Repairing a disk

[johner]

I was running Windows XP on a Dell PC but Windows will not start up. The diagnostic CD provided with the PC identified an uncorrectable data error on one of the hard disk blocks. I have used Knoppix to copy all the files onto a USB portable drive. Is there any way I can use Knoppix to repair the hard disk by defragmenting or some other action?

[chip.ling]

I was running Windows XP on a Dell PC but Windows will not start up. The diagnostic CD provided with the PC identified an uncorrectable data error on one of the hard disk blocks. I have used Knoppix to copy all the files onto a USB portable drive. Is there any way I can use Knoppix to repair the hard disk by defragmenting or some other action?

Since you already have all your files backup to the USB drive. My recommendation is to use the Dell recovery disk to reinstall Windows xp.

During the recovering process, when asked, say yes to reformat the harddisk, it is a good idea to do it since formatting will fix the corrupted sectors and black-list the physical damaged one. (assuming you only have a few of them, if you have a lot, it will fail)

Also depends on where the "error block" is located, if it is located at the boot sector or the MBR, you may need to run the FIXBOOT and then follow by FIXMBR from the windows PE environment to fix it.

To me, whenever I need to fix the NTFS file system, I use Microsoft tools first.

If all fail, then you may want to use knoppix (or other Linux) as a last resort. Commands you may need to use are:

fdisk, mkfs.ntfs (if using FAT or FAT32, use mkfs.vfat)

Rgds,
Chip

[Harry Kuhman]

Your best bet is to not use Knoppix ever to write to a Microsoft NTFS partition. If it was a partition table issue them I might suggest using Knoppix to fix it. but not a problem with a bad block in the data areas.

I think your best bet, if you have backed up all desired data, is to reformat the partition and let Windows map out the bad block.

There is one piece of software that I know of that is fantastic for exactly this purpose: Spinrite by Steve Gibson, see the website grc.com. Spinrite can often recover unreadable sectors and salvage data, and it can return bad sectors to active use (if you want that and think it is safe). However, there are a couple of downsides I should mention: It is pretty useless on other hard drive problem, such as the all too common Windows data corruption issues. In spite of all of Steve's claimed testimonials, the only thing I believe it ever fixes is truly bad physical sectors, and these are not a common problem in my experience. And second it is pretty expensive. Expensive enough that you could buy a terra-byte drive (or maybe larger) for the price of the software. So if you need it and it works and you'll get a lot of use out of it, then it may be a good deal. But if you're just wanting to repair one aging drive, you may be better off getting a new large drive than spending money to nurse along an old one that will still be old and small even if the software can recover a bad block.

[triviaace11]

I was running Windows XP on a Dell PC but Windows will not start up. The diagnostic CD provided with the PC identified an uncorrectable data error on one of the hard disk blocks. I have used Knoppix to copy all the files onto a USB portable drive. Is there any way I can use Knoppix to repair the hard disk by defragmenting or some other action?

My problem is the same as yours. Please tell me how you copied your files to your USB portable HD. Were you able to get on Internet Explorer to view your Favorites? Desk Top? Thanks.