Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Computing) A Storage Unit with Defects: A "bad block" is a specific, minimal section (typically one sector) of a digital storage medium, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD), that has become physically damaged or unreliable and can no longer be trusted to store data correctly.

Usage

• Noun:
  • The operating system marks a bad block to prevent the computer from trying to save information there.
  • A disk utility can scan for and isolate bad blocks.
  • If a file is saved on a bad block, data corruption or loss is likely.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The hard drive diagnostic tool detected several bad blocks, indicating the disk was failing.
  • Modern file systems are designed to work around bad blocks by remapping data to a spare sector.
  • A single bad block can sometimes cause an entire system to become unstable.

Advanced Usage

• "to develop bad blocks": This phrase describes the process of a storage device becoming defective over time.

  • Older hard drives are more prone to developing bad blocks.

• "bad block remapping": A technical process where the drive's firmware or operating system redirects reads and writes from a defective sector to a reserved, healthy one.

  • Thanks to automatic bad block remapping, the user may not immediately notice the disk error.

Variants and Related Words

• Bad sector: A very common synonym for "bad block," though "sector" is a more specific technical term for the smallest unit of storage on a traditional hard disk platter.
• Unreadable sector/block: Describes the same condition, emphasizing the result (inability to read data).
• Defective block: A more general technical term.

Synonyms

• Faulty sector
• Defective sector
• Unreliable block

Related Technical Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Disk scrubbing: The process of proactively reading data to detect and handle bad blocks before they cause data loss.
• S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology): A monitoring system in drives that can warn of increasing bad block counts.
• Reallocation: The act of moving data from a bad block to a good one.

Noun

1. (computer science) a block (usually one sector) that cannot reliably hold data