 Usb External Hard Drive, windows failing to find/operate driver for external hard drive. |
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 Jun 6 2008, 10:51 AM
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#1
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 Member  Group: Members Posts: 50 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Roscommon, Ireland Member No.: 189,327  |
Hope you can help!! Thanks all! Haviland Edit: Moved topic from XP to the more appropriate forum. ~ Animal -------------------- Don't Look Back
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Jun 6 2008, 01:33 PM
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#2
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Forum Addict Group: Members Posts: 5,693 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
Error messages when you attempt to access this drive?
Louis |
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Jun 7 2008, 04:01 AM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 50 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Roscommon, Ireland Member No.: 189,327 |
Hi Louis, thanks for the response.
When it finds the drive I can see it (as drive H: and labelled correctly re size and space used etc.) and open the first folder or so then I get the message; Windows - Delayed Write Failed. Windows was unable to save all the data for the file H:$Mft p.s. sorry for posting in the wrong area. thanks for the tidy up, animal. This post has been edited by Haviland Tuf: Jun 7 2008, 04:04 AM -------------------- Don't Look Back
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Jun 7 2008, 08:35 AM
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#4
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 Senior Member Group: BC Advisor Posts: 540 Joined: 28-January 06 From: Australia Member No.: 52,817 |
With the fresh install of XP, did you install the motherboard chipset drivers so the USB controller is being handled correctly by Windows?
Also, for you to get a delayed write failure, it seems the drive has the Optimize for Performance policy enabled. This can cause this problem with removable drives if there is an unexpected disconnection (which can include the USB interface "losing" the drive). Try changing the policy to Optimize for quick removal (in My Computer, choose Properties for the drive, Hardware tab, Properties again, Policies tab), and see if that changes your result. The purpose here is not for quick removal, but to disable write caching, to avoid MFT (Master File Table) update failures, which is what the error message is complaining of. I think it would be wise to run chkdsk on the drive as a precaution, using the system where the drive operates correctly. There may be existing errors in the MFT that chkdsk could correct. -------------------- Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
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Jun 7 2008, 04:18 PM
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#5
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Forum Addict Group: Members Posts: 5,693 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
To add to Platypus's words...I sometimes get the delayed write failure message on one of my hard drives (I have no USB-connected drives) when one of the connections on a drive may be loose or some other minor problem fixable by chkdsk /r occurs. This is using both SATA and IDE drives on a single system.
Louis |
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Jun 8 2008, 06:59 AM
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 50 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Roscommon, Ireland Member No.: 189,327 |
Thanks guys,
I didn't install anything for the motherboard chipset drivers. I just ran xp and let it do it all. can I do something about this now? The drive is already marked optimize for quick removal so I have left that as it is. I will try chkdsk on my laptop today and see if it finds anything - then I'll post back again. Haviland -------------------- Don't Look Back
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Jun 8 2008, 08:40 AM
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#7
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Senior Member Group: BC Advisor Posts: 540 Joined: 28-January 06 From: Australia Member No.: 52,817 |
If the system is a brandname like an HP, Dell etc you would be able to download motherboard chipset drivers from their support website.
If it's a generic system, and you don't know what motherboard it uses, you could use a utility like Everest Home to identify the board: http://majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181 Likewise, you should be able to download chipset drivers from the appropriate website. -------------------- Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
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Jun 8 2008, 11:29 AM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 50 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Roscommon, Ireland Member No.: 189,327 |
OK, that is something else I can try. I have run chkdsk r on the drive and all is well. It is still operating fine on my Laptop but giving the same error message on my desktop when I try open some folders (I can sometimes open one or two files before the error occurs, sometimes it happens first thing. Could it be a ram issue? Can I do anything to test my RAM for problems. I have 512 with a 1.4 Athalon processor running xp pro).
Thanks for the help again. Haviland This post has been edited by Haviland Tuf: Jun 8 2008, 04:00 PM -------------------- Don't Look Back
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Jun 8 2008, 04:14 PM
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 50 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Roscommon, Ireland Member No.: 189,327 |
Hi,
Here are the results from Everest; Real Clock 33 MHz Effective Clock 33 MHz Bandwidth 133 MB/s Motherboard Physical Info: CPU Sockets/Slots 1 Expansion Slots 5 PCI, 1 AGP, 1 AMR RAM Slots 3 DIMM Integrated Devices Audio Form Factor ATX Motherboard Size 230 mm x 300 mm Motherboard Chipset KT133A Extra Features EasyTune III Motherboard Manufacturer: Company Name Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. Product Information http://tw.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Produc...roduct_List.htm BIOS Download http://tw.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Suppor...S/BIOS_List.htm What do you recommend? Should I look for a bios upgrade or just look for motherboard chipset drivers? Would the drivers be included in a bios upgrade? Let me know if you need more info! Thanks to all, Haviland -------------------- Don't Look Back
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Jun 9 2008, 08:21 AM
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#10
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Senior Member Group: BC Advisor Posts: 540 Joined: 28-January 06 From: Australia Member No.: 52,817 |
In the Motherboard section of Everest, does it give you a Motherboard Name? It's generally best to source the correct motherboard drivers from the board manufacturer, in this case Gigabyte, in case they have added any non-standard features.
However you should be able to quite satisfactorily use the Via drivers for the Apollo chipset: http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageI...&CatID=1070 Via suggest using the legacy 4-in-1 drivers from the lower section of that page. A BIOS update is only indicated if an issue can be clearly identified as being something that is resolved by a later BIOS. -------------------- Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
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Jun 9 2008, 04:30 PM
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#11
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Member Group: Members Posts: 50 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Roscommon, Ireland Member No.: 189,327 |
Hi Platypus,
Thanks for that. I'll have a look at that but the last two days my net connection is very bad ( I use mobile broadband and my provider is having some problems recently). I'll have to wait for it to resolve before I can do much more. Will keep you posted. ireland v australia in rugby this week, you take an interest? haviland -------------------- Don't Look Back
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Jun 9 2008, 05:55 PM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: BC Advisor Posts: 540 Joined: 28-January 06 From: Australia Member No.: 52,817 |
No, never followed rugby, but I guess I've got to hope we thrash you? :D
-------------------- Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
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Jun 10 2008, 03:59 PM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 50 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Roscommon, Ireland Member No.: 189,327 |
Not a big rugby fan either!
 Tried that ( the Via drivers for the Apollo chipset) but no luck. Still the same problem. Couldn't find the right drivers from Gigabyte. All my other usb devices are working fine on the system. Only that hard drive is failing. Could it be because of it's size (150gb)? -------------------- Don't Look Back
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Jun 10 2008, 04:05 PM
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#14
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Forum Addict Group: Members Posts: 5,693 Joined: 3-September 05 From: Killeen, TX Member No.: 33,068 |
It's (IMO) just the normal flakiness shown by onboard USB...installing a PCI USB 2.0 card and using that...would probably save frustration. Examples of such follow.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...6&CatId=511 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16815106505 Louis |
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Jun 10 2008, 09:23 PM
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#15
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Senior Member Group: BC Advisor Posts: 540 Joined: 28-January 06 From: Australia Member No.: 52,817 |
I second hamluis' suggestion. I just thought of a system at my workplace which has for some time been "losing" some (not all) USB devices, I checked and it is an Apollo chipset. It may well just be the on-board USB being a bit flakey.
-------------------- Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
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