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#1
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"Delayed Write Failure", but disks seem OK
I have the following hard disks on my machine:
C: Maxtor 6L040J2 (40GB) 2.5 years old F: Maxtor 6Y080M0 (80GB) 1 year old Other specs a A7A266 motherboard, 2600+ Athlon (currently running as a 2200+), XP Home. The machine has performed for 2.5 years without significant problems. Last night when I booted up, at the Windows XP login screen I get the following error: Delayed Write Failed: --- "Windows was unable to save all the data for the file C:$Mft. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere." http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330174 --- I get a series of these error messages; the file mentioned is usually "C:$Mft" (whatever that is), but other files are also mentioned. Eventually, there are no more dialog boxes displayed, but the system hangs, and I can't log in. I got one or two of these messages last week, but while logged in, and they didn't cause a system failure. I took the action recommended at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330174 and turned off "Enable write caching on the disk" for both hard disks. (However, since this had been turned on for 2.5 years, I'm not sure why it could have been a problem). Suspecting hard disk problems, I used Maxtor's PowerMax program (which runs from a floppy, so I don't have to be able to log in to use it) to check the disks. I ran both the Advanced test and the Burn In test on both drives, leaving the Burn In test to run on the C: drive for 7 hours. Both passed with no errors. However, I realise these tests are only read not write. My questions a * Does anyone know any other tests I could run (from a CD or floppy) to check the hardware? For example, are there any tools to test the drives' write capabilities? * Does it sound like a hardware failure, or is it likely to be another cause? Perhaps nothing to do with the hard drive? What other hardware in the machine should I check? * The only thing I did differently recently was to install a DSL modem (connected by Ethernet). I use a firewall and run an anti-virus regularly, so think a virus/trojan is unlikely, but thought there may be an issue there? Any help appreciated, P. |
#2
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This usually happens with external drives. What happens is when you
have a drive that is set up to be removable (USB/FireWire especially), Windows will often fail to finish flushing the I/O buffer. This can usually be fixed by simply removing the disk before restarting/turning off the computer. You can also try to set it to Optimize for Quick Removal and see if that helps (but that option may be grayed out for you). The problem in your case is that the drives are internal and system/boot volumes. I have never had this problem, but I would warn you that the $MFT file you are seeing is your Master File Table. This keeps an index of where every file is on the hard disk. If this becomes corrupt, it can make the drive unusable. Have you recently had the computer shut off while you were working on it or had a power surge? Anything that would turn off the hard disk while it was still in the process of reading or writing? The good news is this is most likely not a hardware problem. The bad news is that you may need to backup all of your data (if possible) and repartition/format the drive and put everything back on it. Finally, do you know which drive it is that has this problem or if it is both? ---- Nathan McNulty Paul Moloney wrote: I have the following hard disks on my machine: C: Maxtor 6L040J2 (40GB) 2.5 years old F: Maxtor 6Y080M0 (80GB) 1 year old Other specs a A7A266 motherboard, 2600+ Athlon (currently running as a 2200+), XP Home. The machine has performed for 2.5 years without significant problems. Last night when I booted up, at the Windows XP login screen I get the following error: Delayed Write Failed: --- "Windows was unable to save all the data for the file C:$Mft. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere." http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330174 --- I get a series of these error messages; the file mentioned is usually "C:$Mft" (whatever that is), but other files are also mentioned. Eventually, there are no more dialog boxes displayed, but the system hangs, and I can't log in. I got one or two of these messages last week, but while logged in, and they didn't cause a system failure. I took the action recommended at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330174 and turned off "Enable write caching on the disk" for both hard disks. (However, since this had been turned on for 2.5 years, I'm not sure why it could have been a problem). Suspecting hard disk problems, I used Maxtor's PowerMax program (which runs from a floppy, so I don't have to be able to log in to use it) to check the disks. I ran both the Advanced test and the Burn In test on both drives, leaving the Burn In test to run on the C: drive for 7 hours. Both passed with no errors. However, I realise these tests are only read not write. My questions a * Does anyone know any other tests I could run (from a CD or floppy) to check the hardware? For example, are there any tools to test the drives' write capabilities? * Does it sound like a hardware failure, or is it likely to be another cause? Perhaps nothing to do with the hard drive? What other hardware in the machine should I check? * The only thing I did differently recently was to install a DSL modem (connected by Ethernet). I use a firewall and run an anti-virus regularly, so think a virus/trojan is unlikely, but thought there may be an issue there? Any help appreciated, P. |
#3
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Can not comment on the exact cause of your situation but... several weeks
ago an email info sheet which I read regularly had some "tips" for speeding up your PC (memory speed to be exact) with several registry changes. Great their info is usually very reliable. Made the three reg changes they suggested (being very careful not to stray from their direction!) and the outcome was... The exact same errors that you have! These errors had absolultely nothing to do with the hardware as I restored the drive with an image I had made (don't trust ANYONE 100%) and all was well. The down side is that unfortunately I HAD to restore the image because the XP installation partition became totally unusable! I know my way around 'puters and an OS (XP since BETA 2) and when I say it was unusable this is after several hours of trying to repair it. I am hoping for your situation that you have a good backup that you will never need. But for me that was the only alternative. Good Luck, Len "Paul Moloney" wrote in message om... I have the following hard disks on my machine: C: Maxtor 6L040J2 (40GB) 2.5 years old F: Maxtor 6Y080M0 (80GB) 1 year old Other specs a A7A266 motherboard, 2600+ Athlon (currently running as a 2200+), XP Home. The machine has performed for 2.5 years without significant problems. Last night when I booted up, at the Windows XP login screen I get the following error: Delayed Write Failed: --- "Windows was unable to save all the data for the file C:$Mft. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere." http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330174 --- I get a series of these error messages; the file mentioned is usually "C:$Mft" (whatever that is), but other files are also mentioned. Eventually, there are no more dialog boxes displayed, but the system hangs, and I can't log in. I got one or two of these messages last week, but while logged in, and they didn't cause a system failure. I took the action recommended at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330174 and turned off "Enable write caching on the disk" for both hard disks. (However, since this had been turned on for 2.5 years, I'm not sure why it could have been a problem). Suspecting hard disk problems, I used Maxtor's PowerMax program (which runs from a floppy, so I don't have to be able to log in to use it) to check the disks. I ran both the Advanced test and the Burn In test on both drives, leaving the Burn In test to run on the C: drive for 7 hours. Both passed with no errors. However, I realise these tests are only read not write. My questions a * Does anyone know any other tests I could run (from a CD or floppy) to check the hardware? For example, are there any tools to test the drives' write capabilities? * Does it sound like a hardware failure, or is it likely to be another cause? Perhaps nothing to do with the hard drive? What other hardware in the machine should I check? * The only thing I did differently recently was to install a DSL modem (connected by Ethernet). I use a firewall and run an anti-virus regularly, so think a virus/trojan is unlikely, but thought there may be an issue there? Any help appreciated, P. |
#4
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"Len" wrote in message ...
Can not comment on the exact cause of your situation but... several weeks ago an email info sheet which I read regularly had some "tips" for speeding up your PC (memory speed to be exact) with several registry changes. Great their info is usually very reliable. Hmmm, this rings a bell. Was it WinXPNews by any chance? I think I made those exact same changes (but I've forgotten what they were!). If you can remember these changes and post them, I'd appreciate it. I also tried to repair my installation from the recovery console without any luck; the recovery console just left me with a C: prompt from which I could do nothing but run "exit". In the end, I simply did a complete reinstallation. P. |
#5
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"Len" wrote in message ...
Can not comment on the exact cause of your situation but... several weeks ago an email info sheet which I read regularly had some "tips" for speeding up your PC (memory speed to be exact) with several registry changes. Great their info is usually very reliable. Hi Len, Are these the changes you are talking about: === http://www.winxpnews.com/index.cfm?id=134 [...] Open your favorite registry editor and navigate to the following key: HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management DisablePagingExecutive - Double click it and in the decimal value field, put a 1. This will allow XP to keep data in memory instead of paging sections of RAM to the hard drive. LargeSystemCache - Double click it and change the decimal value to 1. This will allow the XP Kernel to Run in memory. Create a new DWORD value and name it IOPageLockLimit - Double click it and set the value in hex to 4000 if you have 128MB of RAM, 10000 if you have 256MB or 40000 if you have more than 512MB of RAM. === P. |
#6
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Paul Moloney wrote:
"Len" wrote in message ... Can not comment on the exact cause of your situation but... several weeks ago an email info sheet which I read regularly had some "tips" for speeding up your PC (memory speed to be exact) with several registry changes. Great their info is usually very reliable. Hmmm, this rings a bell. Was it WinXPNews by any chance? I think I made those exact same changes (but I've forgotten what they were!). If you can remember these changes and post them, I'd appreciate it. I also tried to repair my installation from the recovery console without any luck; the recovery console just left me with a C: prompt from which I could do nothing but run "exit". In the end, I simply did a complete reinstallation. P. Hello, Paul: "WinXPNews" is an e-mail spammer, as far as I'm concerned. They keep sending me their "info sheet" (as "Len" calls it), even though I never "subscribed" to it. No problem, however, as I simply have MailWasher (anti-spam freeware) delete WinXPNews's unwanted advice, at my mail server. Cordially, John Turco |
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