Format HD checking bad sectors [Solved]

[Crow]

In the process of partitioning a HD to install PCLinuxOS from a Live USB GParted just stalled, after that on rebooting Windows XP made some "fixes". The result is Win XP could not boot, files are backed up so I just formatted the drive but Win XP disk failed after loading; used again Gparted and rebuilt partition table, partitioned and formatted.

Win XP disk refused to play again after loading.

It seems to me that the disk has bad sectors but nor GParted nor the PCLinuxOS control center gives me the option to check for bad sectors while formatting (I'm sure it did before   )

The computer is a netbook Compaq CQ10 150 GB HD

Do I have any option using PCLOS or do I need another tool?

Thank you

[AS]

Hi Crow,

HP notebook/latptop generally do have a built in function in BIOS to make a short test of the hard disk, not sure about your specific model, but you can check.

About bad blocks, assuming the disk is a relatively recent model, your best option is to perform a S.M.A.R.T. test, which is much much faster than a scanning for badblocks.

I'm not sure that scanning for badblocks make any sense these days, because SATA disks are designed to automatically replace bad sectors (using some spare storage on the same disk) when some error occurs. Once the spare blocks are exhausted your best choice is to replace the hard disk.

Anyway, to check the disk using S.M.A.R.T. technology you need the command smarctl, provided by the packaged smartmontools, available in repo non available on a brand new PCLinuxOS ISO image:

smartmontools-5.41-1pclos2011
gsmartcontrol-0.8.6-1pclos2011

gmsartcontrol is a graphics interface to smartctl, your best option is to install both packages, available there are a general healt status, a short test (2 minutes) a long test (1 or more hours), please note that SMART status is based on data collected along the whole life of the hard disk, not only data collected at test time.

graphics interface:
gsmartcontrol

from command line:
smartctl -H /dev/sdX (general healt status)
smartctl -t short /dev/sdX (perform a short test)
smartctl -t long /dev/sdx (perform a long test)
smartctl -l selfest (list and status about already performed tests)

if you want to perform a scan for bad blocks, the command is badblocks, is available on the official live ISOs, and can be used directly from command line, see man badblocks for further details:
badblocks  /dev/sdaX

or you can use fsck on ext2/3/4 partitions (that in turn will call badblocks):
fsck -f -c /dev/sdaX (read-only test)
fsck -f -c -c /dev/sdaX (read-write test)

Regards
AS

[Crow]

Thank you I will try as soon as I get home

[menotu]

I believe when installing PCLinuxOS there is an option for bad sector checking during the format stage.

[Crow]

I believe when installing PCLinuxOS there is an option for bad sector checking during the format stage.

Probably I saw it there 

[Crow]

Just want to thank As and Menotu,after several intents in which Linux worked recognizing the drive but not XP, it turned to be that the nettbook needed XP SP3 or later and we were using XP SP2      live and learn!

Thank you again for your time.

[AS]