external hard drive issues

I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most of
my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me to
take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of the
sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there is
nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside them.
Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or even
closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
suggestions?

"eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
>I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most
>of
> my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me to
> take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
> machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
> external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of the
> sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
> recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there
> is
> nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside them.
> Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or
> even
> closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
> suggestions?


Go to the WD site and get some test tools for the drive and check how
healthy it is. Save all files. Looks like you might be seeing the
beginnings of a complete drive failure. Does this happen with an other one?
Do you have another?

--
BobF.
Lincoln actually got it right but was way ahead of his time when he said,
"You can have some of you computer working all of the time and all of your
computer working some of the time but..." It was he that said that, wasn't
it?

I don't have another hard drive, but I do use the same hard drive in my
laptop, and it never happens there.

"Bob F." wrote:

> "eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
> news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
> >I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most
> >of
> > my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me to
> > take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
> > machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
> > external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of the
> > sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
> > recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there
> > is
> > nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside them.
> > Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or
> > even
> > closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
> > suggestions?
>
>
> Go to the WD site and get some test tools for the drive and check how
> healthy it is. Save all files. Looks like you might be seeing the
> beginnings of a complete drive failure. Does this happen with an other one?
> Do you have another?
>
> --
> BobF.
> Lincoln actually got it right but was way ahead of his time when he said,
> "You can have some of you computer working all of the time and all of your
> computer working some of the time but..." It was he that said that, wasn't
> it?
>
>

I have a WD Passport 160 GB. Some of my USB ports seem to be unreliable or
don't even work with the drive when I plug it in.
The drive needs power from the USB port. I use a USB port that I know always
works and I have no problem in that port.
I have a WD My Book TeraByte drive as well that uses external power not
power from the USB port. It works in any port on my system.

"eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
> I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most
> of
> my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me to
> take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
> machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
> external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of the
> sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
> recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there
> is
> nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside them.
> Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or
> even
> closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
> suggestions?

WD 160 gig user here. As a matter of policy you should have your documents
on no fewer than three locations excluding backups. Synctoy is a good sync
tool for vista. Then you can have your docs synced to your WD for road
travel and then when back at home sync again to refresh the server/pc data.
There is even a setting to sync at login.
"Gary Mount" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I have a WD Passport 160 GB. Some of my USB ports seem to be unreliable or
> don't even work with the drive when I plug it in.
> The drive needs power from the USB port. I use a USB port that I know
> always works and I have no problem in that port.
> I have a WD My Book TeraByte drive as well that uses external power not
> power from the USB port. It works in any port on my system.
>
> "eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
> news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
>> I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most
>> of
>> my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me
>> to
>> take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
>> machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
>> external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of
>> the
>> sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
>> recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there
>> is
>> nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside
>> them.
>> Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or
>> even
>> closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
>> suggestions?
>

Ok, so I checked the drive with the test tool, and it said the drive is
working fine. I use the drive in my laptop, and that is working fine.
However, I have tried plugging into every USB port on the desktop (Vista)
and, same story, it works for a day, then crashes. However, Funny thing is, I
have no problems with any other devices in these same ports.

very confusing and frustrating -- anyone?
"Bob F." wrote:

> "eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
> news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
> >I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most
> >of
> > my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me to
> > take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
> > machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
> > external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of the
> > sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
> > recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there
> > is
> > nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside them.
> > Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or
> > even
> > closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
> > suggestions?
>
>
> Go to the WD site and get some test tools for the drive and check how
> healthy it is. Save all files. Looks like you might be seeing the
> beginnings of a complete drive failure. Does this happen with an other one?
> Do you have another?
>
> --
> BobF.
> Lincoln actually got it right but was way ahead of his time when he said,
> "You can have some of you computer working all of the time and all of your
> computer working some of the time but..." It was he that said that, wasn't
> it?
>
>

Do other devices work in those same ports that don't work with the WD? all my
ports work fine with other devices. But the hard drive works fine with other
computers. Very bizarre. Can't tell if it's a problem with the comp or the
drive.

"Gary Mount" wrote:

> I have a WD Passport 160 GB. Some of my USB ports seem to be unreliable or
> don't even work with the drive when I plug it in.
> The drive needs power from the USB port. I use a USB port that I know always
> works and I have no problem in that port.
> I have a WD My Book TeraByte drive as well that uses external power not
> power from the USB port. It works in any port on my system.
>
> "eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
> news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
> > I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most
> > of
> > my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me to
> > take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
> > machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
> > external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of the
> > sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
> > recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there
> > is
> > nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside them.
> > Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or
> > even
> > closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
> > suggestions?
>
>

sorry, not understanding what this synctoy is? Will it sync my drive with my
desktop to stop this problem from continuing, or does it just take what's on
the external and put it back on the desktop? That seems to be what you're
saying, but I don't understand since, if you take the external with you, and
swap between them, then it's already synced, no?

got a lync for synctoy?

"That Guy" wrote:

> WD 160 gig user here. As a matter of policy you should have your documents
> on no fewer than three locations excluding backups. Synctoy is a good sync
> tool for vista. Then you can have your docs synced to your WD for road
> travel and then when back at home sync again to refresh the server/pc data.
> There is even a setting to sync at login.
> "Gary Mount" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > I have a WD Passport 160 GB. Some of my USB ports seem to be unreliable or
> > don't even work with the drive when I plug it in.
> > The drive needs power from the USB port. I use a USB port that I know
> > always works and I have no problem in that port.
> > I have a WD My Book TeraByte drive as well that uses external power not
> > power from the USB port. It works in any port on my system.
> >
> > "eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
> > news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
> >> I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for most
> >> of
> >> my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for me
> >> to
> >> take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
> >> machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on my
> >> external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of
> >> the
> >> sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no longer
> >> recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them, there
> >> is
> >> nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside
> >> them.
> >> Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved, or
> >> even
> >> closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from. Any
> >> suggestions?
> >
>

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en


--
http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview


"eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
news:75E7A7BA-B39A-4695-ACCD-...
> sorry, not understanding what this synctoy is? Will it sync my drive with
> my
> desktop to stop this problem from continuing, or does it just take what's
> on
> the external and put it back on the desktop? That seems to be what you're
> saying, but I don't understand since, if you take the external with you,
> and
> swap between them, then it's already synced, no?
>
> got a lync for synctoy?
>
> "That Guy" wrote:
>
>> WD 160 gig user here. As a matter of policy you should have your
>> documents
>> on no fewer than three locations excluding backups. Synctoy is a good
>> sync
>> tool for vista. Then you can have your docs synced to your WD for road
>> travel and then when back at home sync again to refresh the server/pc
>> data.
>> There is even a setting to sync at login.
>> "Gary Mount" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>> > I have a WD Passport 160 GB. Some of my USB ports seem to be unreliable
>> > or
>> > don't even work with the drive when I plug it in.
>> > The drive needs power from the USB port. I use a USB port that I know
>> > always works and I have no problem in that port.
>> > I have a WD My Book TeraByte drive as well that uses external power not
>> > power from the USB port. It works in any port on my system.
>> >
>> > "eddiebigd" <> wrote in message
>> > news:E6A42B75-5728-49B7-8984-...
>> >> I have a WD Passport external hard drive about 100gigs. I use it for
>> >> most
>> >> of
>> >> my document storage because I'm on the road a lot so it's easier for
>> >> me
>> >> to
>> >> take the hard drive on the road than it is to swap files between two
>> >> machines. Ok, so the problem is, for some reason, I'll be working on
>> >> my
>> >> external drive, have a bunch of documents open and whatnot, and all of
>> >> the
>> >> sudden, it just stops working. It's as the computer decided to no
>> >> longer
>> >> recognize the hard drive because when I open files to look at them,
>> >> there
>> >> is
>> >> nothing there. actually, the folders are there but nothing is inside
>> >> them.
>> >> Anything that is already open in the external drive cannot be saved,
>> >> or
>> >> even
>> >> closed properly because it no longer recognizes where it came from.
>> >> Any
>> >> suggestions?
>> >
>>