Will reformating the harddrive block out bad sectors automatically when I reload Windows 2000 using the NTFS formatting…?
- Jinx
Most IDE modern drives handle bad block re-mapping internally as part of their hardware sub-sytem. If you’ve got actual, visible bad blocks popping up, it’s time to consider replacing the drive as the section set aside on the driver platter for handling this internally have apparently been filled.
All I know is that, about a month ago after a thunderstorm knocked out the power, my surge-protected PC attempted to launch Windows 2000, and got stuck half-way in the process (as you watch the dots fill in representing how far it has gotten in the loading process). A PC-guru friend of mine got the PC to reboot and, via some DOS command, ran a check on the sectors, I believe. It seems we do have some damaged sectors.
Now, with troubles from Winsock (after trying all kinds of fixes) I am on the verge of reformatting the hard drive. I believe my guru said that, upon reformatting, the PC scans for bad sectors first and blocks them out - before trying to write to the drive. Is this correct? Is it automatic, or is there some command (or keystrokes) I should know to make this happen during the reformatting process?
Both your guru friend and Astro are correct.
Modern drives automatically detect bad sectors and remap them to a set of spares elsewhere on the disk. This keeps bad sectors that show up during operation from being a problem.
Formatting a drive (not the quick format, but the long, tedious, boring one) checks for bad sectors and writes a log that tells the OS not to use these sectors.
Problem is, bad sectors can pop up in new places while you are working - this can be disastrous.
You could reformat and reinstall all of your software. You will also quite likely have to do so again in the near future - and you may have lost some important file(s) or it may happen right at a time when you need your PC very badly.
When a modern HD starts showing bad sectors, the safest thing to do is to replace it. Any other action is a disaster waiting to happen.
Yes, I have no doubt what has been said here is the best advice. I wish I could buy a new PC, but I am unemployed after just coming off a previous span of unemployment! Ouch! As if things aren’t bad enough, this is the ultimate blow! A PC which cannot connect to the Internet and emails! That’s my lifeline! Just shut off my air, now! I must admit, we were eyeing some nice little PC packages at Wal-Mart of all places! Made my mouth water!
…It’s that spyware junk - or even worse - actually the cure that corrupts the sockets. Trying the recommended fixes, other than daring to attempt a “hard restore”, has done nothing. The “hard restore” directions recommended within the text file for LSP-FIX.exe (sending you to a file at earthlink.net) is not for my version of Windows. And, at this point with most everything backed-up…I guess I gotta bite the bullet and reformat 
and hope for the best when the dust settles.
Can anyone recommend a good exorcist, perhaps? 
- Jinx
I’d do it for you, but I’m afraid that if you can’t spring for anew HD, then tickets foar a flight from Germany are out of your price range. 
Format and reinstall. Then make backups of anything important very often because someday soon your HD will act up again.
I know you’re unemployed, but if your motherboard supports RAID 1, get two drives and mirror them.
And I’ll second what Astro said and go further: chances are the heads of your HDD have crashed onto the HDD. So not only do you have a physical bad spot on the HDD but the heads themselves are slightly damaged.
How valuable is your data?