Desktop HDD Knackered?

[tazo2675]

Have an error message saying:

File record segment ***** is unreadable.

I've worked out this is something to do with bad sectors on the hdd. But does it mean that the drive is totally knackered?

How do you repair bad sectors??

Much appreciated people.

 

[Fanum]

If it's till accessible, first off, save all of your data, documents, settings (passwords, emails etc etc) to DVD or another drive....

Don't fekk about looking for answers until you do......seriously.

HD's are chaep as chips, data can be invaluable.










'specially niche gentleman's film collections

 

[Pondboy]

Try running Accessories/Tools/Disk defragger.

If it see's knackered sectors, it should kick in the DOS repair tool which will run automatically. Knackered sectors could just be caused by a bad shutdown, but I would get a big new hard disk anyway. PB

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Save your data and buy a new disk. Bad sectors is a hardware problem and while windows can mark them and not use them the writing is on the wall for the drive. The next bit of data loss could be really important.

 

[chipsonfriday]

Save your data and buy a new disk. Bad sectors is a hardware problem and while windows can mark them and not use them the writing is on the wall for the drive. The next bit of data loss could be really important.

+1.

Be careful. There are basically two types of harddrive available ATA and SATA (newer technology). It depends on the age of your PC. They are not compatable - the connecters are different.

If in doubt, and assuming you have some computer knowledge best bet is to open her up and if possible remove the drive from the PC and have a look at the information on the drive.

Of course the problem with replacing the drive will be the installation of the operating system (Windows) and all those programs that you currently use. That means having the discs available (have you still got them?). You will also probably need drivers for the motherboard, network adaptor, video adaptor, sound card, etc. etc.

Just really making the point that it is not just a swap.

Good luck.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

identyfying drive type is easy, take side off and if it has a big wide cable and connector its PATA if it has a thin cable and connector its SATA. Quick way to re-install since your drive isn't completely dead. Keep original drive in place and install new drive alongside old one. Download a copy if Hiren's boot CD http://www.hirensbootcd.net/ burn it to a CD using ImgBurn http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download if you don't have anything to burn an iso stick in cd drive and boot pc. select boot from CD if asked and select boot mini XP. After a couple of mins you will see a windows xp desktop and hiren on the taskbar. Click that a window opens and click menu backup and ghost. Symantic ghost will start and in there you select copy drive to drive and selct old drive as source and new drive as destination. After a while this will complete, shut down PC and remove old drive and plug new drive into where old one was. Start PC and your done. Take about 20-30 mins all in and will be as it was with no having to re-install everything as you have made a perfect clone of one drive to the other. If you or anyone else needs more detailed information let me know and I will do a tutorial with pics.

Note ghost should be licensed if it isnt and that bothers you then select drive image XML instead. It will do the same job and is free but I am not as familiar with it so would have to have a look and see how to do it as tell you from memory.

 

[hank]

identyfying drive type is easy, take side off and if it has a big wide cable and connector its PATA if it has a thin cable and connector its SATA. Quick way to re-install since your drive isn't completely dead. Keep original drive in place and install new drive alongside old one. Download a copy if Hiren's boot CD http://www.hirensbootcd.net/ burn it to a CD using ImgBurn http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download if you don't have anything to burn an iso stick in cd drive and boot pc. select boot from CD if asked and select boot mini XP. After a couple of mins you will see a windows xp desktop and hiren on the taskbar. Click that a window opens and click menu backup and ghost. Symantic ghost will start and in there you select copy drive to drive and selct old drive as source and new drive as destination. After a while this will complete, shut down PC and remove old drive and plug new drive into where old one was. Start PC and your done. Take about 20-30 mins all in and will be as it was with no having to re-install everything as you have made a perfect clone of one drive to the other. If you or anyone else needs more detailed information let me know and I will do a tutorial with pics.

Note ghost should be licensed if it isnt and that bothers you then select drive image XML instead. It will do the same job and is free but I am not as familiar with it so would have to have a look and see how to do it as tell you from memory.

A tutorial would be great, I have been putting off replacing my hard drive on my XP machine for the past six weeks. this method seems to be the easy way to do it.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

I will get it done as soon as I can.

 

[chipsonfriday]

Symantic ghost will start and in there you select copy drive to drive and selct old drive as source and new drive as destination. .

I used ghost a couple of times a few years ago and seem to remember that the destination drive had to be the same size (Gb) (actually Mb in those days) as the source drive. Happy to be corrected and educated.

Chips

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Na it doesn't have to be the same size hard drive but it does need to be the same hardware as in no cloning a drive on one PC and copying it to another model PC. It can be done but that's a whole new way of doing it. Sorry been up to my eyes in it all weekend so haven't managed to get the tutorial done. Maybe tonight or tomorrow.

 

[brassmonkey001]

Na it doesn't have to be the same size hard drive but it does need to be the same hardware as in no cloning a drive on one PC and copying it to another model PC. It can be done but that's a whole new way of doing it. Sorry been up to my eyes in it all weekend so haven't managed to get the tutorial done. Maybe tonight or tomorrow.

How about 12 months later? I could do with a tutorial as I'll be replacing my HDD in the next couple of days.
I already have an external HDD, can I clone my current hard drive onto that and then move it to the new HDD when it arrives?

 

[shugie]

How about 12 months later? I could do with a tutorial as I'll be replacing my HDD in the next couple of days.
I already have an external HDD, can I clone my current hard drive onto that and then move it to the new HDD when it arrives?

Yes, provided that external HDD is bigger. A software tool like Acronis will make life easier, but the free (cough, not paid for) tools in Hirens will do the job as well.

Copying to an external HDD over USB will be slow I suspect, especially with shed loads of stuff.