Data drive is disappearing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fruit2O
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Fruit2O

I have a laptop with XP Pro. The last couple of days, when I boot, my
second drive where I keep all my data (in a drive bay), is recognized
by the BIOS and continues to be recognized during the boot process.
However, sometime late in the boot process, the drive disappears (from
My Computer). Last night, I ran a chkdsk on both my system drive and
the data drive. This morning, my data drive is working. However, I
don't know if the chkdsk fixed the problem or something is still wrong.
Any suggestions? Should I reinstall the BIOS? I have the latest
version right now. Need more information? Just ask. I'm in PANIC
mode.
 
Fruit2O said:
I have a laptop with XP Pro. The last couple of days, when I boot, my
second drive where I keep all my data (in a drive bay), is recognized
by the BIOS and continues to be recognized during the boot process.
However, sometime late in the boot process, the drive disappears (from
My Computer). Last night, I ran a chkdsk on both my system drive and
the data drive. This morning, my data drive is working. However, I
don't know if the chkdsk fixed the problem or something is still wrong.
Any suggestions? Should I reinstall the BIOS? I have the latest
version right now. Need more information? Just ask. I'm in PANIC
mode.
Click to expand...

You *DO* have a backup drive somewhere, right?

With the current price of drives and USB enclosures it's foolish not to have
a spare drive holding backup data.
 
How long have you had these drives? Question: How do you know the drive
had disappeared from My Computer? Because normally, My Computer isn't open
during the boot process.

Have you been running a Manual Cleanout of your \Temp folders, then
running Disk Cleanup, followed by Chkdsk then defragment the Hard Drive , as
well as cleaning the Windows Registry with a Registry Cleaner.
 
You *DO* have a backup drive somewhere, right?

With the current price of drives and USB enclosures it's foolish not to have
a spare drive holding backup data.
Click to expand...
Of couse I have a backup drive - but, don't you know, it crapped out
today also!!!!!!!!!! Go figure.
 
How long have you had these drives? Question: How do you know the drive
had disappeared from My Computer? Because normally, My Computer isn't open
during the boot process.

Have you been running a Manual Cleanout of your \Temp folders, then
running Disk Cleanup, followed by Chkdsk then defragment the Hard Drive , as
well as cleaning the Windows Registry with a Registry Cleaner.
Click to expand...

Morton, this is Bob Onysko (fruit20). How are you?

To answer your questiions:

1. The drives are only months old.
2. Guess the system had completed booting when the drive disappeared.
However, my QuickLaunch area shows my drives also and the data drive is
there to begin with (shows before the system is completely booted).
3. I don't run a 'manual' cleanout of \Temp folders. Where do I look
for the folders and files? I use CCleaner.
4. What software has Disk Cleanup? WindowsXP? I use SystemSuite 5
for disk cleanup and registry cleanup. I only run chkdsk once in a
while using the Microsoft Recovery Console.

Any idea why the Data drive would show up - then immediately disappear?
I thought this was very strange!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, running chkdsk on
both drives 'seems' to have fixed the problem - but I'm still nervous
about it. Wouldn't you know that my backup external USB drive crapped
out today also? It will take about two weeks to get it fixed under
warranty. Until then, I have no backup of years worth of data.

Best regards, Bob
 
Hi Bob,

Went to a MachSpeed Motherboard and Intel Pentium D 2.80 GHz Processor
to replace my Compaq Presario 5714 Motherboard, Processor and Case. Are any
of your Drives SATA Hard Drives?

I ask, because my new motherboard has both IDE and SATA connectors. With
the operating system installed on the IDE Hard Drives, the SATA Hard Drive
seems to disappear and I get a lot of Windows Delay Write Failures and the
manufacturer doesn't seem to support backing up to a SATA Hard Drive from an
IDE Drive. The Tech said it was because of burst speed. And all Hard Drives
are internal, not external. Go figure.

Anyway, I wonder if a similar problem is happening on your system.

Your \Temp folders are located in your User ID: C:\Documents and
Settings\Fruit20\Local Settings\Temp
and C:\WINDOWS\Temp

Once you deleted the files and sub-folders of \Temp run Disk Cleanup.

Start > All Programs> Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.

Oh, even Hard Drives months old, can become defective. I had a new
Maxtor Hard Drive go bad, while performing Defragmenting of my Hard Drive.

Check Net0. :)
 
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