Alex Ruben
How To Repair Hard Drive Bad Sectors on Linux/Ubuntu
So, you’re noticing your computer slowing down, weird errors popping up, or maybe the disk seems wonky. Bad sectors might be creeping in, and it’s kind of terrifying because, of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary. Luckily, Ubuntu has some built-in tools that can help detect and repair these issues—no command line freakouts needed. It’s not perfect, but for basic checks and fixes, the Disks utility is pretty handy, especially if you’re not comfortable with terminal commands. Basically, this will tell you if your drive is on its last legs or if it’s just a case of some minor bad sectors that can be fixed. Expect to come out with either a healthier drive or some peace of mind to back things up before it totally gives up.
How to Identify and Fix Bad Sectors on Your Hard Drive Using Ubuntu
Open the Disks Utility
This is step one, because the GUI version is so much more chill than messing with terminal commands. Look for Disks in your menu, or just hit Activities and type “Disks.” The icon looks like a little hard drive. On some setups, it’s called “Disk Utility” or similar. Once you click it, the window of disks should pop up, showing you all your storage devices.
Select the Drive You Want to Check
In the left sidebar, you’ll see all the drives and USB sticks plugged in. Identify the one you want to check—usually, the primary drive is labeled with its size or model number. Make sure you pick the right one because working on the wrong disk is a recipe for disaster. Best to double-check before proceeding. Clicking on it should load detailed info on the right side.
Access SMART Data & Run Self-Tests
This is kind of the secret sauce for early warnings. Click the three-dot menu in the top right of the disk info window, then select SMART Data and Self-Tests. SMART technology keeps tabs on what’s going on behind the scenes. You’ll see a health status summary—sometimes it’s “PASSED,” sometimes “FAILED,” or “UNKNOWN.” It’s worth running a self-test if you want to get more details. Keep in mind, SMART isn’t foolproof—hard drives can hide problems or give false positives.
Run a Self-Test
A new window pops open—well, it should—and you’ll see options like Short Self-test and Extended Self-test. The short test is quick, about 2-10 minutes, but if you’ve got time and want to be thorough, choose the extended one—takes an hour or more but scans every sector. Select your preferred check and click Start Self-test. Expect a progress bar, and yes, sometimes it seems to hang, but let it do its thing. Sometimes it reports issues right away, or it comes back clean. On some machines, it’s weird and only works after a reboot or multiple tries—Murphy’s law, right?
Check the Results
Once done, flick your eyes down at the bottom of the window. It’ll tell you if everything’s fine or if there are errors. If problems show up—bad sectors flagged as “Reallocated Sector Count” or “Uncorrectable Errors”—it’s time to think about backing up your stuff and considering how bad things really are. Sometimes, Ubuntu can fix things with the built-in repair tools, but if the drive keeps throwing errors, that’s usually a sign to replace it.
Unmount the Volume Before Checking Filesystem
Before you run a filesystem check, the drive needs to be unmounted because Windows/Ubuntu likes to lock the partition for repairs. Find the partition bar in the same disk info window and see if it says “Mounted.” If yes, hit the Stop button below that partition to unmount it. Be careful—if it’s your main drive, this could interrupt your work, so save everything first. This step is crucial because trying to repair a mounted partition often just fails or causes more corruption.
Use Check Filesystem to Repair
With the drive unmounted, click on the gear icon under the partition and choose Check Filesystem. A little dialog asks if you want to verify and fix errors—click Start Repair. Ubuntu will scan and attempt to fix filesystem issues—bad sectors, corruption, whatever’s hiding behind the scenes. It’s pretty straightforward and laser-focused for tough problems that don’t need a full wipe. Sometimes, this process is flaky and depends on the drive’s health, but the GUI makes it a whole lot easier than fiddling with command lines.
Some Extra Tips & Troubleshooting
Very important—backup. Always, always back up everything critical before attempting repairs. Drives can get worse fast, especially if bad sectors multiply. Also, regularly check your disk health—set a reminder or use monitoring tools—so things don’t get out of hand before you realize it. If repeated self-tests show bad sectors or errors, it might be time to replace that drive or clone everything over to a shiny new one before it sputters out totally.
Wrap-up
This method works pretty well for quick checks and minor fixes. Sure, no tool is perfect, and sometimes problems are physical, not logical, meaning you’d need to replace the drive anyway. But for catching early signs and fixing simple corrupt sectors, Ubuntu’s Disks utility is surprisingly capable. Just remember to back up your data regardless—because, of course, drives have a knack for failing when you least expect it.
Summary
- Open Disks from the menu or search bar
- Select the correct drive cautiously
- Use SMART Data and Self-Tests to check health
- Run a short or extended self-test depending on how much time you have
- Review the results and decide whether to repair or replace
- Unmount the drive before running filesystem checks
- Use Check Filesystem to repair logical issues
- Backup always—don’t be that person scrambling after a real crash
Final thoughts
Fingers crossed this helps, and it’s been reliable enough to catch some early warning signs that your drive might be crumbling. You’ll get a good handle on your drive’s health without diving into crazy terminal commands, which is always a bonus. Because honestly, keeping drives healthy when they give hints is just smart—better safe than sorry. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours for someone.