How many BAD BLK?

[Jsather]

Thanks to a picture from ereid at http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-1803.html , we know the flash memory chip is a K9F2G08UOC whose manufacturer's data sheet can be found at http://www.wasuntech.com/FileUp/file/201...5_1660.pdf .

On page 11 of that advanced data sheet, it states that the chip will have a minimum of 2008 valid blocks and a maximum of 2048 which means the manufacturer guarantees no more than 40 bad blocks, roughly 2%. Reading between the lines, a few bad blocks is to be expected for this technology and we should expect a few in a typical HP Prime.

The data sheet also says that the first block will be valid and instructs us not to attempt to program or erase blocks marked invalid by the factory.

That satisfies me. No point fretting over a few bad blocks. I would only advise HP to change their diagnostic test to indicate "OK" instead of "NG" if the number of bad blocks is acceptable by their standards.