Vista - Bad sectors on hard drive

Hi - I have a Dell desktop and everytime I try and do a dull scan it freezes.
I had a McAfee tech look into it and he says that it is down to 'Bad Sectors
on my hard drive' and to contact Microsoft.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can fix this ?

Thanks.

Apologies . . . I meant a FULL scan not a dull scan !

Thx,

Keeka

You don't contact Microsoft - you contact the hard drive manufacturer for
any software they may have that can test hard drives.

"Keeka" <Keeka@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:B6BBE00A-750C-4B82-AEE9-E03396CC9187@xxxxxx

The service tech at my computer manufacturer help site told me to run
a low level hard drive check found in the bios. You should try
repeatedly pressing F10 (or something similar) as the computer boots
to get the bios menu and search it for a hard drive diagnostic. In
the olden days, drive testers would write a list of bad sectors to a
"do not use" list. I don't know what modern drives do as an
equivalent.

On Wed, 27 May 2009 13:08:40 -0700, "Jerry" <ChiefZekeNoSpam@xxxxxx>
wrote:

"Keeka" <Keeka@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5723975A-C56E-4C85-B7DF-C52F4F98F7CB@xxxxxx1. Find out form Dell if they can supply drive diagnostic software, or at
least help you discover the drive manufacturer (actually, you may be able to
find out through Device Manager).
2. Get the mfg's diagnostic software and use it. If the drive tests bad,
save from it what you can/want ASAP and get ready to replace the drive.
3. Whoever told you to contact Microsoft for a Dell hard drive issue is an
idiot.