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External H'Drive...Cannot Read Source File Or Disk?

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  • 31-12-2011 5:27am
    #1
    DrFroggies
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭


    Hi guys,

    I have a problem with my external hard drive and my laptop.

    Basically everytime I try to save something from my laptop to my external harddrive or even try to create a new folder on the harddrive itself I keep getting the message 'cannot read source file or disk'...can anyone tell me how to fix this?

    Files on the harddrive still open and media still plays without problems but I can't get anything new on there and it's very frustrating! Laptop and harddrive have always worked fine together until now...I really need to be able to use it as the memory on my laptop is not very large and I've a lot of media projects coming up when i get back to college in the new year so I'm starting to worry about this.

    My laptop is an Acer Travelmate, my external harddrive is an Iomega Prestige and OS is Windows Vista.

    If any of you could give me some tips or hints on how to sort this I'd be very grateful.

    Thanks and Happy New Year!
    Cheers
    DrF ;-)


Comments

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    #2
    _AVALANCHE_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,620 ✭✭✭_AVALANCHE_


    I think your drive is starting to fail.

    Ideally before you try testing it you should take anything important off it just incase.

    Start-->Computer-->Right click on the external-->Properties-->Tools-->Error Checking.


    http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/guide-to-using-check-disk-in-windows-vista/


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    #3
    DrFroggies
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭DrFroggies


    Oh s**t I hope not...I can't afford a new one at the moment!

    Thanks for the feedback Avalanche...will try what you suggest and will click on that link!


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    #4
    phpgen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭phpgen


    i use http://www.longpathtool.com and it fixed this for me finaly :)


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    #5
    DrFroggies
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭DrFroggies


    Hi guys - I was just thinking I used the harddrive on a mac in college (i usually use it on my pc) just before this problem started, could the mac have somehow reformatted the harddrive?:confused:


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    #6
    Stereomaniac
    Registered Users Posts: 6,166 ✭✭✭Stereomaniac


    Yes. I would say that is a very realistic possibility. The same thing happened in the leadup to my one failing. So you should use it with a P.C or a Mac exclusively, as far as I know.


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    #7
    _AVALANCHE_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,620 ✭✭✭_AVALANCHE_


    DrFroggies wrote: »
    Hi guys - I was just thinking I used the harddrive on a mac in college (i usually use it on my pc) just before this problem started, could the mac have somehow reformatted the harddrive?:confused:
    Ewww, I'm not sure, never had a Mac, if they are both in FAT32 File Format then I think it's OK but I still wouldn't, better to partition the drive (divide it) and use one half for mac and other half for PC I'd say.

    The most damage using on both would cause (I'd imagine) would be file corruption which a Format would fix, but you'd lose anything you haven't backed up.

    Ask the question here in a new thread for a definite answer.


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    #8
    ards2013
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭ards2013


    try CBD(Copy Bad Disk)


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