BADBLOCKS(8)

NAME
       badblocks - search a device for bad blocks

SYNOPSIS
       badblocks [ -b block-size ] [ -o output_file ] [ -v ] [ -w
       ] device blocks-count [ start-block ]

DESCRIPTION
       badblocks is used to search for bad  blocks  on  a  device
       (usually a disk partition).
       device  is  the  special  file corresponding to the device
       (e.g /dev/hdXX).
       blocks-count is the number of blocks on the device.

OPTIONS
       -b block-size
              Specify the size of blocks in bytes.

       -o output_file
              Write the list of bad blocks to the specified file.
              Without this option, badblocks displays the list on
              its standard output.

       -v     Verbose mode.

       -w     Use write-mode test. With  this  option,  badblocks
              scans  for  bad  blocks  by  writing  some patterns
              (0xaa, 0x55, 0xff, 0x00)  on  every  block  of  the
              device,  reading every block and comparing the con-
              tents.

WARNING
       Never use the `-w'  option  on  an  device  containing  an
       existing file system.  This option erases data!

AUTHOR
       badblocks     has    been    written    by    Remy    Card
       lt;card@masi.ibp.fr, the developer and  maintainer  of  the
       ext2 fs.

BUGS
       I  had no chance to make reals tests of this program since
       I use IDE drives which remap bad blocks. I only made  some
       tests on floppies.

AVAILABILITY
       badblocks  is  available for anonymous ftp from ftp.ibp.fr
       and tsx-11.mit.edu in /pub/linux/packages/ext2fs.

SEE ALSO
       e2fsck(8) mke2fs(8)