Getting linux to mark bad sectors

[Allens <allen.asjp@cableol.co.uk>]

Hi, 
I'm a newbie to linux, and have a question.  I know this is a bit off topic in
this group, as it is a linux in general question, but anyway:
How do I get linux to mark bad sectors on my hard drive, as I have a few, and
they are stopping me doing lots of things like running Xwindows etc.  fsck see's
them, but asks me whether I want to ignore them.  If I say no it fails on some
of them, saying 
can't read next inode while doing inode scan

Even when I don't ignore them and it works, it doesn't do any good, and I want
to be able to run (and make) programs....

	Thanks *very* much in advance.

		Peter Allen