Corrupted Files -- Is This Possible?

[Bill Anderson]

When you replace the 120GB HD with the 250GB HD, did you tell your BIOS to
auto-sense the IDE drive size? {I don't know what would happen if you
did not, but I'm wondering if you have somehow confused your BIOS into
thinking that your 250GB HD is still a 120GB HD, and some piece of code
that accesses HDs via the BIOS is causing a mismapping past the 120GB
limit to wrap the address or something.}

Bob, the BIOS reports a 250 gigabyte drive. WinXP reports a
230-something gigabyte drive (close to 250) in both Windows Explorer and
Drive Manager. The only software that doesn't report a 250 gigabyte
drive is the Western Digital diagnostic software.

Right now I'm in the process of trying to install the Western Digital
software that came with the drive -- Data Lifeguard Tools. Somehow with
the tools I'm supposed to be able to overcome the 137 gigabyte limit.
But I can't get the WD software to run -- not in Windows and not if I
try to boot from the CD. Now I've made a bootable floppy and I'm about
to test it. This is very frustrating.

 

[Harvey Gratt]

Its a relatively new product,seagate 160GB external HDD (only model they
have - st3160024a). Easy to get to at seagate.com.

Enclosed literature said it would be auto detected by win xp (it was).
Drivers were included for use on my win98se laptop. No mention of any
137GB issue.

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[Rod Speed]

Its a relatively new product,seagate 160GB external HDD (only
model they have - st3160024a). Easy to get to at seagate.com.

Yeah, just went there after I posted that post.

Enclosed literature said it would be auto detected by win xp (it was).
Drivers were included for use on my win98se laptop. No mention of any
137GB issue.

And http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/faq/external_usb_drivers.html
says completely unambigously that no additional drivers are needed for XP.

I'm now not clear exactly what you are asking, presumably
you want to know if you will see that corruption problem.
You should be fine, the bridge will certainly allow for drives
over 137GB and that atapi.sys driver isnt relevant because
its not being used for that drive.

If the drive doesnt have anything much that matters on it yet,
just try filling it up with large files, say image files of the main
system, and then verify those image files once the drive is
pretty full, to check that you arent getting any corruption.

You'll need to fill it up pretty full because it doesnt have all
that much space above 137GB, to the 160GB the drive has.

 

[Harvey Gratt]

Thanks for bearing with me. Yes, I just wanted some assurance that I
wouldn't be bit by this issue.

Thanks for your help and time,
Harvey

 

[Alexander Grigoriev]

SP1 driver is .1106 and is supposed to work (although if you use hibernation
and suspend, you better upgrade to .1135).

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013&Product=winxp

The latest driver .1135 as an self-installable executable can be downloaded
from
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;331958&Product=winxp

By the way, is it connected to a standard IDE controller or to some add-on
board or add-on controller (like SATA)?

As a last resort, you can delete the controller from the Device Manager and
let the OS redetect it and all drives connected to it.

The last check: run REGEDIT. Go to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E96A-E325-11C
E-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0001

if your disk is on primary IDE channel, or the same, ending with \0002 for
the secondary channel. Check MasterDeviceType value (if it's a master disk)
or SlaveDeviceType (if it's a slave disk). It should be 2. If it's 1, it is
wrong. Change MasterIdDataCheckSum (or SlaveIdDataCheckSum) value to 0 and
reboot. Open REGEDIT again and check DeviceType. It should become 2. If it's
still 1, there is something wrong with the BIOS. Disable disk in BIOS (you
may have to disable the whole IDE channel, I don't remember what works for
XP). Then BIOS won't know about the disk, and XP will do all detection by
itself.

 

[Harvey Gratt]

Finally got it sorted it out. I needed to look at the driver details
tab,.1135 showed up there.

HOWEVER, after checking on my desktop, it turns out it had a newer
version - .1164. I was able to find that version on the microsoft site
and install it on the laptop. But, I also noticed there appeared to be
an even newer version on the site.

How do ever find out what is the most current version without reading
every microsoft document?

Thanks,
Harvey

 

[S.Heenan]

A few weeks ago I bought a Western Digital 250 Gigabyte hard drive,
for my WinXP system. I'm using it to backup my main data disk, and
to store .wav files I'm creating as I read the chapters of a book for
my father (who has macular degeneration). It seems to work fine as
long as I don't put too much data on it. But it seems that after the
disk is about half full, any new files get corrupted. Yesterday I
read an entire chapter into a .wav file, and afterward the file was
filled with moments of static.

How can this be? Do I need a new drive, or have I failed to format my
drive correctly? The data backup files still seem to be fine. But a
jpeg I created yesterday with PhotoShop and saved on the suspect drive
is definitely corrupted. When I try to open it today with PhotoShop,
I see a thumbnail just fine in the PhotoShop file-open screen, but
when I open the file itself, I see only a black screen.

When I booted the system this morning, Scandisk ran on the suspect
drive. I have no idea why it ran.

Another bit of info that may be helpful: I have three physical hard
drives in my triple-boot system. One 40 Gbyte physical drive contains
partitions for Win98, Win2K, and WinXP. One 80 Gbyte drive holds all
my data files. Both of these drives are FAT32. The third drive, the
250 Gigabyte drive, is formatted NTFS.

What's going on here? Do I need to take the drive back and get
another? Do I need to reformat my 250 Gbyte drive? Something
else?

Help.

Probably has to do with the way the OS sees drives larger than 137GB. Your
motherboard BIOS and the OS both need to support 48-bit LBA. Windows 2000
SP3 and Windows XP SP1 do. I suspect this is where your problem stems from.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

SP1 driver is .1106 and is supposed to work (although if you use hibernation
and suspend, you better upgrade to .1135).

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303013&Product=winxp

The latest driver .1135 as an self-installable executable can be downloaded from
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;331958&Product=winxp

By the way, is it connected to a standard IDE controller or to some add-on
board or add-on controller (like SATA)?

What if?

As a last resort, you can delete the controller from the Device Manager and
let the OS redetect it and all drives connected to it.

The last check: run REGEDIT. Go to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0001

if your disk is on primary IDE channel, or the same, ending with \0002 for
the secondary channel. Check MasterDeviceType value (if it's a master disk)
or SlaveDeviceType (if it's a slave disk).

It should be 2. If it's 1, it is wrong.

What is the meaning of 1 and 2?

Change MasterIdDataCheckSum (or SlaveIdDataCheckSum) value to 0 and
reboot.

What does that do?

Open REGEDIT again and check DeviceType. It should become 2.
Why?

If it's still 1, there is something wrong with the BIOS.

What is?

Disable disk in BIOS

(you may have to disable the whole IDE channel,

And make the whole drive invisible to the OS

I don't remember what works for XP).

That's odd, given all the detail you just gave.

Then BIOS won't know about the disk, and XP will do all detection by
itself.

[snip]

 

[Alexander Grigoriev]

What if?

Then it may use vendor-provided drivers, which can be a source of problem.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E96A-E325-11C
E-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0001


What is the meaning of 1 and 2?

2 = BigATA capable

What does that do?

Redetect the disk capabilities on ATAPI.SYS load (DMA types supported,
BigLBA, etc).

Why?

Windows is supposed to redetect disk capabilities. BTW, such sequence fixes
those stubborn cases when a CD drive suddenly switches to PIO mode.

What is?



And make the whole drive invisible to the OS


That's odd, given all the detail you just gave.

Windows only pays attention to BIOS provided disk parameters if BIOS is
allowed to detect those disks. Windows also checks those disks that are
ignored by BIOS. For example, if you want to boot from second disk, you just
disable the first disk in BIOS. Windows after boot will still see the first
disk. Although I've used that long time ago.

Then BIOS won't know about the disk, and XP will do all detection by
itself.

[snip]

 

[chrisv]

Thanks for bearing with me. Yes, I just wanted some assurance that I
wouldn't be bit by this issue.

Thanks for your help and time,
Harvey

Nice top posting, "Harvey". 287 lines for that.

Ever consider trimming your posts? Nah, too much work.

 

[Rita Ä Berkowitz]

Nice top posting, "Harvey". 287 lines for that.

Ever consider trimming your posts? Nah, too much work.

Maybe it would help if he upgrade his browser?

Rita