The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

[rleiphart]

I have searched all over the web for someone that has an answer for my
issue and have not located anything that could help me with a solution.
Here is the skinny:

-Upgraded my machine (new mob, CPU, RAM, GPU, and 2 WD 7400 Raptor)
-added 2 IDE (WD1200JB and WD2500JB) and one SATA (WD1600??) from my
old machine as they have all my music, pics, dowloaded programs, etc.
-configured BIOS to boot from one of the Raptors, installed XP Pro on
it and everything functioned properly.
-after my OS was up and running, I powered off the machine and plugged
in the IDE cables that had the 120 and 250 on it.

Here is where the problem began. First my BIOS reconfigured on its own
(after adding the new hardware) so it was attempting to boot from one
of these drives. I went back into the BIOS and set it back up so that
it would boot from the Raptor that had the OS on it. The drives both
display in my BIOS. When I get into windows I can see the drive (120
and 250) in "my computer", I ran WD Lifeguard tools (both short and
long) with no errors and in Disk Management I can see the drive (it
lists as "healthy") but its 100% free. I have been unable to run scan
disk in windows or forced in DOS. Additionally I used final data to
scan the drive and came up empty. I have both drives jumpered to
"cable select". Where it get strange its that I brought the WD1600
SATA from my old computer and it is working just fine.

Does anyone know why I am getting "The file or directory is corrupted
and unreadable" when I try to access these drives and what I can do to
get this error to disappear?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[JAD]

you get a checksum error?
are the drives being 'auto' detected in bios?
bios clock holding correct time?

 

[LEIP]

JAD-

Thanks for your response.

-Idon't know what a "checksum error" is?
-BIOS are set to "auto" and do detect the drives
-clock is holding the right time.

LEIP

 

[adsci]

I have both drives jumpered to
"cable select".

i dont know whether this has anything to do with your problem, but cable
select isnt a good choice. it leads in many, many situations to
problems. additionally its senseless since drive settings are a one-time
setting which doesnt change often or at random.

 

[LEIP]

***I have something new to add. When my PC boots, right before I get
the Windows splash screen (that shows the status of XP loading), a
check disk attempts to run. After the countdown it aborts itself due to
a "corrupted Master File Table". I'm going to Google that message but
please let me know if anyone has any insight.


Thanks
LEIP

 

[David Maynard]

i dont know whether this has anything to do with your problem, but cable
select isnt a good choice. it leads in many, many situations to
problems. additionally its senseless since drive settings are a one-time
setting which doesnt change often or at random.

That might be the most common case but I have removable IDE trays and since
WD insists on their, IMO stupid, *separate* settings for master, with and
without a slave, the tray would be nearly useless without cable select.