[SOLVED] How does SeaTools Repair Bad Sectors?

[jaythorpe522]

I'm wondering if I did a dumb.

When SeaTools 'repairs' bad sectors, I understand it just tells the disk not to use that area, correct? I have an 80 GB drive that had 7 errors across it, 5 seemingly close together (within the first 4% or a long test) and 2 more across the rest of the drive.

But, does then zero-ing out the drive in SeaTools negate the bad sector workaround?

Does quick formatting in WinXP negate the workaround?

I recently did a complete overhaul/reinstall of XP after using SeaTools to 'repair' one drive and then zero out both a system drive and a storage drive. I figured since they were zero'ed, a QuickFormat was sufficient when partitioning things back out. Was this just plain asinine?

Thanks

jw

[Networks]

I am not sure I really understand what you are asking however the bad sector table ie reallocated sector table is not infinite it has a limit on the number it can hold. All drives have a few bad sectors and you can get a few more over time but if the increase is signifigant then the drive is going bad just plain and simple they are mechanical and don't last forever and we are now talking about an 80GB drive you can get a new 300 or 500 in the 50 to 70 dollar range all day long. Its just not worth risking the data on a drive that is showing its age in my opinion.

Your correct sectors don't get fixed just marked bad and added to the table to ignore. Zero fill sometimes helps weed out the bad ones but its not always 100%. I have seen drives just get a few 3 bad sectors and just lay down and die days after. I got one on the table now its not looking so good for it either.

[jaythorpe522]

So the

Originally Posted by Networks

bad sector table ie reallocated sector table

is totally separate from formatting, zero-filling, and any other function I might stumble across? Once a bad sector is identified and 'repaired' (the disk, if I understand correctly, tells itself not to use it?), that repair cannot be accidentally undone by any tools at my disposal?

Thanks!

jw

[Networks]

Originally Posted by jaythorpe522

Once a bad sector is identified and 'repaired' (the disk, if I understand correctly, tells itself not to use it?), that repair cannot be accidentally undone by any tools at my disposal?

When a bad sector is marked as bad and added to the g-list table. no sector is ever "repaired" The G-list can be cleared with DR tools I have no way to know what "tools" you have at your disposal so I can really say. Why would you want to clear the sectors marked bad ? Quick formatting just marks the MFT table and tells the OS all areas on the drive are available for new data to be written to the drive. The drive decides which free space to use and when to use it. Does that answer your ?

[jaythorpe522]

Originally Posted by Networks

Why would you want to clear the sectors marked bad ?

Heavens to Betsy, I wouldn't! I wanted to make sure I couldn't accidentally do it (either from the OS or with SeaTools).

Originally Posted by Networks

Does that answer your ?

Absolutely. Thanks!

jw