External Hard Drive Problem

[Monte Comeau]

I recently installed a external hard drive. It is on a USB 2.0 connection
and works great.

Until I shut of the computer. When I restart the drive is gone. All data
deleted. I need to format it again then all is well. Until next time I
shut down.

Any ideas?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I recently installed a external hard drive. It is on a USB 2.0 connection
and works great.

Until I shut of the computer. When I restart the drive is gone. All data
deleted. I need to format it again then all is well. Until next time I
shut down.

Any ideas?

Sounds like a faulty USB case. What happens when you
dismount the disk prior to shutting down the PC? And
what about dismounting it, disconnecting it, then reconnecting
it without shutting down the PC?

 

[Monte Comeau]

Dismounting it? No idea what you are talking about.
I have been just shutting down the computer without doing anything.

 

[Monte Comeau]

hmmmmm....

I used the safely remove hardware thingy and everythign was ok when I
rebooted and then restarted the external drive.

I never realized you had to do this.

So does this mean if there is a power failure and I have not shut down my
external drive properly that I lose all the data???

 

[Anna]

I recently installed a external hard drive. It is on a USB 2.0 connection
and works great.

Until I shut of the computer. When I restart the drive is gone. All

data deleted. I need to format it again then all is well. Until next time
I

shut down.

(Later, he added)...

I used the safely remove hardware thingy and everythign was ok when I
rebooted and then restarted the external drive.

I never realized you had to do this.

So does this mean if there is a power failure and I have not shut down my
external drive properly that I lose all the data???

Monte:
Access Device Manager (Start > Control Panel > System > Device Manager). In
the "Disk drives" section of Device Manager, right-click on the USB device
in question and select Properties. On the Properties sheet that opens, click
on the Policies tab. You'll see two options, one of which is "Optimize for
quick removal". Select that option if it's not already selected. Click OK.

Note the "Optimize for quick removal" option indicates "... you can
disconnect this device without using the Safe Removal icon".

If, on the other hand, the device in question *specifically* instructs the
user to use the Safely Remove icon to stop the device before ejecting or
unplugging it (notwithstanding the "Optimize for quick removal" option),
then follow those instructions and not the one above.

I would add that I've disconnected various USB devices hundreds of times
without using the Safely Remove Hardware icon (after ensuring that the
option mentioned above has been selected) and have never encountered a
single problem involving loss of data or any other problem affecting the
device or the OS.
Anna

 

[Monte Comeau]

I thought that I had this fixed...but same problem.

I get an error saying device is corrupt.

I do not have a 'policies' tab like you mention below to enable fast
removal.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

hmmmmm....

I used the safely remove hardware thingy and everythign was ok when I
rebooted and then restarted the external drive.

I never realized you had to do this.

So does this mean if there is a power failure and I have not shut down my
external drive properly that I lose all the data???

"Dismounting" is the same as "Safe Removal". It should happen
automatically when you power down your PC but perhaps your
USB device is flawed.