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I received a Dell Inspiron 1545.

It was corrupted when I got it, and I have been able to successfully install Lubuntu. But when I try to install windows, it gives me an error. I have figured out that the problem is that the HDD has a lot of bad blocks and has also failed smart drive tests.

I have tried everything around here but nothing works. Is there an application I can use to fix the bad block? Or a few lines of code? But it gives me errors for everything I try try to do.

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Is there an application i can use to fix the bad blocks?

No. The drive already does this on its own. It will detect broken of failing sectors and remaps them until it runs out of spare sectors to remap them to.

Long before that happens you should ditch the HDD (keep the rest of the laptop. Optionally install a cheap second hand drive or even an SSD).


Technically: you could boot from USB pendrives or CD or the network and see if the failed sectors are all clustered around a single spot. Then partition around it. But if the drive already has run out of spares then it is very likely to die soon. Best not try work around that unless you have very good (daily?) backups and do not care abouyt replacing the drive when (when, not if) it completely dies.

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  • so how would i be able to see if they were clustered? And partition around the clusters of bad blocks?
    – Brandon Axtmann
    Jul 6, 2015 at 18:56
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    Drives are very cheap nowadays, especially smaller ones - and you do not need a huge one for Linux. I'd recommend to replace the drive - you will be sorry sooner than you think if you try to use broken hardware.
    – Hannu
    Jul 6, 2015 at 19:07
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    @BrandonAxtmann hddguru.com/software/2005.10.02-MHDD but yes the drive is dying just replace it!!
    – Mateo
    Jul 6, 2015 at 19:20
  • I agree with all of the above. What you're trying to do is use software to repair hardware. That would be like trying to wash your hands because you cut yourself and then ask what soap to use... Just replace the HDD.
    – Fabby
    Jul 8, 2015 at 8:49

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