nwc@cunixc.columbia.edu (Nick Christopher) (03/15/88)
I need some help with my hard disk, it has one bad sector which at present I
have a file called BAD.SEC on top of so it is not too big a threat. However I
can not optimize (etc.) the disk with the bad sector.
Now, I know I could back everything up, low level format, fdisk, format and
restore, but: a) that is VERY time consuming, b) I do not have a low level
format for the ibm XT (any body got one they could send along?).
Is there any way I can simply mark the sector as bad? Are there any utilities
that could help with that?
"I am the Lorvax. I speak for the machines."
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nwc%cunixc@columbia, columbia!cunixc!nwc BITNET: nwcus@cuvma
USENET: topaz!columbia!cunixc!nwc
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Disclaimer: You have, *MY* word on it!
--
"I am the Lorvax. I speak for the machines."
______________________________________________________________________________
nwc%cunixc@columbia, columbia!cunixc!nwc BITNET: nwcus@cuvma
USENET: topaz!columbia!cunixc!nwccreps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Steve Creps) (03/18/88)
In article <494@cunixc.columbia.edu> nwc@cunixc.columbia.edu (Nick Christopher) writes: >I need some help with my hard disk, it has one bad sector which at present I >have a file called BAD.SEC on top of so it is not too big a threat. However I >can not optimize (etc.) the disk with the bad sector. >Now, I know I could back everything up, low level format, fdisk, format and >restore, but: a) that is VERY time consuming, b) I do not have a low level >format for the ibm XT (any body got one they could send along?). On my machine, with a Seagate drive, I don't need software to do a low-level format. The low-level format program is in ROM on the controller card. I would suspect this is your case also. Try going into debug, then jumping to the program address by giving a "g=c800:5" command. As for what you said about all that procedure of backing up the disk, etc, being very time consuming, I would recommend doing it anyway. I do just that procedure every couple of months on my machine. It unfragments the disk, finds any bad sectors that may have popped up, and also gives an excuse to back up the hard disk, which I really don't do often enough. - - - - - - - - - - Steve Creps on the 8650 runnin' Ultrix at Indiana University. creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (192.12.206.2), ...iuvax!silver!creps, creps@iubacs.bitnet "Hey fellas, it's a four-legged V-8!"
hardin@hpindda.HP.COM (John Hardin) (03/18/88)
>/ nwc@cunixc.columbia.edu (Nick Christopher) / 7:03 am Mar 15, 1988 / > >I need some help with my hard disk, it has one bad sector which at present I >have a file called BAD.SEC on top of so it is not too big a threat. However I >can not optimize (etc.) the disk with the bad sector. > >Now, I know I could back everything up, low level format, fdisk, format and >restore, but: a) that is VERY time consuming, b) I do not have a low level >format for the ibm XT (any body got one they could send along?). > >Is there any way I can simply mark the sector as bad? Are there any utilities >that could help with that? ---------- I use the DT (Disc Test) utility that comes with Norton Utilities 4.0. You can mark a cluster (4 sectors?) bad. In your case, you could just run it asking it to check files and move any data in danger (DT /F/M) and it would move the cluster in BAD.SEC somewhere else and mark the cluster as bad. From then on you could forget about it. John Hardin hardin%hpindda@hplabs.hp.com
dick@slvblc.UUCP (Dick Flanagan) (03/18/88)
In article <494@cunixc.columbia.edu> nwc@cunixc.columbia.edu (Nick Christopher) writes: > I need some help with my hard disk, it has one bad sector which at present I > have a file called BAD.SEC on top of so it is not too big a threat. However I > can not optimize (etc.) the disk with the bad sector. > > Is there any way I can simply mark the sector as bad? Are there any utilities > that could help with that? Two possibilities come to mind. One of the Norton 4.0 utilities can mark individual sectors as bad. When the Mace utilities optimize a disk, they do not relocate files that have the System attribute set. You could use one of the attribute-tweaking utilities to set your file's System attribute, and Mace would then optimize around it. You can't go wrong with either of these packages--Norton, especially, did a good job with his 4.x collection. Dick -- Dick Flanagan, W6OLD GEnie: FLANAGAN UUCP: ...!ucbvax!ucscc!slvblc!dick Voice: +1 408 336 3481 Internet: slvblc!dick@ucscc.UCSC.EDU LORAN: N037 04.7 W122 04.6 USPO: PO Box 155, Ben Lomond, CA 95005