Subj : Re: bad sectors To : comp.os.linux From : erik Date : Mon Oct 18 2004 04:32 pm David Kinsell wrote: > > "Roland" wrote in message > news:4173a867$0$15610$ba620e4c@news.skynet.be... >> >> "Sybren Stuvel" wrote in >> message news:slrncn6smb.9ib.sybrenUSE@sybren.thirdtower.com... >> > Roland enlightened us with: >> > > If I have some bad sectors on a hard disk, is there any way to >> > > tell linux (or the filesystem) not to use them? >> > >> > badblocks >> > >> >> All right. But the man page says that badblocks can provide a list of >> bad blocks to mke2fs, that is, _before_ the filesystem is created. >> I have a partition on which bad blocks appeared long after I created >> the filesystem, do I have to recreate the filesystem or can I add the >> list of (new) bad blocks somewhere to the existing list. And what if >> this is a reiserfs? >> >> (Sure the best option when new bad sectors appear on a disk is to buy >> a new disk, but the problem seems to be stable so I want to continue >> with this drive.) >> > > If it's a SCSI disk, it almost certainly has the capability to hide > bad sectors by > mapping in spares. That is also the case with ide disks... > Easiest way is to do a low-level format and let > the controller handle the issue, but individual blocks can also be > spared if you can get the proper > command to the disk. Not generally used, because most bad blocks that > appear > in the field are the warning signs of impending catastrophic failure. > Make sure you do lots of backups, even if you do think the situation > is stable. Correct. Use 'smart' technology to see what is really happening. Drives automatically remap bad sectors. If you start to see bad sectors, the drive already ran out of its spares... Disaster is lurking... EJ -- Remove the obvious part (including the dot) for my email address. http://www.vanwesten.net for examples of ipf and pf. .