Scandisk & Defrag problems !!

[SoniaGurl]

:upset: I have been unable to run scandisk and/or defrag forever now. I have tried closing all programs, unchecking everything in the startup folder, except systray, tried running scandisk in safe mode, etc. It hangs after a while and does nothing. I also tried running in DOS mode, and it says my LBA SETTINGS MIGHT NOT BE CONFIGURED PROPERLY? What the hell does that mean? I'm at my wits end. If anyone can help a poor gurl out, I'd appreciate it!
Thanks in advance,
Sonia:curse:

[Wainui]

Have you done anything to your Hard drive or Bios lately ? Did you carry out any changes ?

[SoniaGurl]

:wave:
I haven't changed any setting on my computer. I'm a novice at best.
I finally got ScanDisk to run in DOS mode.
Results as follows:
Problem found. Some data is stored in a damaged area of Drive C, and might already be lost. This problem is probably causing data errors. Choose "fix it" to have ScanDisk move the affected data to an undamaged area of drive C.
Cluster 513,732 of Drive C cannot be read. (there were 1,798 + found bad)
Scandisk found and fixed the following: (but didn't really fix it, because now I have two clusters marked with a red "B", as bad)
1,798 bad clusters
ScanDisk did not fix all the errors it found.

The problem I have is...why do I have to choose "fix it" for every single cluster that's bad? I had to literally type "F" over 1,798 times! I still wasn't able to "fix it".

I did reformat my hard drive, and thought maybe that would fix the ScanDisk and Defrag problem I'm having.

Any suggestions?

[jdc2000]

I'd say it is probably time for a new hard drive. With that many bad clusters, it is only going to get worse, especially if reformatting didn't fix the problem.

[SoniaGurl]

I hardly use my computer for anything, other than surfing the internet. What can cause a hard drive to go bad and need replacement?

[jdc2000]

It can be caused by any number of things. How old is the computer? Is it plugged into a surge supressor or back-up power supply? If the PC is less than a year old, the drive may still be under warranty. You could try downloading the manufacturer's diagnostic program and running that. Often, hard drives will either go bad in the first few months of use, or else they will last for years. Power failures or surges can cause problems, as can overheating.

[SoniaGurl]

It's a Gateway Professional bought in 1999 or 2000. I've never had any problems with it until now. So, how much would it cost to replace the hard drive, and how do I go about doing that? Where do I start?
By the way, my PC shows no sign of any problems, other than the ScanDisk results. If there are no signs of problems, couldn't I just keep on using it the way it is?

[jdc2000]

Most likely the drive will continue to accumulate more and more bad sectors, until one day it fails to boot at all. All you need to replace the drive is a new drive and the diskette that comes with it. The diskettes usually have a program that will copy your old drive's partition(s) to the new drive. Your PC should be able to accept most of the IDE drives available today. $50 to $60 should get you a new drive, depending on where you decide to buy it.