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External HDD keeps getting corrupted

T

The_Tecknishen

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
Messages
199
I have a WD 160 Gb w/8 Mb cache. I have it in a vantec NexStar 2 external enclosure. I have the option to connect it with USB 2 or Firewire, but I mostly use firewire.

I've only had this thing for about a month and already I've had all the data on there get corrupted twice. Everything seems to be working fine and then all of a sudden windows says the drive is inaccessable because the file or directory is corrupted.

I bought this with the intention of backing up my data and obviously it's not working out. I'm at a loss here as to what could be causing this. What do you think is going on? Is the drive bad? Is the enclosure bad? What should I do? Thanks.
 
Its plugged into the same UPS that my PC is plugged into...An APC Back-UPS 725. Not the best one in the world but its been doing the job so far.


Where do I turn off Write caching?



Also, I keep it right next to one of my satellite speakers, and I mean right next to it. Its a logitech Z-540 so I thought that it was shielded like PC speakers are supposed to be. Perhaps its not as shielded as I'm thinking. Do you suppose that the magnetic driver is corrupting my data?
 
Start > Run > (type) compmgmt.msc > Device Manager > Disk Drives > Disk Properties
uncheck Write Cache Enabled

alternately the issues could be more systemic than that
a bad data cable or poor power delivery, or borked drivers

or the traditional answers > Data Corruption 101
 
No option for disabling write caching on this drive. There is for the other drives though.

The part about crappy data cables caught my eye however since I'm using the firewire cable that came with the enclosure and it feels kinda cheap to me.

I have an Apple cable that I took from work. Maybe I'll try that one.
 
Just a quick thought, but you didn’t mention if that 3.06 in your sig was stock or the result of an over clock. A really high FSB can sometimes have weird effects on things like USB and FireWire.

Just a thought

Luck
 
BillR said:
Just a quick thought, but you didn’t mention if that 3.06 in your sig was stock or the result of an over clock. A really high FSB can sometimes have weird effects on things like USB and FireWire.

Just a thought

Luck
Click to expand...
Thats the stock speed. I havent overclocked at all.
 
Hey Tecknishen ,

Did you ever figure out what was causing your data corruption? I am getting the same errors with my Samsung Spinpoint 160GB and the Vantec NexStar 2 enclosure.
 
my buddy told me his firewire drive kept getting corrupted when using win xp. from what he told me it is a known problem that is specific to firewire. try using usb2.0 and see if the problem persists.
 
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