Dude! Where are my folders?

BlueMak · Nov 29, 2006, 06:15 PM

I have a folder with patches for a lot of software. The folder is several GBs in size. Well, not anymore. Now it is empty. I haven't deleted it, nor is anyone else with access to my PC. It is in an external drive (drive F) and now whenever I tried to open it from windows I get a message that the disk in drive F is not formatted! WTF? Not the drive F, but the disk in drive F? The other folders on that drive are appear to be fine. So, where are my folders and files in that folder? As I said before several GBs, IIRC more than 7-8 GBs. Perhaps more than 12.
OS=Windows XP home edition.

BlueMak · Nov 30, 2006, 07:03 AM

I just tried the windows' error checking utility on the drive. At the end of phase 2 I got an error message that it was unable to complete the disk check.
It doesn't sound too good, does it?
Are there any 3rd party programs that do error checking on the drive? That are free?

BlueMak · Nov 30, 2006, 08:59 AM

I tried to use the powermax utility from Maxtor to check the drive.
It boots ok, but my keyboard (Saitek Eclipse USB) doesn't work in the program. It asks to press F8 or Esc but neither, nor any other key work. My guess is that I need a PS/2 keyboard. (insert appropriate smiley face here)
I have one other question but I will ask it in a new thread, it feels better to do that than post it here.

BlueMak · Nov 30, 2006, 10:58 AM

Now I keep getting random? data error cyclic redundancy check or something on that drive even when trying to open some folders or delete files. More and more I am starting to believe the drive is almost dead.

H3X4D3C1M4L · Nov 30, 2006, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueMak

Now I keep getting random? data error cyclic redundancy check or something on that drive even when trying to open some folders or delete files. More and more I am starting to believe the drive is almost dead.

Right you are. CRC errors = a dead drive or controller. But it sounds to me as if the drive is going