Spinrite works on FAT and FAT32 partitions only.  It is a DOS
program.  It tests each sector of the hard disk and does a fairly
good job of recovering data.  It cannot recover all data (not even
On-Track can) and cannot repair real bad sectors, but it has saved
me a couple of times.  It does a good job of testing the drive and
if it passes all it's tests it will mark a "bad" sector good.  As
far as I know there is not a deme version.  While $89 may seem like
a lot (and to me it is for software) I have had version 1.0, 2.0,
3.0 & 5.0 of the program and liked them all.

Check it out:  http://grc.com/sroverview.htm

- Wayne Copeland

>>> [log in to unmask] 5/21/02 2:45:30 AM >>>
I understand that Gibson Research (grc.com I think) apparently
produces a
program called Spinrite which is reputed to be able to repair bad
sectors.
However, it's alarmingly expensive, even tho it's only about 300k,
and they
don't have a trial or demo version, so I can't vouch for it's
efficacy. If
anyone can tell me where I can find a useable demo or such, perhaps
you'd be
kind enough to mail me privately?

Further to bad sectors, here's an interesting item.  There's a
program
called Stealthdisk which is aimed at enabling one to hide a folder
on a hard
drive.  The folder simply disappears until the magic hot key is
pressed,
causing the hidden folder to magically re-appear.

I sent a demo to a colleague of mine, who discovered that the
program seems
to work by telling Windows (and DOS) that the file location is
actually a
bad sector.  This is OK, and the program works well, but if
Stealthdisk is
uninstalled without first 'un-hiding' the secret folder, the OS
continues to
see the area as unuseable, and thereafter will report bad sectors.

Ian Porter
Computer Guys
Arrowtown
New Zealand
[log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Simants" Subject: [PCBUILD] Bad Sectors on HD


> A friend gave me a HardDrive that "Crashed", his system(win98, P4
1.6ghz
256mg) was about 6 months old.  He ran into a mobo problem(not sure
what it
was), and he assumed that it caused bad sectors on the hd(I don't
really
know). So I said I'd take it and do some research. I ran Scan
Disk/Defrag
and found a total of 3 bad sectors. I have always wondered if there
was
something out there that would remove these bad sectors. (figured
I'd ask!)
It is a 20-GB 5M Ultra ATA Fujitsu IDE U100 Hard Disk.  Is there
any way to
save this poor drive.(I would like to use it as a back up).

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