We know that a bad track is an area of the hard disk which is not available to store data. Normally,
bad tracks will be the fatal errors for hard disk because it not only make us impossible to use some specific sectors, and sometime it will also bring big disaster to other available disk sectors, which will shorten the lifespan of the hard disk and eventually crash it.

There are many aspects that will result in hard disk bad tracks, and most of them have direct connecting with the illegal operation and usage of hard disk in daily life. Here, some causes will be discussed, telling you how to protect your hard disk with some tiny points.

First, please remember not to suddenly turn off the computer because when the hard disk is still working. Simply stated, when the hard disk is running, it always operates at high speed for the read-write head to read data from different locations of the hard disk. If the power turns off suddenly, the hard disk head will quickly return to its place, which severally hardens the friction between the disk and the read-write head. So please remember not to suddenly turn off the power.

Secondly, please note that dust will greatly result in bad tracks and crash the hard disk, so sometimes we can say that dust is the number one killer of hard disk. To protect your hard disk, please keep your computer as dust-free as your can.

Besides, though the hard disk has the ability to resist shock, a shock will also result in bad tracks. So it is much better to be careful enough when moving the computer. Moreover, I believe it is known to all that bad tracks will be also caused by static electricity. Once you have touched the computer box when the computer is running, you will get a shock because of the static electricity. So please do not touch the circuit board at the back of the hard disk for the electrostatic on human body.

Another important consideration is related to the maintenance of the hard disk which includes a disk defragmentation and a cleanup of the programs / files on the computer. As we all know that when storing files or programs on the computer, a same content will be scattered into different parts and then located or filled in different corners on the hard disk. With the increasing amount of the disk fragments, the hard disk will become fragmented as days by. So it is recommended to regularly defragment the hard disk, rearranging the files on the computer and locating contiguously at a same place. Hence, it will reduce the workload of the hard disk head when inputting or outputting files. In this way, only only the hard disk but also the computer can be used longer. But before the defragmentation, please remember to first run a disk cleanup to delete some useless files.

In conclusion, to protect your hard disk, please do not miss the above aspects to avoid more bad tracks, that is, it is necessary for you to form good habits like running disk defragmentation in daily life to protect your hard disk.