Image Files & HDD

[Fred]

I just ran scandisk on a friend's PC and it found numerous bad sectors
and did a repair. I have the system running again but plan to replace
the HDD with a new one and using an image file to transfer the current
system to the new HDD.

It's my understanding that scandisk locates bad areas on the HDD and
then they are "marked" so that future data cannot be written there.

My question relates to using imaging software (BootItNG, Drive Image,
Acronis, etc.). I believe they make a byte for byte file and I wonder if
they transfer the "marked bad sectors" to a new HDD when an image file
is restored. I know that image files include blank areas as well as data
when a partition is imaged. Can anyone comment?

Thanks, Fred

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

No, they don't. They transfer an image or "picture" of the current data set,
not a mirror image of the drive per se.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Fred]

Thanks, Rick, that is good news!

Fred

Hi,

No, they don't. They transfer an image or "picture" of the current data set,
not a mirror image of the drive per se.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[br549]

Imaging programs like you mentioned will not transfer "marked bad sectors".
They only transfer the "used" portion of your disk partition.
I just ran scandisk on a friend's PC and it found numerous bad sectors
and did a repair. I have the system running again but plan to replace
the HDD with a new one and using an image file to transfer the current
system to the new HDD.

It's my understanding that scandisk locates bad areas on the HDD and
then they are "marked" so that future data cannot be written there.

My question relates to using imaging software (BootItNG, Drive Image,
Acronis, etc.). I believe they make a byte for byte file and I wonder if
they transfer the "marked bad sectors" to a new HDD when an image file
is restored. I know that image files include blank areas as well as data
when a partition is imaged. Can anyone comment?

Thanks, Fred

 

[Barry Watzman]

NORMALLY, the images don't contain sectors not used by "live" files. To
prove this, make an UNCOMPRESSED backup of a partition, note it's size
compared to the total partition size and the used partition size.

Note, many image programs DO have an OPTION to include the ENTIRE hard
drive, sometimes called a "forensic" option because it's used in law
enforcement to find, backup and examine "erased" files. But even if
present, this option is normally turned off.

 

[Alex Nichol]

It's my understanding that scandisk locates bad areas on the HDD and
then they are "marked" so that future data cannot be written there.

My question relates to using imaging software (BootItNG, Drive Image,
Acronis, etc.). I believe they make a byte for byte file and I wonder if
they transfer the "marked bad sectors" to a new HDD when an image file
is restored.

I would use BootITNG for this, and use its COPY function with both
drives plugged in together, selecting the present partition and Copy,
then the free space on the other drive and Paste. That will normally
have 'Data only' selected, so any bad sectors not in actual use will be
left alone. But it has to be said that if the drive is in a dicey state
it is bound to have a fair chance of failure, whatever software you use,
so initially do a backup of all essential data files to have in reserve