Hardware

You can use the Hard Drive Makers Testing Utility to Test the Drive

Hitachi / IBM - DFT "Drive Fitness Test"
http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
Works with all manufacturers

Western Digital "Data Lifeguard"
http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp#dlgtools
Works with WD drives only


Fujitsu "FJDT"
http://www.fel.fujitsu.com/home/drivers.asp?L=en&CID=1
Works with fujitsu models only

Samsung "hutil"
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Hard...ties/hutil.htm
Compatability unknown...

Seagate "Seatools"
http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools
Works with Seagate drives only

If you have failures you will have to replace the drive.

If the Drive tests out OK then use this to wipe it. Autonuke should do it.

Darik's Boot and Nuke

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Recreate your Partitions and you should be good to go.

< hopefully you are using Recovery CD's >
Rob