How to erase bad sectors. How to fix bad sectors on a disk in Windows
Often, personal computer users encounter hard drive problems that affect the operation of the system. The main causes of hard drive failure are: bad sectors in HD D and faulty file system. In this material we will describe in detail HDD problem fixing process, and also describe methods for recovering information on hard drives, if it is faulty or completely out of order. I would also like to note that problems associated with the hard drive need to be given special attention. For example, if the HDD becomes completely faulty, then you are unlikely to be able to recover information from it. That is, all your documents, personal videos and photographs, as well as other files may be lost forever.
Reading SMART readings from the hard drive
If files are not copied on your computer, programs freeze after opening, then a possible reason for this may be faulty HDD. Typically this operating system behavior is due to with bad sectors in the hard drive. To be sure that the problem is related to bad sectors of the HDD and not to malware, the first step is to confirm this guess. If the situation described above is observed on your computer, we will install the utility on it CrystalDiskInfo. This utility describes the status of all hard drives installed on your computer. You can download CrystalDiskInfo from its official website http://crystalmark.info. The utility supports Windows OS, from XP to Windows 10.
To check information about the hard drive, the utility uses self-diagnosis technology SMART. SMART technology is used on all manufactured HDDs. Below is an example of checking SMART readings using the CrystalDiskInfo utility in the hard drive WD1200JS. From this window you can see that the program has detected its status as " Fine" - this means that this hard drive is in perfect order and you should not worry about it.
In the following image in the SMART readings, the CrystalDiskInfo utility detected the status of the screw with the message " Anxiety" This message means that the hard drive already has bad sectors or is overheating.
If you see the message " Bad", then this will mean that all the bad sectors on the hard drive have been reassigned and soon it will be completely covered.
In both cases, when the program detected messages " Anxiety" And " Bad", you should make a backup copy of all data on your computer, as the screw will soon become unusable.
One solution that can temporarily fix your screw is the utility Victoria. This utility can do REMAP BAD sectors, that is, it will reassign bad sectors to backup ones. In the next section we will describe in detail the process of REMAP BAD sectors using the Victoria utility.
Recovering a hard drive using the Victoria program
Utility Victoria created by a Belarusian programmer and distributed free of charge. You can download the utility on its official website hdd-911.com. The Victoria utility is distributed in two versions for Windows and DOS. In our case, we will download the Windows version. After launching the Victoria utility on Windows, we will be taken to such a window.
To fix the hard drive, we need to go to the “Tests” tab. On this tab we are interested in the area with the radio buttons Ignore, Erase, Remap and Restore, as well as the Start button. To fix it, we need to select the Remap radio button and click Start.
After these steps, the Victoria program will begin the process of repairing sectors, which can take quite a long time.
After reassigning the sectors, Victoria may be able to restore the bad sectors, and the CrystalDiskInfo utility will display the value “Good”. But a magical fix may not happen, since the reserve sectors may simply be absent and Victoria will not be able to help. In this case, there is only one way out - do a complete HDD replacement. In addition to screw treatment, Victoria also provides checking readings SMART on the " tab SMART».
I would like to note that all operations that you perform using Victoria are done at your own peril and risk. Using the utility, an inexperienced user can damage the hard drive and also deprive it of warranty service.
Fixing file system problems on your hard drive
Many users on Windows computers often experience problems related to file system errors NTFS. File system problems occur due to malicious utilities and various software. Also, file system problems most often occur due to inexperience the PC user himself. For example, incorrect handling of the utility Acronis Disk Director. To solve this problem, Windows itself will help us. Windows provides file system repair tool. To fix the file system on a specific partition, you need to go to its properties. In our case, this is the system partition of the Windows 10 operating system. To run the fix, we need to go to the “ Service».
On this tab there is a button Check that we will click.
After this action, a window will appear in which you need to confirm our actions.
After confirming the action, Windows will scan this partition.
After scanning, the system will display a message with the results of scanning the partition for errors.
Using this method, many users restored the operating system to normal operation without having to reinstall it. If the problems lie in the HDD itself, then no amount of checking the disk or reinstalling the OS will help in this case. The only option in this case is that you can resort to the Victoria utility or completely replace the screw with a new one, while reinstalling Windows.
Recovering disks using Acronis True Image 2016
The software is the ideal tool to create a full backup all local partitions, including the system one. This feature is used by many administrators around the world. The created backup of local disks can be restored in a very short time. For example, if the system is infected with a virus or the HDD is broken, in this case you will restore all OS disks in a short period of time. You can find Acronis True Image 2016 on its official website www.acronis.com. By launching the program in question, we will be taken to such a window.
First of all, we will show our readers how you can create a backup copy of local Acronis True Image 2016 partitions. On the first tab “Backup” you can see that the entire computer is selected for backup. That is, a complete backup of all local partitions, including the system one, will be carried out. In the next block you need to select a backup location. In our case, this is local drive E. After selecting the type of backup data and where to save it, click the Create a copy button located in the lower right corner.
Depending on the amount of data being saved, the time it takes to create a backup will depend.
Having completed the backup, we will describe the process of restoring the computer. To do this, we need to create a boot disk or flash drive for Acronis True Image 2016. This can be done by going to the “ TOOLS/BOOTABLE DRIVE CREATION WIZARD" Below is the wizard that should open.
In this wizard, we will select the first option and continue. In the window that appears, select where we will save the boot drive: into the image or to a flash drive.
After saving the boot drive, the wizard will display a final window.
Having created a bootable USB flash drive or optical disk with Acronis True Image 2016, you can begin data recovery. To do this, we will boot from the bootable USB flash drive when the computer starts. After booting from the boot drive, we find ourselves in the Acronis True Image 2016 menu. Select the first item in this menu, after which we find ourselves in the main Acronis True Image window.
In the program window, go to the “” tab and find the backup copy of the entire system we previously created.
Now, to restore the system disk with Windows and local disks, click the button Disk recovery.
In the wizard that appears, select the item “ Recover disks and partitions" and continue.
In the next window, select all local disks and continue the wizard.
In paragraphs " Destination"For the first and second disks, select the original HDDs. If there are many hard drives installed in the system, be careful not to mix up the screws. In the final window, click the Proceed button.
The backup recovery time depends on the size and speed of the HDD. In our case it took 10 minutes.
The example shows how easy it is to make a backup copy of your entire computer, so if you master the Acronis True Image 2016 software package, you can easily restore its functionality in cases where the system is infected or the hard drive is broken. Also, after mastering the program, you will not have questions about how to recover data from a hard drive.
Data recovery using Recuva
There are times when, when reinstalling Windows or using Acronis software, users mistakenly erase all information from the hard drive. If this is exactly the situation you have, then you shouldn’t be upset, since all the information can be found restore. A free utility will help us with this task. Recuva. You can download the utility on its official website www.piriform.com. After launching the utility, the user is taken to a wizard that will help you restore all your data. Below is the sequential work of the master.
The example shows that data recovery using Recuva is a fairly simple process and almost any PC user can handle it.
Let's sum it up
From this article it can be emphasized that restoring a hard drive is not a very simple task, but depending on the situation, even an ordinary PC user can cope with it. I would also like to advise laptop owners to handle it as carefully as possible. For example, if the laptop is dropped or receives a strong impact, the HDD may be damaged. In addition, if you yourself have identified a problematic screw, then do not be afraid to open the case of a laptop or desktop computer yourself, since replacing the HDD is a fairly simple task. And we, in turn, hope that our material will be useful to our readers and will allow you to restore your hard drive.
Video on the topic
Important things depend on the condition of the hard drive - the operation of the operating system and the safety of user files. Problems such as file system errors and bad sectors can lead to the loss of personal information, failures to load the OS and complete failure of the drive.
The ability to recover an HDD depends on the type of bad blocks. Physical damage cannot be repaired, while logical errors must be corrected. To do this, you will need a special program that works with bad sectors.
Before running the healing utility, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics. It will allow you to find out if there are problem areas and whether you need to work on them. We have already written in more detail about what bad sectors are, where they come from, and what program scans the hard drive for their presence in another article:
You can use scanners for built-in and external HDD, as well as flash drive.
If, after checking, the presence of errors and bad sectors is discovered, and you want to eliminate them, then special software will again come to the rescue.
Method 1: Using third-party programs
Often users decide to resort to using programs that would handle errors and bad blocks at the logical level. We have already compiled a selection of such utilities, and you can familiarize yourself with them using the link below. There you will also find a link to a lesson on disk recovery.
When choosing a program for HDD treatment, approach it wisely: if used inappropriately, you can not only damage the device, but also lose important data stored on it.
Method 2: Using the built-in utility
An alternative way to resolve errors is to use the chkdsk program built into Windows. It can scan all drives connected to the computer and fix any problems found. If you are going to fix the partition where the OS is installed, then chkdsk will start working only the next time you start the computer, or after a manual reboot.
To work with the program, it is best to use the command line.
Please note that none of the programs can fix bad sectors at the physical level, even if this is stated by the manufacturer. No software can restore the surface of a disk. Therefore, in case of physical damage, it is necessary to replace the old HDD with a new one as quickly as possible before it stops functioning.
This does not force developers to think through data storage down to the smallest detail. However, in actual operation of the device, all their tricks do not help.
Why do sectors deteriorate?
The operating principle of a mechanical hard drive is very simple. There are several round magnetic plates. The reading heads use them to search for the necessary information. When the hard drive mechanism is subjected to vibration or sudden shock, microscopic scratches may appear on the surface of the drive. This leads to damage to sectors and loss of data - programs, books, music or films.
No matter how carefully you operate your PC, bad sectors may still appear on your hard drive.
If the hard drive is several years old, its seal may be compromised. Any speck of dust that gets inside is a potential cause of bad sectors.
Add to this power surges, sudden PC shutdowns and simply improper handling of the computer, and the reasons for damage to information will become much greater.
Is there a way out?
If bad sectors appear, there is no need to immediately panic and urgently change the hardware. There are ways to either mark problem areas so that they do not create problems in the future. Or fix the damage using some special programs.
When bad sectors appear, there are two ways - use the system’s own program or a third-party one.
The simplest thing you can do is run a disk surface check. To do this, you need to right-click on the failed logical partition, select “Properties”, then the “Tools” tab and “Run scan”, checking the “Scan and repair bad sectors” checkbox. The system will scan the disk, find errors and either return the sectors to working condition or mark them as bad so that the read heads bypass them and do not create “brakes” in operation.
For more “advanced” users, we can recommend the HDD-Regenerator program. It works at the physical level and helps to cope with the problem where the standard disk check program is useless. The regenerator does deep work and in most cases returns the sectors to normal. You will not lose data and will significantly increase the service life of your hard drive.
There are many other programs, even those that only real “hackers” or experienced users can understand. However, in most cases, the two products described above are sufficient. They are time-tested and have helped in many difficult cases.
Problems with hard drives on your computers always arise spontaneously. The main indicator of possible problems with the HDD is time! Yes, time is not only a “doctor”, but also an absolute destroyer!
Signs indicating problems with “tin” are very banal.
Firstly, these are strange sounds that occur while your hard drive is running: squeaks, clanks and other sound effects.
Secondly, this is the heating of the surface of the hard drive case: as you know, a normal HDD does not heat up at all (well, at most its surface is slightly warm).
Thirdly, frequent crashes of the operating system: this indicates a huge number of damaged sectors of your hard drive (clusters).
As you can see, friends, there are quite a few reasons. How to solve a problem? There are two solutions:
- buy a new hard drive;
- try to “cure” the old one.
Recovering damaged hard drive sectors
First, you should know the reasons that are the catalyst for the occurrence of bad sectors on the HDD:
- improper shutdown of the computer;
- viruses and Trojans;
- incorrect removal of programs and games.
How to do it? There is nothing complicated in the procedure, since it is as simple as three pennies. Go to “Start - My Computer”. Place the cursor over any local disk and right-click. A menu will appear in which you select the last line “Properties”. By clicking on “Properties”, you open the “Properties: system disk (drive letter)” window. There, in this window, you see several active tabs - click on the “Service” tab. Do you see: three sections have appeared and each section has active buttons? In the “Check the disk (Check volume for errors)” section, click on the “Check the volume” button, and then check the checkboxes in the “Scan and repair damaged sectors” and “Automatically correct system errors” items.
Next, click on “Launch” and wait for the process to complete. Warning: The process of fixing hard drive problems can take a very long time! This directly depends on the condition and “age” of your hard drive. Therefore, do not panic if your disk is being “treated” for several hours in a row: this is normal for old or badly damaged HDDs. Attention: if your damaged disk (for example, C) is currently busy, the OS will prompt you to check the sectors the next time the system boots. We agree, click “Ok” and restart the system. That's it: now your disk has begun to “heal”. All you have to do is wait for the process to finish. After this, we check the disk for adequacy: we try to launch programs and applications, and monitor the speed and quality of execution. But still, it should be taken into account that the old hard drive will sooner or later be covered with a “copper basin”! Therefore, if your HDD is old, be prepared to replace it. Good luck!
One of the biggest annoyances for PC owners can be damaged sectors on the hard drive. Such sectors are called “broken,” and the hard disk itself with such damage is said to have begun to “crumble.”
The location of such damage directly determines the ability to turn on/off the computer. If the sectors where the operating system files are located are damaged, the PC will not turn on. If we are talking about sectors where other files are located, then the user will have the opportunity to boot the machine. Depending on this feature, the method of removing the hard drive is selected.
What to do
With this type of damage, you need to open “My Computer” and right-click the desired drive. Next, from the proposed options, select “Properties”, then “Service” and “Run check”. You need to check the box “Automatically correct system errors” and “Scan and repair bad sectors”. By clicking “Start”, the user starts checking the hard drive for damage. After this, you are instructed to restart the PC.
In the second case, you should have a disk with a virtual operating system or a Windows installation disk at hand. To start the computer, you need to insert the disk into the drive and turn on the machine in normal mode. All further actions are similar to those described in the previous paragraph. When working with the installation disk, a menu will appear with the option to select the “Restore System” command. As a result, the hard drive will be checked for bad sectors, and any damage found will be repaired.
Special programs
You can also check and restore your hard drive using a program launched through the recovery console. The Recovery Console itself can be launched without a boot disk. To do this, press the F8 key and select Safe Mode, which supports the command line. After the console is loaded, the partition with Windows installed on it is selected. It is necessary to ensure that the partition matches the disk after this administrator. After the appropriate prompt appears in the line, enter the disk name, route and file name. Using the Enter key, the user starts the recovery process.
Thus, when checking the “C” partition of the hard drive, you need to launch the system recovery console and issue the command chkdsk c: /f /r. It’s easy to prevent such a nuisance in the future - for this you need to acquire special programs, for example, MHDD. Such
