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[Rashkae]

NoOp wrote:
> On 02/18/2009 08:00 PM, Rashkae wrote:
> 
>> If the Hard drive hasn't already declared itself dead, then you should
>> use badblocks to scan the surface.  
> 
> Hmmm... I've never tried badblocks, so I checked 'man badblocks':
> 
> Important note: If the output of badblocks is going to be  fed  to  the
> e2fsck or mke2fs programs, it is important that the block size is prop‐
> erly specified, since the block numbers which are  generated  are  very
> dependent on the block size in use by the filesystem.  For this reason,
> it is strongly recommended that users not run badblocks  directly,  but
> rather use the -c option of the e2fsck and mke2fs programs.
> 
> seems to have more 'Warnings':
> WARNING
> Never use the -w option on a device containing an existing file system.
> This  option  erases  data!  If you want to do write-mode testing on an
> existing file system, use the -n option instead.  It is slower, but  it
> will preserve your data.
> 
> Is there a 'Dummys' guide to using badblocks so as to not hose a drive
> in the process?
> 
> 

man badblocks was it :)

The -w, -f and -X -n options are the only way to use badblocks that will
hose a filesystem, so don't.

The astute reader will note that I suggested the OP do a non-destructive
read-write test, which is the -n option that I just said don't use :)
-n tries not to hose your filesystem, but since it does involve writing
directly to the disk, there is some risk.  If the hard drive really is
bad, anything can happen.. I also wouldn't want a hard drive I was
treating this way to be interrupted by something as mundane as a power
failure.  Backups are a must before attempting this kind of low level
operation.