external harddrive problems...

[khanate]

hello all...

i'm having a few problems with my external harddrive. you see, i'm using a laptop at the moment which only has a 40 gb capacity, so i'm using an external (160 gb) harddrive for downloads etc.

of late, i've had an interesting problem; every time i go to access the folder with the torrent-downloaded material, i get an error message that says windows has encountered a problem and needs to close the window down (you know the one; send/don't send). it's quite ridiculous, because this happens ONLY when i access the download folder on the external HDD; if i access, say, my holiday pics (on the same HDD), it won't shut down. if i access mp3s or anything EXCEPT the downloads folder, no problems. once i click on the downloads folder, the error screen comes up.

to add to this oddity, i've managed to cut and paste quickly enough to move files from the downloads folder to other folders (on and off the external HDD). when i access these files, the same error prompt comes up. even more ridiculous, i've managed to burn these files to dvd, and when i load the dvd, and access the files, the SAME error screen comes up. i stress, this is ONLY for files that've been downloaded from the internet...

so...does anyone have any clues what i'm doing wrong? can this be fixed???

thanks in advance...

 

[Bosun]

hello all...

i'm having a few problems with my external harddrive. you see, i'm using a laptop at the moment which only has a 40 gb capacity, so i'm using an external (160 gb) harddrive for downloads etc.

of late, i've had an interesting problem; every time i go to access the folder with the torrent-downloaded material, i get an error message that says windows has encountered a problem and needs to close the window down (you know the one; send/don't send). it's quite ridiculous, because this happens ONLY when i access the download folder on the external HDD; if i access, say, my holiday pics (on the same HDD), it won't shut down. if i access mp3s or anything EXCEPT the downloads folder, no problems. once i click on the downloads folder, the error screen comes up.

to add to this oddity, i've managed to cut and paste quickly enough to move files from the downloads folder to other folders (on and off the external HDD). when i access these files, the same error prompt comes up. even more ridiculous, i've managed to burn these files to dvd, and when i load the dvd, and access the files, the SAME error screen comes up. i stress, this is ONLY for files that've been downloaded from the internet...

so...does anyone have any clues what i'm doing wrong? can this be fixed???

thanks in advance...

Sounds like the files in the download folder have been corrupted which is why whatever location you move them too you will get the same error message.

Usually with corrupted files there isnt a lot you can do other than replace/reinstall them. Im not sure if there is anyway to repair them.

 

[khanate]

thanks for your reply, bosun...

if the files are corrupted, why are they working when i click on them (mp3s/avi files)? is there ANYTHING i can do to stop downloading corrupted files? it's kinda strange...

the files work fine (sound/picture/synching), it's just that bloody prompt!!!

thanks for your help. do you know how i can remedy this so it doesn't continue happening (for future downloaded files)?

cheers...

 

[ben_cats_fan]

is there ANYTHING i can do to stop downloading corrupted files? it's kinda strange...

I guess it's just about selective downloading. Don't download anything that looks suspicious, read comments posted about torrent files beforehand because chances are you're not the first to download these files. Just be mindful of what you're downloading I guess!

 

[Bosun]

thanks for your reply, bosun...

if the files are corrupted, why are they working when i click on them (mp3s/avi files)? is there ANYTHING i can do to stop downloading corrupted files? it's kinda strange...

the files work fine (sound/picture/synching), it's just that bloody prompt!!!

thanks for your help. do you know how i can remedy this so it doesn't continue happening (for future downloaded files)?

cheers...

Mmm I need to clarify that I understand correctly whats going on here. Is it just one folder on your external HDD that when you try to access it, it throws up the error message? (hence you can still access other folders on your external HDD such as pics?)

If so Ive had exactly the same thing happen where I had a whole season of south park located in one folder and whenever I tried to access it it threw up the same message, however when I accessed another season in a different folder/location it was fine. I could only deduce that the particular folder had been corrupted.

This can be caused by a variety of reasons such as copying the files and the external HDD is unplugged, some sort of malicious code that has attached that folder (though i doubt that one), it could be anything.

As said before Im not sure if corrupted files can be resurrected, they might have to be replaced.

 

[khanate]

yep, spot on.

basically, ANY file that i have downloaded from my torrent program (utorrent, by the way) won't work. as soon as i click to enter the folder (g:/utorrent), it throws up the error screen.

sometimes there's also a 'dr. watson debugger' error screen that pops up, if that's any help...

it's a bit confusing, because EVERY other folder on the enternal HDD will open without a problem. only the torrents folder. i've tried making a new folder, and i get the same issue. it's only files that've been downloaded into my torrents folder. every other folder functions normally...

so, if i downloaded, say, south park season 11 into the 'utorrent' folder, i couldn't open it to check it without the error screen. i usually have 3 or 4 seconds to double-click it, by which stage the media playr opens, and THEN the error screen comes up. it's as if EVERY single thing i download becomes 'corrupted' once i download it...

but to make reference to something you've said, i HAVE unplugged the external a few times (not many), you know, when i was travelling or whatever else. could that've caused the problem???