Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) Practice Exam

The correct term for damaged portions of a disk where no read or write operations can be performed is known as a "bad sector." Bad sectors occur when parts of a storage device, such as a hard disk or solid-state drive, become unreliable due to physical damage, wear, or other issues. When a sector becomes bad, it can no longer reliably store data, which can lead to data loss if important information is stored there.

Understanding this concept is critical in data recovery and disk maintenance. Identifying and marking bad sectors allows operating systems to avoid using these areas, thus preserving data integrity and functionality of the remaining healthy sectors on the disk.

Other terms in the choices are not accurate representations of this concept. A lost sector might refer to data that cannot be accessed but does not specifically denote physical damage. An empty sector signifies areas on disk that are not currently used for data storage, while an unused sector implies a portion of the disk that has not been allocated for use but does not suggest any damage. Therefore, the description aligns perfectly with "bad sector," solidifying its correctness in identifying the nature of the problem on the disk.