Windows XP Pro -- Delayed Write Failed

[Bill Dilworth]

System:
Win XP Pro (SP2)
All Windows updates current

3.0 GHz P4 processor
2 GB RAM
3 Mounted SATA drives (500GB, 120 GB, 120GB)
4 USB Lacie 500 GB externals (only 1 currently connected)

Error:
Windows - Delayed Write Failed

Windows was unable to save all the data for the file G:\$Mft.
The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure
of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try
to save this file elsewhere.

Have tried:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/870894/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330174/en-us
Have set all hard disk caching to off
Optimized USB drives to 'Quick removal'

Comment:
As you may have guessed, this computer is used to store a large amount
of imaging data. The loss of any this data is rather concerning and
unexceptable. This error is triggered by doing file management (moving to,
copying within or to, defragmenting, etc.) on any of the externals. Once
the error is displayed, the external hard drive no longer is visible to the
system, and the dialog continues to pop-up until the system is rebooted.
The error occurs whenever any of the larger external hard drive files are
moved. It does not seem to matter if one or all of them are connected.

While this system is very new (<1 month), the same behavior and errors
occurred on the previous one (similar set-up).

I'm very open to suggestions/recommendations and will provide any
additional information needed to fix this issue. As always, if there is a
better forum to seek this answer from, I'd be happy to post my question
there.

Thank you,
Bill D.

 

[Sparky Spartacus]

Bill Dilworth wrote:

Any chance you turned the USB drive OFF before you shutdown Windows? I
have received the same message when I've done that (I have never been
able to remove a USB HDD with the "Safely Remove Hardware" option).

 

[Bill Dilworth]

Sorry, no. The error occurs while the files are still being written.

The USB drive's light flickers while the files are being transferred, but
does not go out (as it does when unit is run thru the Safely remove hardware
sequence). It does allow us to dismount it using the safely remove USB
stuff command, until it gets this error

The whole system is on a filtered power supply that has an audible failure
alarm. Not a peep, so I do not think it is power related.

Bill

 

[Treeman]

Sorry, no.QUOTE]
Check this out Bill:
http://tinyurl.com/4n7xl
It recommends disabling the firewall, I would add; after you disconnec
from the internet.
It could also be the ide bridge chipset in the drive, find out whic
one Lacie uses for that drive and if there isn't an update for th
chipset.
Best of luck, I don't get the delayed write failures, but then I'
still running SP1.
Best,
Treema

 

[oceanclub]

Getting the following hotfix worked for me - I had the same problem
with a Firewire external drive:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885464

P.