A computer components & hardware forum. HardwareBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » HardwareBanter forum » General Hardware & Peripherals » General
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Hard drive dying



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old July 7th 04, 06:35 AM
DJS0302
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Hard drive dying

This pertains to my Windows 95 machine which I still use. Last Fall I was
booting the computer and it beeped and said there were possible errors on the
disk and I had to run a thorough scan to check the drive. It found one bad
sector. I rebooted the computer and it ran scandisk again and found another
bad sector. It was okay until this Spring when it found another bad sector.
Now yesterday and today it found two more bad sectors.
I've had the computer for seven years and have always made it a habit to run a
thorough scandisk and a defrag on a regular basis. I have a few questions.
First, based on your experience and the fact that scandisk is only finding one
or two errors at a time how much longer do you think the drive is going to
last?
Second, it takes scandisk at least 30 minutes to complete a scan, and that's if
it doesn't find any errors. If more disk errors pop up during a boot sequence
is it safe to stop scandisk and let Windows finish booting up and then run
scandisk at a more convenient time?
  #2  
Old July 7th 04, 07:41 AM
Michael Culley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"DJS0302" wrote in message ...
This pertains to my Windows 95 machine which I still use. Last Fall I was
booting the computer and it beeped and said there were possible errors on the
disk and I had to run a thorough scan to check the drive. It found one bad
sector. I rebooted the computer and it ran scandisk again and found another
bad sector. It was okay until this Spring when it found another bad sector.
Now yesterday and today it found two more bad sectors.
I've had the computer for seven years and have always made it a habit to run a
thorough scandisk and a defrag on a regular basis. I have a few questions.


If you get any bad sectors immediately backup all your data and replace your HDD. A drive with any bad sectors should not be relied
apon. If you plan to keep the computer then get a second hand drive with no bad sectors. Win95 can be copied from one drive to the
other fairly easily so the job should take only 1 hour if you know what you're doing.

First, based on your experience and the fact that scandisk is only finding one
or two errors at a time how much longer do you think the drive is going to
last?


It could last another 7 years or could completely fail tommorrow, there is no way to tell.

Second, it takes scandisk at least 30 minutes to complete a scan, and that's if
it doesn't find any errors. If more disk errors pop up during a boot sequence
is it safe to stop scandisk and let Windows finish booting up and then run
scandisk at a more convenient time?


More than likely it will be safe but there is a chance you will lose data. The chances are probably fairly low though because you
would have to be unlucky enough to hit one of the bad areas.

--
Michael Culley


  #3  
Old July 7th 04, 11:30 AM
philo
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"DJS0302" wrote in message
...
This pertains to my Windows 95 machine which I still use. Last Fall I was
booting the computer and it beeped and said there were possible errors on

the
disk and I had to run a thorough scan to check the drive. It found one

bad
sector. I rebooted the computer and it ran scandisk again and found

another
bad sector. It was okay until this Spring when it found another bad

sector.
Now yesterday and today it found two more bad sectors.
I've had the computer for seven years and have always made it a habit to

run a
thorough scandisk and a defrag on a regular basis. I have a few

questions.
First, based on your experience and the fact that scandisk is only finding

one
or two errors at a time how much longer do you think the drive is going to
last?



it's impossible to predict how long the drive will last...
the best thing to do would be to just replace it

if you don't replace the drive you may want to backup all your data and try
lo-level formattting the
drive


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Upgrade Report [Hardware Tips: Get the Right Hard Drive - 05/11/2004] Ablang General 0 May 16th 04 03:17 AM
two hd's on same IDE channel Steve James General 25 March 13th 04 01:06 AM
Mysterious Hard Drive Problem Bill Anderson General 4 January 18th 04 04:43 AM
Multi-boot Windows XP without special software Timothy Daniels General 11 December 12th 03 06:38 AM
Help! WinXP can't tell that my 2nd hard drive is already formatted FitPhillyGuy General 12 September 26th 03 03:38 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 HardwareBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.