I want to test out a procedure for getting chkdsk and some other tools to repair a NTFS partition while booting off a memory key, so I want to deliberately make errors on the hard disk so that the computer is faulty - but how do you get it to do this?

OS is Windows XP Professional.

Anyone any hints for this?

Ta.

Hmm, just thought as typing, some sort of sector editor perhaps? But what to edit?

Give it some booze or porn

Thats what michael jackson allegedly gave that kid when he was corrupting him:)

sorry I can't be of any more help

Only thing I can think of is to start to copy a large file from somewhere then half way through pull the power on the machine.

Install Vista?

Only thing I can think of is to start to copy a large file from somewhere then half way through pull the power on the machine.

Yep, that's the thing to try.

Install Vista?

bought two brand new machines so far with vista, one laptop and one desktop and had no issues what so ever with the OS

back OT though i could corrupt the HDD but i cannot promise it will ever work again

Big hammer will permanently corrupt it.

Look for an app called stella wipe

If you can slave the drive in another machine, you could pull the plug and FUBAR the drive for most peeps - not gov agencies thou.

Any reason why?

bought two brand new machines so far with vista, one laptop and one desktop and had no issues what so ever with the OS

Ditto, I have it installed on 5 pcs and a laptop, all no problem and perfectly stable.

Corrupting NTFS partitions can be tricky because its a journalling filesystem that can usually repair itself. The only time I see it go wrong is when a PC is forcibly shutdown by cutting the power.

Linux Boot CD and then turn on NTFS writing and do some random hex editing?

magnets!!!!!

Will be trying this out tomorrow, save for the magnets and hammers Power off a good one, Linux boot disk and random hex editing I think sounds evil the trouble it could cause.

Ta to all posters

WinHex might do the trick for you, *think* it offers some templates to deliberately cause issues.

Software for Computer Forensics, Data Recovery, and IT Security

Steve