Ronniebootwest Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I have a problem with my hard drive that is confusing me.When I attempt to open one particular file I get an error message that says 'Disk not formatted' This is clearly wrong because I have all my images on this drive with some 55 separate folders - all of these folders open without any problems except this particular one. I decided to delete the offending folder and creat a new one into which I intended replacing the lost images (from a back-up). However, the computer just cannot identify the folder and it just freezes whenever I attempt to delete using explorer. Headscratching or what?Anyone know what I can do?Ron West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Cox Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Ronhave you ran check disk(scandisk) with the box checked to check surface and repairandhave you tried a safe mode start to remove the folderwhen was the last time you were able to open the folderken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conflow Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Hi Ron,Ooopps ! ~ Hold on there Ron before you do anything 'mad' ~Go to the Folder---> RH.Click on it---> When the Window opens--->Select Properties. Now go down the data and see if 'Read Only' is 'ticked', if so remove the tick. Also hit the 'Advanced Button' and see if..'Find by Index' is ticked...if not tick it.Finally see what size the Folder actually is ?...It's the 1st page of the Properties Window(s) If its 'Zero Kilobtbytes'...the Folder simply doesn't exist but the 'Read Only' attribute may be switched on consequently the PC is trying to read infinity,which it can't do, and then Freezes (thats not a crash)...Its a very common oversight. Exit from the Properties Window ~Now find the Folder again, this time RH.Click on it and this time select 'Delete' from drop-down Menu. That should work for you, provided you dont have a 'Read Only EXE' within the Folder ?Brian.Conflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronniebootwest Posted August 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Ken, Good morning (or whatever it is with you) I have XP on my compcuter and have been unable to find the Scandisk program. I know it's hidden in there somewhere but I know not where. Can you guide me to the hiding place please.RonCornflow, I am going to carry out all of your instructions this morning and will confirm later if they have had any effect. Thanks for your help.Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronniebootwest Posted August 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Brian,I did what you suggested and you were correct about the 'read only'. It was ticked so I removed the tick. When checking the size of the folder, you were right again! it showed 'zero kilobytes'. Finally, when I accessed the folder again, I selected 'delete' and it seems to be working OK but then I got the following message:-Cannot delete: Data error (Cyclic redundancy check)I have no idea what that means or how to get around it!Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Cox Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Ronmy computer/c drive/properties/tools/errorcheckingkenbtw we are 5 hrs behind you -- where i live any wayswill email you a clock program if it is not too bigshould be in your mailbox now you will play all day with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conflow Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Hi Ron,Concerning your problem:- Now the Folder is in a 'safe-mode' it can be worked on ~ So to recap, it wasn't a bad HD Sector ~ it's just a lost Folder which somehow got damaged and and it's contents were erased.The message: Data Error(Cyclic Redundancy Check) means that because we reset the Folder to the correct 'Attributes' the PC is no longer going to waste it's time going around in circles trying to read comething thats not there ~ and then Freezing ~ Now its doing a finite 'cycling test' and quitting any further attempts to read it ~ So no 'Freezing'.In fact whats happened is the 'File Index' has become corrupted ~ The PC now knows that, it also knows that the Folder is there, it knows its empty ~ but in your case because the 'Index' is corrupted it wont attempt a 'Delete' in case it deletes something with a similar Index.Now its safe to run 'Scandisc' as Ken suggested ~ It will ask you what do you want to do with 'Lost File Fragments' choose delete ~ when done ~ make sure you switch off the PC and physically re-start it, do not use Re-Start.Don't worry, it happens to a lot of 'PC Users' and there are many Hard-Drive's in the Bin due to the same problem.Brian.Conflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronniebootwest Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Brian,My problem is sorted! Thanks for your very helpful advice, which I followed to the letter and now my offending folder has been deleted.One point though, I did not manage to find or use 'scandisk' or 'chkdsk' on my computer. Ken Cox gave me a path to follow in Windows XP but I did not recognise this as the 'old scandisk' I remember from Win98 days. Is there a correct path that I should know about?Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Cox Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Ronxp is a totally different breed of cat than your 98seehttp://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%27sca...le+Search&meta=http://www.pcdon.com/page82.htmlI have used other windows OS' in the past and they all have a scan disk function. Where is it in XP? I have been using System Mechanic and when I do an optimized defrag, it tells me to use scan disk. HELP!!!:banghead:http://www.short-media.com/forum/archive/i...php/t-7201.htmldefrag, scandisk, system restore and safe mode are very important utilitiesi would suggest you "bone " up on them asap with the help of a competent pc tech -- get the check book out ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronniebootwest Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Hi Ken,I have waded through those links you sent to me and am now more confused than ever!In simple terms, can you explain just what an XP user needs to do in order to check that his/her hard drives are OK. Do we in fact need to bother with Scandisk or Checkdisc at all, or shoule we rely on the program contained in Start/Prgrams/Accessories/SystemTools.Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Cox Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Checkdisc at all, or should we rely on the program contained in Start/Prgrams/Accessories/SystemTools for defragmy computer/c drive/properties/tools/errorchecking for scandiskdefrag, scandisk, system restore and safe mode are very important utilities would suggest you "bone " up on them asap with the help of a competent pc tech k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David (UK) Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Ron,Error Checking (was Scandisk) & Defrag on XP:1) Dbl-click on the "My Computer" icon on the desk top2) Where it now say's "Hard Disk Drives", right click on "Hard Disk ( C )"3) From the drop-down menu select "Properties"4) On the next box select "Tools"You should now see options for Error Checking, Defrag and BackupDavid (UK) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conflow Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Ronnie,You might like to look at a 'New Topic' I have just posted,viz:-Repair and Maintain your XP.PCBrian.Conflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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