bad block

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bad block

A technician checks the hard drive for a bad block.

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.
bad block

A technician checks the hard drive for a bad block.

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