# Bad sectors on hard disk and move file problem



## skytech (Nov 17, 2009)

I have a disk that mainly contains data files. My disk have bad sectors and some of the files cannot be moved to another disk (it will stuck when moving and never complete 100%), most files are still normal (can read/edit/move). My Macrium reflect software is unable to do a backup on that disk. 
Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics failed, quick test did not complete, screenshot https://i.imgur.com/Xx7VXgu.png

I read that sometimes chkdsk /r can destroy hard disk and make it worse, and I am afraid to do any more things to it, I have some questions.

1. Should I do chkdsk /r first then save all the files to another new hard disk to replace the old hard disk?

2. Should I move all the files that are movable to a new hard disk (there will be some files that cannot be moved), then do chkdsk /r then move the files to a new hard disk?

3. Is moving or copying better? Is there some program that can auto skip the file that is stuck while move/copying? (so I do not need to stay by the PC to click next/skip when a file is stuck)

4. What is the the proper way to do chkdsk /r and is /r correct? Some say do it in DOS, some say do it in windows.

Thanks


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

I'm at work, so I can't see the imgur files, but yeah, that hard drive is failing and you need to get your data off asap and replace it. Bad sectors will never fix themselves. /r will try to repair the files, but if you've tried that and it failed, you don't want to stress the drive any further. I would just copy what you can to the new drive and go from there. If you can't get all the data off, I'm assuming you have a backup in place so the data loss won't be critical.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

skytech said:


> 3. Is moving or copying better?


Better for safety or better for your efficiency? If anything goes wrong during a copy you still have the source file and can start over. It is possible (not likely, but possible) that something terrible could happen during a move and result in no file at all. I almost always do a copy, and then when sure the destination file is OK do the delete of the source file.


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## skytech (Nov 17, 2009)

I wish to copy all files of my current spoiled hard disk to a new hard disk. When I am copying, there will be files that are stuck due to bad sectors and I will skip them. After copying all the movable files to a new hard disk, I will do chkdsk /r to the old hard disk and hope that those stuck files will be repaired and movable so I can move them to the new hard disk. How do I know what files I did not move yet? (there are hundreds of files)


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## skytech (Nov 17, 2009)

Is there a risk that if I switch off my PC now and I might not be able to access the hard disk again (not detected due to hard disk failure)? Should I power up my PC continuously until I have copied all the files to a new hard disk?

I was intending to switch off my PC to insert and connect a new 3.5inch internal hard disk for copying files to it and thought about this question above. Not sure if I should just buy a usb external hard disk so that the power can be continuously switched on.


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## djjarvis (Apr 18, 2005)

You could try Unstoppable Copier:
http://roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=29

Hasn't been updated in years but maybe that's because it does one job and does it well?

I've never had to use it myself so I can't comment on how effective it might be for your purpose.

I *have* used DriveSnapshot to take an image of a failing drive and it succeeded, writing a text file listing all bad sectors and the files that occupied them.
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/


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## skytech (Nov 17, 2009)

djjarvis said:


> You could try Unstoppable Copier:
> http://roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=29
> 
> Hasn't been updated in years but maybe that's because it does one job and does it well?
> ...


After you used DriveSnapshot, what happened to the files in the bad sectors? Are they repaired to become normal files?


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## djjarvis (Apr 18, 2005)

skytech said:


> After you used DriveSnapshot, what happened to the files in the bad sectors? Are they repaired to become normal files?


It tries to copy the bad sectors several times before giving up and moving onto the next sector. You end up with an image of your drive contained in one or more large files. The image can be "mounted" as a virtual drive letter so you can restore individual files from it using any file manager you wish. Or you can restore the image to a new hard drive.

Some of the files were music I think - some of these mostly played fine but with some silent parts or static. Others wouldn't play because the header was lost. To Windows they were perfectly normal files, same size as the originals. But to the program trying to open them they may be entirely useless, depending on how that program deals with corrupt files. At least you have a chance at opening them though.


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## skytech (Nov 17, 2009)

Do you know if Unstoppable Copier can set to copy all those files that are not corrupted, and leave/skip those corrupted (stuck) files alone?

One guy said it took him 23 days, "_23 days_. The reason for this is that the Unstoppable Copier tries to copy bad data many, many times, in the hopes that it'll extract a few extra bytes that the last attempt didn't get." http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/0...oppable-copier-versus-the-damaged-disk-image/


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## djjarvis (Apr 18, 2005)

skytech said:


> Do you know if Unstoppable Copier can set to copy all those files that are not corrupted, and leave/skip those corrupted (stuck) files alone?
> 
> One guy said it took him 23 days, "_23 days_. The reason for this is that the Unstoppable Copier tries to copy bad data many, many times, in the hopes that it'll extract a few extra bytes that the last attempt didn't get." http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/0...oppable-copier-versus-the-damaged-disk-image/


In the story above he is copying essentially one massive file so UC is trying to copy the harder to read parts.

From my memory I believe it copies the easy data first, only retrying a couple of times for files in bad sectors before going onto the next file (or sector in the same file, not sure). Later it comes back around to try again on the bits it skipped.

Again, this is from my own memory. There may be a fuller explanation on their web site.

Found it:
http://www.roadkil.net/support.php?ProgramID=29

There are options to skip damaged files completely or to skip them initially and come back at the end to try them again.


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## skytech (Nov 17, 2009)

Unstoppable copier, I am using Windows 10, there is no windows 10 version, should I download the windows 8 version?


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## djjarvis (Apr 18, 2005)

skytech said:


> Unstoppable copier, I am using Windows 10, there is no windows 10 version, should I download the windows 8 version?


Yes, it'll probably work fine.


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