Method, computer, and computer program for detecting a bad block on a hard disk

• US 20040078729A1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Peter, Gunther
• Application Number:
  US10/180,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078729A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0727 in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3034 where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3072 where the reporting involves data filtering, e.g. pattern matching, time or event triggered, adaptive or policy-based reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications

Abstract

In a method for detecting a bad block of a first computer'"'"'s hard disk, the registry of the Microsoft Windows® operating system with which the first computer is configured is modified. Based on the modified registry of the Microsoft Windows® operating system, the hard disk is automatically scanned for bad blocks when the first computer'"'"'s Microsoft Windows® operating system is booted. The result of the scan is stored in a file associated with the first computer. If at least one bad block is detected, then a message containing information about the bad block is generated at the first computer and conveyed over a communication network to a second computer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

booting a first computer which is run by a Microsoft Windows®

operating system;

based on a modified registry of said Microsoft Windows®

operating system of said first computer, automatically initiating a scan for bad blocks of a hard disk which is associated with said first computer;

reporting the result of said scan in a file associated with said first computer;

generating, at said first computer, a message containing information about said at least one bad block if said at least one bad block is reported in said file; and

sending said message to a second computer over a communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, said file being a system logfile of said Microsoft Windows®

operating system.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring said first computer with said second computer with an agent-manager network management system, so that said message is an event report generated by said agent-manager network management system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said Microsoft Windows®

operating system is Windows 2000®

, Windows XP®

, or Windows NT®

.

5. A first computer,

which is monitored by a second computer over a communication network;

said first computer being configured with a Microsoft Windows®

operating system;

the registry of said first computer'"'"'s said Microsoft Windows®

operating system being modified, so that a function of said Microsoft Windows®

operating system is automatically initiated when booting said first computer'"'"'s said Microsoft Windows®

operating system;

said function being designed to scan a hard disk associated with said first computer for bad blocks;

said first computer being configured to generate a message if at least one bad block of said hard disk is detected during said scan and said message comprising information about said at least one bad block; and

said first computer being configured to convey said message to said second computer over said communication network.

6. The first computer of claim 5, wherein said first computer being configured with an agent and said second computer being configured with a manger, so that said message is an event report generated by said agent.

7. The first computer of claim 6, wherein said Microsoft Windows®

operating system is Windows 2000®

, Windows XP®

, or Windows NT®

.

8. A computer program for configuring a computer which is run by a Microsoft Windows®

operating system;

said computer program being designed to modify the registry of said Microsoft Windows®

operating system, so that said Microsoft Windows®

operating system automatically initiates a scan of said computer'"'"'s hard disk for bad blocks when said Microsoft operating system is booted and to record the results of said scan in a file associated with said computer.

9. The computer program of claim 8, said file being a system logfile of said Microsoft Windows®

operating system.

10. The computer program of claim 8, wherein said Microsoft Windows®

operating system is Windows 2000®

, Windows XP®

, or Windows NT®

.