USB Flash Disk Bad sectors, can these bad sectors be marked!!

[ark5230]

I am using a 2GB flash stick and it developed bad sectors, every time after certain amount of data the data written gets corrupt. Is there any way to mark those as bad and not used in future so that the storage can be used safely.

 

[tpetar]

Did You try to use USB Flash drive on USB 2.0 port ? USB 1.1 know to give that things.

 

[RetroTechie]

In FAT partitions, clusters (=small groups of sectors) can be marked "bad". I'm sure there exist easy tools to find such sectors & set those markings. Probably for other filesystems like NTFS this is possible too.

When you've ruled out other possible causes, sectors going bad likely means that maximum # of writes has been exceeded on some areas of the medium (flash memory worn out). Read: expect more of that to pop up, time to replace the USB disk. If it still has warranty: return as defective.

 

[FvM]

Are you sure that you are observing actually a bad sectors problem? In a flash storage device (e.g. USB stick, SD-Card), the flash controller implements a flash translation layer, so there's no actual correspondence of logical sectors and physical memory sectors. Bad flash sectors should be sorted out by the flash controller, a mechanism which apparently isn't working with your memory device.

I can imagine different reason for failure of your device:
- corrupted file system not caused by media rather than computer problems
- a defective flash device, that has too much bad blocks to be handled correctly by the flash controller
- a buggy or defective flash controller, possibly in a product of dubious quality

Finally, I remember a special case that happened a few years ago. Memory sticks with faked capacity had been brought to marked. After exceeding a certain media fill level, previously stored data got overwritten. The behaviour can be distinguished from arbitrary data failure.

 

[inductor]

Did you try formatting it?

 

[ark5230]

Did You try to use USB Flash drive on USB 2.0 port ? USB 1.1 know to give that things.

Yes I tried repeatedly. It stores several files and then files get curropt and the time taken is unusually long.

RetroTechie

Re: USB Flash Disk Bad sectors, can these bad sectors be marked!!
In FAT partitions, clusters (=small groups of sectors) can be marked "bad". I'm sure there exist easy tools to find such sectors & set those markings. Probably for other filesystems like NTFS this is possible too.

When you've ruled out other possible causes, sectors going bad likely means that maximum # of writes has been exceeded on some areas of the medium (flash memory worn out). Read: expect more of that to pop up, time to replace the USB disk. If it still has warranty: return as defective.

It is new bought at some tourist spot far away, it seems what FVM explained applies to this and it is a fake or poor quality thing and beyond maintenance or repair.

- a defective flash device, that has too much bad blocks to be handled correctly by the flash controller
- a buggy or defective flash controller, possibly in a product of dubious quality

Thanks for the prompt and useful info, I suspect it to be a defective flash device and needs to be discarded. I wasted quite sometime trying other methods.

 

[tpetar]

It stores several files and then files get curropt and the time taken is unusually long.

I suggest to try that USB flash drive on other PC USB 2.0, this symptoms what You describe is characteristical for usage of USB 2.0 device on non supported USB 1.1 port.
Of course always You can buy new, and consider this as bad drive, but try first try easier things. USB flash driver today have funny low price.
Lots of newer USB devices dont support USB 1.1 or have fake and not complete 1.1 support.

 

[pranam77]

In a similar problem, mine is a 4GB drive which was working fine for about 6 months, now shows just 256Mb when formated. Nothing writes in to it. Any solutions? Tried formatiing with tools available on the Transcend website. But results are the same.
Pranam

 

[inductor]

Does this sort of thing ever happen to solid state drives ??
:?:

 

[FvM]

this symptoms what You describe is characteristical for usage of USB 2.0 device on non supported USB 1.1 port.

Which feature of the USB specification matters in this respect? I don't say, this can't be, but I really wonder how.

 

[tpetar]

Which feature of the USB specification matters in this respect? I don't say, this can't be, but I really wonder how.

I have several in hand usb flash disks, and try that. To plug in in front of some old pc case usb 1.1 port and get that symptoms, when I connect it back panel USB 2.0 port all ok. They start copying files and after first 'file is corrupt', the same error You will get on every device which dont support usb 1.1 (with disk), like CCTV small camera with SD card,....

I try this lots of time....

I think problem is in usb flash disk controller support of 1.1, of course they say that support 1.1 but....

Of course I say that is one of possible reason.

Before two days I have in hands USB disk which works, read write all works, and when you try to start program (exe) or open document, picture, or something else, some files are corrupt and defective, even file size is different. PC is virus free, and other USB flash disks works fine on that same PC. After contact of manufacturers support they say that is probably bad memory chip.


This thread will be useful for reading:
https://www.edaboard.com/threads/196863/


Quality of component like this (Del Boy say everything):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MMZMzReueQ
;-)

 

[inductor]

i googled, repair Flash drive capacity, see if one of these links help.

Repair a flash drive that isnt displaying full capacity

How to fix USB flash drive with low-level format

Format USB Flash Drive’s Showing the Wrong Capacity the Easy Way