External Hard drive problems.

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eonixkeiichi

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CPU specs:
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
ASRock 870 Extreme3
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2GHz
ATI Radeon HD 4800
20' LCD (1600x900) 60Hz
8GB
750W PSU.

External HDD specs:
1TB WD My Passport Essential SE (USB 3.0 compatible)

Problems:
Windows has asked me to format the drive many times the past couple of days.

Windows recognizes the drive, I can access the data, but cannot play videos successfully from the drive.
I can run programs from the drive without problems, but videos/music however, get cutoff, like I disconnected the drive.
Also, when I run programs off of the drive, sometimes it will ask me to format the drive, and the drive no longer shows up, but I can continue using the program from the drive.

Within the past couple of days, I can click "computer" and look at my drives, and the external shows up.. but doesn't have the blue bar underneath it.
Also when this happens and I unplug the drive, that drive letter continues to show up, I can access it, but no data shows up, and I can even go into properties of the drive.

-----------
I have tested the hard drive on other people's computers, and not a single problem.
So from that I assume the problem lies somewhere with my computer, but I don't have a single clue.
I reinstalled my motherboard's USB 3.0 drivers, and installed the 64-bit driver from WD, but video/music playback is still failing.
 
CPU specs:
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
ASRock 870 Extreme3
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2GHz
ATI Radeon HD 4800
20' LCD (1600x900) 60Hz
8GB
750W PSU.

External HDD specs:
1TB WD My Passport Essential SE (USB 3.0 compatible)


Problems:
Windows has asked me to format the drive many times the past couple of days.

Windows recognizes the drive, I can access the data, but cannot play videos successfully from the drive.
I can run programs from the drive without problems, but videos/music however, get cutoff, like I disconnected the drive.
Also, when I run programs off of the drive, sometimes it will ask me to format the drive, and the drive no longer shows up, but I can continue using the program from the drive.

Within the past couple of days, I can click "computer" and look at my drives, and the external shows up.. but doesn't have the blue bar underneath it.
Also when this happens and I unplug the drive, that drive letter continues to show up, I can access it, but no data shows up, and I can even go into properties of the drive.

-----------
I have tested the hard drive on other people's computers, and not a single problem.
So from that I assume the problem lies somewhere with my computer, but I don't have a single clue.
I reinstalled my motherboard's USB 3.0 drivers, and installed the 64-bit driver from WD, but video/music playback is still failing.

Heh, after reading your whole problem I might be either of these problems.
Check your usb cable itself and make sure it is not bent up to where windows will have a problem reading it right.
Next, put your hdd on another computer and back up the data, when you want to do a full format in fat32 that should take 1 hour.
Have windows validate it by checking for errrors, finally give it a goood defrag.
Even with external hdds or any type of mobile media with data, most things need to be defragged and cared for.

Once you do all that, let us know what happens, your hdd will be fine so there is no major concern for now.
 
Heh, after reading your whole problem I might be either of these problems.
Check your usb cable itself and make sure it is not bent up to where windows will have a problem reading it right.
Next, put your hdd on another computer and back up the data, when you want to do a full format in fat32 that should take 1 hour.
Have windows validate it by checking for errrors, finally give it a goood defrag.
Even with external hdds or any type of mobile media with data, most things need to be defragged and cared for.

Once you do all that, let us know what happens, your hdd will be fine so there is no major concern for now.


I am confused.
Did you mean to backup my internal or my external, I am moving the data from external at the moment because that is what I assumed.
External is currently NTFS.

And why format to FAT32? I read up on FAT32 and NTFS, FAT32 is more compatible, but can only do up to 4GB files, and is more suseptible to damage. Some of the files on the external right now that I plan on moving back are in excess of 4GB. Perhaps there is something I am missing, and if so, please explain.
 
I am confused.
Did you mean to backup my internal or my external, I am moving the data from external at the moment because that is what I assumed.
External is currently NTFS.

And why format to FAT32? I read up on FAT32 and NTFS, FAT32 is more compatible, but can only do up to 4GB files, and is more suseptible to damage. Some of the files on the external right now that I plan on moving back are in excess of 4GB. Perhaps there is something I am missing, and if so, please explain.


Not a problem, when using fat32 for a external hdd there is no 4gb limitation.
However there is a size limit like you said which 32gb and nothing more since the release of windows xp.
Go ahead and backup all of your data, then fornat your "external hdd" to NTFS.
Also I picked fat32 for many reasons, mainly for archiving data on the go, if it was something for a business or going from place to place in communitys...
Yes I would use NTFS for security and better data and large capacity management when using on different pc's with os.

Give this a good read through so you'll be aware of what most manufacturers want you to folllow just in case something goes screwy with your hdd.
How to format a WD external hard drive in FAT32 (to use in Windows or Mac OSX)
 
Not a problem, when using fat32 for a external hdd there is no 4gb limitation.
However there is a size limit like you said which 32gb and nothing more since the release of windows xp.
Go ahead and backup all of your data, then fornat your "external hdd" to NTFS.
Also I picked fat32 for many reasons, mainly for archiving data on the go, if it was something for a business or going from place to place in communitys...
Yes I would use NTFS for security and better data and large capacity management when using on different pc's with os.

Give this a good read through so you'll be aware of what most manufacturers want you to folllow just in case something goes screwy with your hdd.
How to format a WD external hard drive in FAT32 (to use in Windows or Mac OSX)

Alright, I only use/access systems/computers using Windows operating systems.
I'll keep the file system on the external hard drive NTFS when formatting. And if there is still problems, I'll format to FAT32 and try that out.

Is it bad to format a drive multiple times?

And are you positive about that FAT32 for external hard drives? The thing about it not having a file size limitation?
 
Alright, I only use/access systems/computers using Windows operating systems.
I'll keep the file system on the external hard drive NTFS when formatting. And if there is still problems, I'll format to FAT32 and try that out.

Is it bad to format a drive multiple times?

And are you positive about that FAT32 for external hard drives? The thing about it not having a file size limitation?
If there is a consistant problem with the hdd that you have to format it many times for it to work on different computers, I would seek technical advice from WD.com support.com

Put my theory to the test, take any other external device that has more than 4GB's and format it for fat32.
If everything goes fine, you'll be able to use what windows allows you to use for that device. ;)
I have a western digital scorpio 20.0GB on a external enclosure using fat32 and it aint barking at me much except when the damn cable is just flat worn out. :(
 
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