What Does Reinitialize Test Destroy?

[ryklon]

Hello!

I just wanted to ask what does reinitialize test in the surface test section destroy. Does it destroy the whole data in my hard disk when I run the test, or does it only destroy the data associated with bad sectors because it needs to reallocate/fix them. I'm just a little bit confused because I have read from previous posts and the help section of hard disk sentinel that I need to backup my data before executing the test. I'm worried that when I run the test it will wipe all the data in my hard disk.

I have also read from a previous article that for write tests, I must not have any running programs, including the OS. If I'm not mistaken, the reinitialize test is a write test. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If that's the case, how can I execute the reinitialize test if I cannot run the OS?

And one more thing, does darker colored sectors during a read test means that those sectors are damaged? I know that it becomes darker in color because it is being accessed slowly due to the fact that some programs are running when I performed the test. Is there any way of confirming that those darker colors are just because of the running programs or it is because those sectors are slowly turning into a bad sector?

Th reason I'm asking these questions, is because my read test detected a bad sector in my hard disk and I want to repair it using the reinitialize test. If there is any other method you can recommend, I would happily consider that as an option.

I have attached an image of my recent read test. Please refer to my attached image.

Thanks in advance!

[pusaqall]

Is this something like disk defragmenting?

[ryklon]

Nope my friend.

[hdsentinel]

Hello!

Thanks for your message and questions!

Yes, I can confirm that Reinitialise disk surface test destroys all data stored on the drive.
This is described in the description of the test before you actually start it:
Data impact: DESTRUCTIVE - all data will be removed
"Overwrites the disk surface with special initialization pattern to restore the sectors to default (empty) status ... "
So yes, you need to backup all data from the drive before starting this test.


Yes, you are correct: the test can be done if there is no other programs (including the OS) are accessing the drive. This is exactly because write tests can only be started if the drive can be locked and unmounted from the system.
So you can run this test if the OS started from an other disk: if
- you install this hard disk as a secondard hard disk to a different computer (for example by an USB / eSATA adapter, enclosure)
- you start OS from a different device, for example from a live Windows CD which works independently from the current hard disk. Then you can use Hard Disk Sentinel Portable, for example from a pendrive.
In these situations, software (including the running OS) works independently from this hard disk. So Hard Disk Sentinel can lock and unmount this hard disk and perform the test without problems.


No, the darker green blocks does not mean that those sectors are damaged. These are accessed slower - but exactly because of the running OS and other software, the transfer rate of these blocks may drop, causing darker green blocks, without indicating problems. Hard Disk Sentinel displays a warning for this before starting the test.
This would be accurate only if the drive could be locked and unmounted for the duration of the test - as this would ensure that only Hard Disk Sentinel can access the drive and accurately measure the transfer rate. Then the blocks would be solid green, without too much darker blocks - if there are no big problems with the sectors.
Just like the situation described above - except that re-running the READ test would not remove data from the drive.


Currently it is possible to repair by the backup and performing the Reinitialise disk surface test.
Constantly researching for other methods which may be easier to run - hopefully it will be possible in a future version.

[hdsentinel]

No, it is the disk surface map if you use the Disk menu -> Surface test function in Hard Disk Sentinel.
There are different tests to show and repair the problems with the disk surface.

Is this something like disk defragmenting?

[ryklon]

Thank you very much for your reply hdsentinel!

So, that means that I need to clone the drive first before doing the reinitialize test.
Just one more thing, when I clone the hard drive to back up my data, will it copy the bad sector?

[hdsentinel]

Yes, you would need to clone the drive before this test.

No, cloning will not copy the bad sector, it should be skipped by the cloning software.

Thank you very much for your reply hdsentinel!

So, that means that I need to clone the drive first before doing the reinitialize test.
Just one more thing, when I clone the hard drive to back up my data, will it copy the bad sector?

[ryklon]

Alright, I'm glad to hear that.

Thank you very much!