I am using CreateFile to open a snapshot volume, and ReadFile to read from it. On one system I had an attempt to read 1 mb fail with a CRC error. As I understand it, the drive should be doing its own bad sector mapping, but apparently it's not. I know that NTFS has bad sector handling, does that apply only to reading/writing at the file level? In other words, by reading at the volume level am I bypassing anything the OS might do to "hide" bad sectors?
📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses issues with reading raw snapshot volumes using CreateFile and ReadFile, where a large read attempt failed due to a CRC error—raising questions about whether bad sectors are properly managed at the volume level. Neemobeer explains that Windows tracks bad sectors in the MFT, specifically in the $BadClus file, and that bypassing the file system requires implementing manual bad sector checks, which necessitate SYSTEM privileges. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of understanding how Windows handles bad sectors and the implications of working outside the regular file system.
The thread discusses issues with reading raw snapshot volumes using CreateFile and ReadFile, where a large read attempt failed due to a CRC error—raising questions about whether bad sectors are properly managed at the volume level. Neemobeer explains that Windows tracks bad sectors in the MFT, specifically in the $BadClus file, and that bypassing the file system requires implementing manual bad sector checks, which necessitate SYSTEM privileges. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of understanding how Windows handles bad sectors and the implications of working outside the regular file system.
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