad power can cause havoc with hard drives.
Finally, if the new drive has bad sectors, send it back for replacement, and see what the next one is like.
HTH.
Have you checked your power supply? Have you got a high quality power filter installed? Bad power can cause havoc with hard drives.
Finally, if the new drive has bad sectors, send it back for replacement, and see what the next one is like.
HTH.
ASKER
Thanks a lot guys.
The drives are new.
I don't even have a filter installed, nevermind a high quality one :-S
It has happened, once or twice, that the computer has had to be forced shut down as they froze and ALT CTRL DEL didn't work. Is it possible that there could be a delayed reaction from something like that?
Thanks
The drives are new.
I don't even have a filter installed, nevermind a high quality one :-S
It has happened, once or twice, that the computer has had to be forced shut down as they froze and ALT CTRL DEL didn't work. Is it possible that there could be a delayed reaction from something like that?
Thanks
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ASKER
Thanks for the help guys.
I'm new to the rating system so if I'm being over stingy, tell me so I'll know for the future.
I tried to rate for effort in answering and not helpfulness, or should it be the other way around
I'm new to the rating system so if I'm being over stingy, tell me so I'll know for the future.
I tried to rate for effort in answering and not helpfulness, or should it be the other way around
Actually it is both but leans more heavily towards helpfulness. Giving a higher grade has no affect on how points are deducted from your account. In this case you put a point value of 125 points on this question and that is all you will have deducted from your account regardless if you grade the queistion A B or C.
My opinion I think the accepted comment deserved better than a C.
Quite frankly the grading system is a litte screwy and can be difficult to figure out how to apply it especailly to somebody who is relatively new to the site.
My opinion I think the accepted comment deserved better than a C.
Quite frankly the grading system is a litte screwy and can be difficult to figure out how to apply it especailly to somebody who is relatively new to the site.
The Crazy One