[SOLVED] Is it a bad sectors behaviour?

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oswary

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Feb 2, 2019
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Hello.
Currently I use a SSD for the operational system and a game or two, and a HDD for any storage needs, including other games.
In the last week or so, I've been noticing a constant high disk usage regarding the HDD, even when I'm not accessing anything in it at all. Not only that, but the disk also is having a hard time with reading/writing files, it takes a long time to delete anything and to transfer files. While transferring files, I've noticed that it behaves normally periodically, and then just stop responding, just to get back to work sometime later and so on. (Constant 100% usage in the task manager, with high response times whenever it is refusing to continue the files transference).
I wonder if that is caused by bad sectors in the disk, and if that could impact the overall computer performance. And, if so, which software could I use to repair or just prevent the usage of those bad sectors.
Thanks in advance!
 
Solution
The symptoms you describe could come from at least four causes.
  1. Bad Sectors on the HDD as you worry, causing repeated errors and re-tries. This should be detectable with HDD testing and diagnosis utilities as some have suggested.
  2. Poor connections at plug-in connectors, causing similar errors in signals between the HDD and the mobo. This can look like Bad Sectors. With your system off, open the case and go to the data cable between the HDD and the mobo port. At each end, carefully disconnect, then plug back in several times. When done, CHECK to be sure you did not disconnect or disturb other things, then close up and see it this did anything useful. IF there was just dirt or oxidation on some contacts, this "scrubbing" action...

Paperdoc

Polypheme
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The symptoms you describe could come from at least four causes.
  1. Bad Sectors on the HDD as you worry, causing repeated errors and re-tries. This should be detectable with HDD testing and diagnosis utilities as some have suggested.
  2. Poor connections at plug-in connectors, causing similar errors in signals between the HDD and the mobo. This can look like Bad Sectors. With your system off, open the case and go to the data cable between the HDD and the mobo port. At each end, carefully disconnect, then plug back in several times. When done, CHECK to be sure you did not disconnect or disturb other things, then close up and see it this did anything useful. IF there was just dirt or oxidation on some contacts, this "scrubbing" action will clean them.
  3. A recent change in your system software so that you now have some application constantly running and using the HDD that you did not have before.
  4. Another version of that last - you have acquired a virus or other malware that is running and using your system, but you did not actually install that on purpose.
 
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