Cyclic Redundancy Error Buffalo External Drive

[JoelBreat]

Hi,

I'm trying to back up my work files into this black Buffalo HD-PE500U2 drive (500gb) but this message keeps popping up saying there's a cyclic redundancy error.

Now, I've tried looking this up on the internet and found this solution:

How do I fix a cyclic redundancy check error when I try to copy a file?

Apparently it's caused by some kind of mismatch with the place you're copying from and the place you're copying to?

So the site says to "Fire up a Command Prompt window, and then copy the file to NUL:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\>CD (to wherever the file is located)

C:\wherever>copy Outlook.pst NUL
1 file(s) copied."

But how exactly do I do this? My command prompt window comes up showing:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\VAiO>_

Not C:\>CD and C:\ like it says?

Or does anyone have any other solutions to the problem?

Thanks,
Joel

[Lisa Keleher]

I need a guide when I back up all my data for Windows XPP?

[spunk.funk]

CRC error, indicates a bad spot on your hard drive.

Before copying any files to your external USB HDD, run Check Disk on it.
go to Start/Run and type CMD and press enter. In the Command Prompt type the drive letter of your external Buffalo HD-PE500U2 drive (ex) F: and press enter. The prompt turns to the drive letter (ex) F:\> now type chkdsk /R and press enter. Now type a Y for Yes to Unmount the drive. Check Disk will mark any bad sectors on your external HDD and not save data to it.

[JoelBreat]

Hi,

Sorry for the slow reply. I ran check disk on the external drive and it was ok. So I ran it on the computer as well and it's been running all this time (since about 5 hours after you posted). It froze after it got to a specific point (I don't know what section because the screens just full of messages saying it fixed this and that) so I shut the computer down (2 hours ago) and restarted it. The problem is, it's still going at it. Is there are way to tell the computer to just skip that part it's stuck on and keep going?

Thanks

[spunk.funk]

This is a bad sign. Your HDD is probably failing. You do not want to stop it in the middle of it's error checking. When it finishes, takes steps to backup any files you can't live without to your external drive and get yourself a new HDD and reinstall Windows on the new drive.

[JoelBreat]

Hi,

That's really unfortunate indeed. But I've already backed up my files and the laptop's pretty old so, it's probably time for me to get a new one anyway.

Thanks tremendously for your help, who knows what would've happened if I had continued using it unknowingly,
Joel Breat