mtools: mbadblocks
4.4 Mbadblocks
==============
The `mbadblocks' command is used to mark some clusters on an MS-DOS
filesystem bad. It has the following syntax:
`mbadblocks' [`-s' SECTORLIST|`-c' CLUSTERLIST|-w] DRIVE`:'
If no command line flags are supplied, `Mbadblocks' scans an MS-DOS
filesystem for bad blocks by simply trying to read them and flag them
if read fails. All blocks that are unused are scanned, and if detected
bad are marked as such in the FAT.
This command is intended to be used right after `mformat'. It is
not intended to salvage data from bad disks.
4.4.1 Command line options
--------------------------
`c FILE'
Use a list of bad clusters, rather than scanning for bad clusters
itself.
`s FILE'
Use a list of bad sectors (counted from beginning of filesystem),
rather than trying for bad clusters itself.
`w'
Write a random pattern to each cluster, then read it back and flag
cluster as bad if mismatch. Only free clusters are tested in such a
way, so any file data is preserved.
4.4.2 Bugs
----------
`Mbadblocks' should (but doesn't yet :-( ) also try to salvage bad
blocks which are in use by reading them repeatedly, and then mark them
bad.