External HDD - Causes a long login time & can't view files.

Teisani · 07-13-2006, 05:27 PM

Up until now, my external hard drive has been working fine with no problems. It is used to hold all my music/videos/other media.

I leave my external HDD plugged into my computer almost all the time, and so when I boot my computer, there are no problems.

Yesterday, I booted my computer and the time it took to go from the "Windows" loading screen with the green bars, to the login screen was a lot longer (from around 3 seconds, to around 5 minutes). Also, the time between typing in the login details to displaying the full desktop + icons was longer (around 5-10 minutes).
Even when i've logged in, it just displays my background for a long time and I have to CTRL-ALT-DEL and restart explorer.exe around 5 times for it to finally display the icons and "start" bar; and even then, the whole system runs slowly - no windows open when the icons are clicked.. It's a nightmare..

So I decided to systematically go through potential problems.. I first scanned my whole computer for viruses, malware, spyware, everything. There were one or two hits, which were cleaned easily.
I then checked msconfig for any weird startup processes, and also used Autoruns to checkup on any strange activity. I spent a few hours searching through Google for similar problems, and those which came up just had the step-by-step instructions of checking msconfig etc etc etc, all those which i've already tried. And even after all this checking, it still took ages to boot/login.

I then went to the last resort and reinstalled Windows, formatting everything in the process.
I then booted the computer, and things worked fine! So I then set about reinstalling all my motherboard drivers, sound drivers, etc etc, and I had no problems. I downloaded my anti-virus etc programs, Firefox, yadda yadda.. no viruses involved there.

I then decided to install my external hard drive drivers; so I plugged the Ext-HDD into the computer (it wasn't connected to it while I reinstalled Windows) and the drivers installed, and it said the installation was successful.

So I then went on My Computer and double clicked on 'E:' (the external hdd), and it loaded up a blank window, with no documents. Hmm, I thought, that's strange. I know there are definitely files on there (i'm 100% sure of that) but for some odd reason, they aren't being picked up.
I then continued installing my general software (and a few games), and then restarted my computer.

The computer boots and by now i'm hitting my head on the table yelling "AAAAHHH!"..
I then quickly calmed down and thought "okay, since the last boot where it worked perfectly, I installed X, Y, and Z, and attached the HDD - The software i've checked before and that hasn't been the cause, so i'll try removing the EXT-HDD" .. and voila, it worked perfectly again.

So I came to the conclusion that it's my external hard drive that is somehow blocking windows from working nicely. Windows and my External Hard drive have suddenly decided to fall out - and I don't know the cause of this. I need access to this Hard Drive, it has a few important files on. But every time I connect it up after logged in, no files appear - it's just a blank window (and I repeat, i'm 100% sure that there are files on it). And the problem isnt only when booting, even if i'm already logged in, and I have programs running - If I plug in the Ext-HDD, the whole computer slows down suddenly. I even tried doing a full virus/spyware/etcetc scan of the drive, but it would just crash every time.

The Ext-HDD started playing up on the 12th July - and on that day nothing was installed or modified on the computer which may have caused it.

Any help would be appreciated. :D

Relevant specs:
Ext-HDD = Philips SPD5100CC 160GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/tech-data/B000EI78EE/ref=dp_nav_0/026-3791637-4946832?ie=UTF8&n=560798&s=electronics)
Motherboard = Asus A8V

~~whodat~~ · 07-14-2006, 06:40 AM

welcome

while the drive is plugged in, check the device manager for yellow alerts
click view>then show hidden devices

did you try another usb port?

do you have sp2 installed?

have you run a virus check on the external?

post back

Teisani · 07-14-2006, 06:54 AM

There are no yellow alerts in the device manager.
I tried another USB plug, and double clicked on the Ext-HDD in My computer, and again - no files show up.
I right clicked on the HDD and selected "properties", and it seems that the Used space = 0 bytes, and the Free space = 0 bytes. I tried doing a "Disc error check", and clicked "Start", and the scan never started (no windows popped up showing its progress).

I did a virus scan on the external hdd, but it only appeared to have scanned 39 files (whereas I have around 120 GB worth of media on it), and it says that the "Last Object Scanned was: C:\WINDOWS\System32\config\systemprofile\...\desktop.ini".. A file which clearly isn't on the HDD itself. It also returned no hits in terms of viruses.

dai · 07-14-2006, 10:46 AM

in disk management right click on the drive and look for forien drive

Teisani · 07-14-2006, 11:03 AM

When I right click on the Ext-HDD, I just get the following options:

Open
Explore
Make partition as active (blanked out)
Change drive letter and paths
Format
Delete Partition
Properties
Help

Nothing to do with "foreign drive" :D

dai · 07-14-2006, 11:14 AM

click on properties and see what comes up,there was something posted on this a couple of weeks ago all i remember was disk management and foreign

Teisani · 07-14-2006, 03:21 PM

Nope.. found nothing :/

dai · 07-14-2006, 04:12 PM

try this
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308421

Teisani · 07-14-2006, 04:19 PM

Might I ask which folder/file I would do this to?

You cannot do this to drives :) well as far as i'm aware.
When you right click on a drive, it has completely different options along the top .

dai · 07-14-2006, 04:36 PM

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307874/

07-13-2006, 05:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
Teisani Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 5 OS: XP	External HDD - Causes a long login time & can't view files. Up until now, my external hard drive has been working fine with no problems. It is used to hold all my music/videos/other media. I leave my external HDD plugged into my computer almost all the time, and so when I boot my computer, there are no problems. Yesterday, I booted my computer and the time it took to go from the "Windows" loading screen with the green bars, to the login screen was a lot longer (from around 3 seconds, to around 5 minutes). Also, the time between typing in the login details to displaying the full desktop + icons was longer (around 5-10 minutes). Even when i've logged in, it just displays my background for a long time and I have to CTRL-ALT-DEL and restart explorer.exe around 5 times for it to finally display the icons and "start" bar; and even then, the whole system runs slowly - no windows open when the icons are clicked.. It's a nightmare.. So I decided to systematically go through potential problems.. I first scanned my whole computer for viruses, malware, spyware, everything. There were one or two hits, which were cleaned easily. I then checked msconfig for any weird startup processes, and also used Autoruns to checkup on any strange activity. I spent a few hours searching through Google for similar problems, and those which came up just had the step-by-step instructions of checking msconfig etc etc etc, all those which i've already tried. And even after all this checking, it still took ages to boot/login. I then went to the last resort and reinstalled Windows, formatting everything in the process. I then booted the computer, and things worked fine! So I then set about reinstalling all my motherboard drivers, sound drivers, etc etc, and I had no problems. I downloaded my anti-virus etc programs, Firefox, yadda yadda.. no viruses involved there. I then decided to install my external hard drive drivers; so I plugged the Ext-HDD into the computer (it wasn't connected to it while I reinstalled Windows) and the drivers installed, and it said the installation was successful. So I then went on My Computer and double clicked on 'E:' (the external hdd), and it loaded up a blank window, with no documents. Hmm, I thought, that's strange. I know there are definitely files on there (i'm 100% sure of that) but for some odd reason, they aren't being picked up. I then continued installing my general software (and a few games), and then restarted my computer. The computer boots and by now i'm hitting my head on the table yelling "AAAAHHH!".. I then quickly calmed down and thought "okay, since the last boot where it worked perfectly, I installed X, Y, and Z, and attached the HDD - The software i've checked before and that hasn't been the cause, so i'll try removing the EXT-HDD" .. and voila, it worked perfectly again. So I came to the conclusion that it's my external hard drive that is somehow blocking windows from working nicely. Windows and my External Hard drive have suddenly decided to fall out - and I don't know the cause of this. I need access to this Hard Drive, it has a few important files on. But every time I connect it up after logged in, no files appear - it's just a blank window (and I repeat, i'm 100% sure that there are files on it). And the problem isnt only when booting, even if i'm already logged in, and I have programs running - If I plug in the Ext-HDD, the whole computer slows down suddenly. I even tried doing a full virus/spyware/etcetc scan of the drive, but it would just crash every time. The Ext-HDD started playing up on the 12th July - and on that day nothing was installed or modified on the computer which may have caused it. Any help would be appreciated. :D Relevant specs: Ext-HDD = Philips SPD5100CC 160GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/tech-data/B000EI78EE/ref=dp_nav_0/026-3791637-4946832?ie=UTF8&n=560798&s=electronics) Motherboard = Asus A8V Last edited by Teisani; 07-13-2006 at 05:56 PM.

07-14-2006, 10:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,609 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	in disk management right click on the drive and look for forien drive __________________

07-14-2006, 11:14 AM	#6 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,609 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	click on properties and see what comes up,there was something posted on this a couple of weeks ago all i remember was disk management and foreign __________________

07-14-2006, 04:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,609 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	try this http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308421 __________________

07-14-2006, 04:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
Teisani Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 5 OS: XP	Might I ask which folder/file I would do this to? You cannot do this to drives :) well as far as i'm aware. When you right click on a drive, it has completely different options along the top . Last edited by Teisani; 07-14-2006 at 04:20 PM.

07-14-2006, 06:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
~~whodat~~ Register user Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,931 OS: XP	welcome while the drive is plugged in, check the device manager for yellow alerts click view>then show hidden devices did you try another usb port? do you have sp2 installed? have you run a virus check on the external? post back

07-14-2006, 06:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
Teisani Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 5 OS: XP	There are no yellow alerts in the device manager. I tried another USB plug, and double clicked on the Ext-HDD in My computer, and again - no files show up. I right clicked on the HDD and selected "properties", and it seems that the Used space = 0 bytes, and the Free space = 0 bytes. I tried doing a "Disc error check", and clicked "Start", and the scan never started (no windows popped up showing its progress). I did a virus scan on the external hdd, but it only appeared to have scanned 39 files (whereas I have around 120 GB worth of media on it), and it says that the "Last Object Scanned was: C:\WINDOWS\System32\config\systemprofile\...\desktop.ini".. A file which clearly isn't on the HDD itself. It also returned no hits in terms of viruses.

07-14-2006, 11:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Teisani Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 5 OS: XP	When I right click on the Ext-HDD, I just get the following options: Open Explore Make partition as active (blanked out) Change drive letter and paths Format Delete Partition Properties Help Nothing to do with "foreign drive" :D

07-14-2006, 03:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
Teisani Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 5 OS: XP	Nope.. found nothing :/

07-14-2006, 04:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,609 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307874/ __________________