How can I check for bad sectors

[earth]

I have run a scan disk on my system.....is this the way I would find a bad sector on my hard drive? ??? I can't get spyware blaster to run until this problem is fixed.

[MikeBCda]

You didn't mention which OS you're running under -- but most versions of Scandisk (or equivalent) include an option to scan the full disk for bad sectors. Takes quite a while, especially if you've got a large drive, but that should do the trick.

I'm under XP-home -- there, if you right-click on the drive (in My Computer) then Properties and Tools, that's one of the choices. In XP it'll have to schedule the scan for the next restart since it needs to lock files currently in use, but of course you can restart immediately once you've set that up.

[gerardwil]

Hi,

You might find some additional infos here:

http://www.bootdisk.com/

Gerard

[earth]

I have Windows 98 SE. I have done a full scan on my system but it comes up with no bad sectors and yet when i try to install Spyware blaster it tells me that i have either have a bad sector on my hard drive or that I have a virus. I know for sure I don't have a virus. I keep uptodate with my updates for VisNetic antivirus software. Why would this error message come up if I don't have either. Is there another way for checking for bad sectors

[earth]

thanks for your advice.. much appreciated. I am just looking at that site you recommended now. I do defrags and scan disks at least once a month or 3 weeks and do a virus scan once a week and like i said before i always update my visnetic everyday or second day. Why would a message like that come up if I don't have either of those problems eg bad sector or a virus. Any ideas? I would really appreciate some ideas/clues to work this out. It is driving me insane LOL

[gerardwil]

Hi Earth,

Additional use an online virus scanner. (i.e. Trend)
Also download a tool from your HD manufacturer to check your HD on bad sectors, to be sure its ok.
Maybe you find some usefull info over here as well:
http://www.cadinfo.net/editorial/winsysutilsl.htm

Gerard

[Pretender]

-{ Quote: " quoting: earth link=board=9;threadid=27172;start=0#msg156675 date=1081282574]
I have Windows 98 SE. I have done a full scan on my system but it comes up with no bad sectors and yet when i try to install Spyware blaster it tells me that i have either have a bad sector on my hard drive or that I have a virus. I know for sure I don't have a virus. I keep uptodate with my updates for VisNetic antivirus software. Why would this error message come up if I don't have either. Is there another way for checking for bad sectors
" }-

You may want to post this in the authors support forum at:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php?board=34