Fixing bad sectors on a Linux drive
Fixing bad sectors on a Linux drive
(OP)
I have a question about a Linux (EXT3) drive that we are using in a 3rd party embedded application, concerning how the 'bad sector' table is stored.
1) I remove the HD from the embedded Linux hardware, remove the Linux partition, run chkdsk and repair bad sectors. I do this because I have no way of checking or repairing bad sectors in the embedded OS.
2) When I reinstall the HDD into the embedded OS hardware and it reformats (quick-type) to ext3, is the bad sector table "lost"? I.e., is that 'bad sector' table somehow preserved even after the HDD format?
I am not familiar with this topic, so apologies for any confusing descriptions.
Thanks,
1) I remove the HD from the embedded Linux hardware, remove the Linux partition, run chkdsk and repair bad sectors. I do this because I have no way of checking or repairing bad sectors in the embedded OS.
2) When I reinstall the HDD into the embedded OS hardware and it reformats (quick-type) to ext3, is the bad sector table "lost"? I.e., is that 'bad sector' table somehow preserved even after the HDD format?
I am not familiar with this topic, so apologies for any confusing descriptions.
Thanks,
RE: Fixing bad sectors on a Linux drive
Perhaps you need to implement a slow Linux format, or reformat the drives slowly on a Linux box.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Fixing bad sectors on a Linux drive
During the "typical" linux installation you can check for
bad sectors during the format of the drive. I assume
that if you do the following:
I use Red Hat. YMMV. But I *DO* know that you have the
option for checking for bad sectors during the format
phase.
1. Try a "fresh" install of the linux with the typical
partitions. Doing it this way, you should be able
to do the bad sector checking by checking the prompting.
Partition the drive as you wish it to be for the
target system.
2. Mount the drive as a second drive (i.e. /dev/hdb with
the appropriate jumpers set for secondary drive, etc.)
3. Erase all of the files on the freshly formatted/
installed drive.
This should leave you an ext3 filesystem format without
any data on it. You can then transfer the oem software
to this "empty" drive. Don't forget to load the boot
image on it!
4. Rejumper the "new" HD and install in the target system.
I'm *SURE* that there is a way to easily format the
HD drive, however, I can't give you a high degree of
certianty on HOW. I usually find that sparing out the
bad sectors during installation is sufficient for my
needs. Sorry this is a kludgy way of doing it, but it's
got a high degree of success.
Best of luck!
Cheers,
Rich S.
RE: Fixing bad sectors on a Linux drive
RE: Fixing bad sectors on a Linux drive
RE: Fixing bad sectors on a Linux drive
If not, you might try posting this at www.tek-tips.com in the Linux forum.