How to create partition that avoids damaged areas?

Hi all. I'm fooling about with a 20gb hdd that I want to experiment on. But it has a few bad sectors, according to HDTune Pro and HDDRegen.

I realize that it'd be foolish to rely on this drive in any way; as I said, I'm only gonna be fiddling with it.

But if it turns out that all the damage is in one place, I have an idea that it's possible to create a partition in a specific place, ie, one that avoids the bad areas.

Anyone know how to do this?

PS: HDTune is locating the damage as it runs, spelling out both the MB point and LBA. Example: "36 - Error at 3760 MB (LBA 7700512) "

 

Hi masonite!

In theory, you can run FORMAT and it will "repair" those bad areas by mapping them out of the file table and allow you to use the remainder of the drive . That is not to say more bad areas will not show up because often this problem is chronic and progressive.

Run chkdsk /r afterwards and see if the drive reports any errors. If not perhaps you'll get lucky.

Only time will tell. Give it a go and let's hope you may get many good hours of fiddling.

 

Hi Dude. Thanks for the comment. BTW, in case you were wondering about the multi-boot project, this drive was to be the host. Don't think it's gonna happen now, tho.

Yeah, well I thought about chkdsk and other stuff but thought it'd be more permanent to create and selectively place a partition where there was no damage. Maybe it's not possible.....

Actually, I think this 20gb drive is pretty bad. It's been checking for almost 24hrs and only reached halfway, and the green screen is spotted with red blotches, like a Martian with a bad case of measles. So my multiboot project might have to wait a leetle longer

 

Thanks Dude. Maybe it ain't possible to do that. No worries. Another old drive will turn up soon and then I can get on with the multiboot project.

Cheers
M

EDIT: Sorry about this extra bit. I thought I'd lost the above reply so added another. Then the first one came back. Gawd I love computers!