Use Windows Error Checking by right-clicking the drive, selecting Properties, going to Tools, and clicking Check to scan for bad sectors. 2. Run chkdsk C: /f /r in Command Prompt (Admin) to fix errors and locate bad sectors, scheduling it for restart if necessary. 3. Use third-party tools like CrystalDiskInfo or GSmartControl to monitor SMART data, checking attributes such as Reallocated Sector Count for early signs of failure. 4. On Linux, use sudo badblocks -v /dev/sdX to scan for bad blocks and sudo fsck -l bad-sectors.txt /dev/sdX to prevent the file system from using damaged areas, with regular checks recommended to prevent data loss due to physical drive wear.

To check for bad sectors on a hard drive from a computer, you can use built-in tools or third-party software depending on your operating system. Bad sectors are areas of the disk that can’t be read from or written to, and catching them early helps prevent data loss.

1. Use Windows Built-in Error Checking Tool

Windows includes a built-in utility that scans for and attempts to fix file system errors and bad sectors.

Steps:

• Open This PC (or My Computer).
• Right-click the drive you want to check and select Properties.
• Go to the Tools tab.
• Under Error checking, click Check.
• If prompted, choose to Scan drive (you may need to schedule the scan if the drive is in use).
• Wait for the scan to complete. Windows will report if any problems were found and fixed.

Note: This checks for both soft errors and bad sectors. If bad sectors are found, Windows marks them as unusable and tries to move data elsewhere.

2. Run CHKDSK from Command Prompt (Admin)

For more control, use the chkdsk command in Command Prompt.

Steps:

• Press Windows X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal (Admin).

• Type the following command and press Enter:

  chkdsk C: /f /r

  Replace C: with the drive letter you want to check.

  • /f fixes errors on the drive.
  • /r locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.

• If the drive is in use (like the system drive), you’ll be asked to schedule the scan on the next restart. Type Y and restart your computer.

The process may take a long time, especially on large or slow drives.

3. Check SMART Data with Third-Party Tools

SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data can warn you of impending drive failure, including bad sectors.

Popular free tools:

• CrystalDiskInfo (Windows)
• GSmartControl (Windows, macOS, Linux)

What to look for:

• Attributes like Reallocated Sector Count, Current Pending Sector Count, and Uncorrectable Sector Count.
• A non-zero value in these fields often indicates bad sectors or drive degradation.

These tools don’t fix issues but help detect early signs of hardware failure.

4. On Linux: Use badblocks and fsck

Linux users can use command-line tools:

• To scan for bad blocks:

  sudo badblocks -v /dev/sdX > bad-sectors.txt

  Replace /dev/sdX with your actual drive (e.g., /dev/sda).

• Then, integrate the results with fsck:

  sudo fsck -l bad-sectors.txt /dev/sdX

This tells the file system to avoid the problematic areas.

Keep in mind that while software can detect and work around bad sectors, they’re often a sign of physical wear. If you’re seeing many bad sectors, consider backing up your data immediately and replacing the drive. Regular checks can help catch problems before they lead to failure.

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