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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: boinger on March 10, 2009, 10:59:52 PM

Title: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: boinger on March 10, 2009, 10:59:52 PM

i've been getting block read errors on my internal 1 gb scsi hd. i low level formatted the drive using hdtools in the ssytem tool drawer and then did a verify. the verify said the drive had no bad blocks. when i reloaded software on the drive and ran it a message would come up yet again saying that such and such a block could not be read. i am using os 2.04 and the ibm hd is partitioned into 2 partitions of 500 mb each. every time i go to add a hd to my system it is automatically partitioned in two. don't understand this but not a big problem.

any help appreciated.

thanx.

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: Methuselas on March 10, 2009, 11:15:40 PM

It might be a tumor?  :lol:

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: actung_bab on March 11, 2009, 12:08:32 AM

its just one those things dont listen to silly comment b4 mine
just small  part the hard drive cant be used
l had same thing on amiga 2000 myself l hdtools told me the same thing you done all you can l say but others might know more on this :-D
 :-D

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: brianb on March 11, 2009, 12:27:48 AM

Only problem is usually bad sectors come back or spread in my experience...  They may come back because the area (w/ bad sectors) may be weak magnetically, or spread if it's a result of a scratch.  The head wiping over the area spreads the scratch.   Or it may never give you a problem again, but I would be suspicious of that drive until proven otherwise...

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: weirdami on March 11, 2009, 02:40:42 AM

You should be able to block access to the bad parts of a drive. I know I did it a few times on floppy disks. You might need to format it to pull that off, though. I don't remember the details.

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: Tenacious on March 11, 2009, 02:51:17 AM

Just curious, what file system are you running?

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: rkauer on March 11, 2009, 05:52:42 AM

Quote

weirdami wrote:
You should be able to block access to the bad parts of a drive. I know I did it a few times on floppy disks. You might need to format it to pull that off, though. I don't remember the details.

 Running Quarterback Tools (commercial) or using Badformat (aminet) will make the bad blocks unreachable/useless to FFS (Fast File System) or OFS (Original File System).

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: Voyager74 on March 11, 2009, 08:55:35 AM

"the ibm hd is partitioned into 2 partitions of 500 mb each. every time i go to add a hd to my system it is automatically partitioned in two. don't understand this but not a big problem."

I recall this as being a "default" preset by HD-Toolbox Os2+.
You can always remove, resize or add partitions prior to
formatting the HD to ffs/ofs or whichever.
I.e, after you've lowlevel formatted it.

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: Voyager74 on March 11, 2009, 08:59:39 AM

Quote

Methuselas wrote:
It might be a tumor?  :lol:

:nervous: "-It's NOT a tumor... It's not a tumor AT ALL!"

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: Methuselas on March 11, 2009, 09:11:52 AM

Quote

Voyager74 wrote:

:nervous: "-It's NOT a tumor... It's not a tumor AT ALL!"

I'm glad someone finally got the reference.  :angry:

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: Tomas on March 11, 2009, 10:49:15 AM

@boinger
Could be the PSU. I had the same problem when the PSU of my a500 hd failed. The hd was perfectly fine but would sometimes have random sector errors thanks to the unstable power supply.

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: boinger on March 13, 2009, 03:51:35 AM

ran quarterback tools to no affect. it didn't find bad blocks when scanning drive either.

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: boinger on March 13, 2009, 03:54:20 AM

how can i check if the power supply is balky ?

Title: Re: block read error on hard drive.
Post by: 8bitbubsy on March 21, 2009, 04:05:41 AM

Measure the volt ratings with a multimeter. Should be +5v, +12v and -12v....
I think +11.35v to +12.35v on +12V, +4.80v to +5.20v on +5V and -11.30v to -12.10v on -12v are fine.. Just "what I think" tho'!  :-)

(http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Amiga/amiga_hacks/Amiga_Power_supplies/power-plug.JPG)