Windows 10: Help with hard disk "corruption"

Always full disk image (all partitions). NOT incremental or changes only. Full image every time.

In fact, after I got done posting that last HDS screenshot here, I tried Paragon backup to see what would happen... and it actually completed a full backup successfully! But, I have a feeling the image done today might "inherit" the bad areas of the disk. I do have an image from Feb 10 (before all this was discovered), but I wonder if it includes bad sectors/blocks!

I am interested in how I could modify the part of the drive that is used by Windows so that there are no bad blocks?

 

Does Paragon have a feature to make clones?

 

Not sure. I don't see it at Full features of Paragon Backup & Recovery but maybe they call it something different. I do see an option with my Feb 10 backup image to Mount/Unmount, but I have no idea what that does or if it can help me. It does mention selective file restoration... And I also have Paragon Hard Disk Manager installed but I've never used it - Paragon Hard Disk Manager for Windows | Paragon Software . There is this - Paragon Migrate OS | Paragon Software

 

The Paragon software I am not familiar with.
For backing up drives there can be problems when backups are done as clones.
It's uncommon.
There can be problems if two drives have the same disk signature.
The problem is termed disk signature collisions.
It's may be important if the Paragon software is making clones.
What is a Disk Signature Why Are They Necessary?
What is a Boot Sector Why Are They Important?

 

See 'Paragon Universal Image Mounter' in the 'Additional features' section of Full features of Paragon Backup & Recovery

 

I do not use Clone. To me, Clone means - copy contents of one drive to another. That is a feature of Paragon Hard Disk Manager, but I've never used it. Are you suggesting that I use Clone somehow?

Can you please explain what is the theory/procedure/method of modifying the part of the drive that is used by Windows so that there are no bad blocks?

Thanks, I do understand I can browse a backup image and restore single files/folders. Can that be of help to me, in my current situation?

 

The information about clone versus image was to report the problem related to disk signatures. If you are not experiencing that problem then you can move on to other steps. It was not a suggestion to clone or not clone. It was to report an unforeseen problem that can occur.

If you are able to run chkdsk /x /f /r on the drive it can place files on parts of the drive where there are no bad blocks.

 

I see, thanks.
Yes, I have run chkdsk /x /f /r.
Good news is - the Paragon full backup actually worked yesterday.
But scans with HDS and CDI still report the exact same "bad" information.
So it appears those bad areas will just be there permanently, marked as bad, with no way to recover them.
Or - if I do a complete format, clean windows install - will that recover them???
At this point, I'm really just wondering if I should contact ADATA for warranty claim of defective hardware?

 

This link may be useful:

Bad Sectors Explained: Why Hard Drives Get Bad Sectors and What You Can Do About It

 

Good article. Basically says repair is possible - run Disk Check from properties and run chkdsk. I've done both several times, the "bad" areas on the disk aren't going away. To me that means hardware failure, get warranty replacement.

 

Tried clean install of Windows on the bad drive. Didn't help. Hard Disk Sentinel found the exact same bad areas.

Purchased exact replacement new drive. Swapped new drive into PC, clean install Windows, Hard Disk Sentinel reports 100% good - no bad areas. Paragon completed perfect backup image.

Hard Disk Sentinel says it is possible to get back to 100% good by performing their Disk Initialize (secure overwrite) the entire "bad" drive. Since this is an M.2 drive and motherboard has only one M.2 slot, I have purchased this PCIe card: Mailiya M.2 PCIe to PCIe 3.0 x4 Adapter - Support M.2 PCIe 2280, 2260, 2242, 2230:Amazon:Computers & Accessories

If the bad drive fails the HDS read test after Disk Initialize, I will be requesting warranty RMA with ADATA.

 

The PCIe M.2 adapter worked great. Was able to Initialize the disk using HDS. It now passes read test with perfect score, no more bad areas at all. But strangely under HDS "HEALTH" is still says 99%, even tried windows format, chkdsk, properties disk check, and reboot PC. Seems the SMART errors cannot be cleared, even though the disk surface is showing perfect now. So now I'm even more confused whether or not to send this drive into ADATA for repair/replace.