unable to read file

[Guest]

I just finished a spreadsheet last night that was opened from a flash/jump
drive and saved back on it after editing. I took the drive to work and now
it is saying that is a unable to read file. So I brought the drive back home
and it still won't open--saving unable to read file. Please help!

 

[Nikos Yannacopoulos]

Jessica,

I hate to have to break this to you, but if my suspicion is correct,
then you have lost your file...
The standard USB disk driver has a setting for letting you select
between performance or quick removal optimization; in plain English,
because writing to memory is much faster than writing to the flash disk,
you are given the option of writing to the memory first, and then to the
flash disk (in the background), so you are not made to wait while
writing to the flash disk; the risk here (and my suspected cause of your
problem) is that if you save and pull out the flash disk right
afterwards, you have actually saved to the computer memory, but haven't
given the computer the time to complete the save to the disk (which it
will do when it gets a low activity interval, not necessarily right
away)... you just pull the jump off too early, while the system still
has the file open, so it gets corrupted. To avoid this, you need to
manually stop the device before removing (option given on the icon in
the system tray), when Optimize for Performance is selected.
I have been using jumps since a 128MB one costed three times what a 1GB
one costs today, and have always preferred the Optimize for Quick
Removal option, which forces the operating system to write directly to
the jump drive; the penalty is a small delay in saving, but IMHO
negligible compared to the benefit of not risking file corruption.
To check/change your setting: from My Computer, right-click on the jump
drive and select Properties; then, on tab Hardware, select the jump
drive again (it shows all drives again) and click on the Properties
button; what you're looking for is on the Policies tab of the new pop-up
window.

HTH,
Nikos

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Never open a file that is on removable media. Never save a file to removable
media. Always copy it to your hard drive with Windows Explorer first. Use
the same method when finished. As you've learned the hard way, you can end
up with corrupt files if you don't.


--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Nikos Yannacopoulos]

JoAnn,

Never is a strong word, perhaps too strong sometimes! One of the uses of
flash disks is so sensitive files are not left behind on hard disks,
on PC's where prying eyes might gain access (like at work)... there are
tools out there that can recover files even from a formatted HDD.

Nikos

 

[Guest]

Jessica..........I use Flash/Jump drives all the time, working directly to
and from them constantly and have never had a problem losing a file.
Sometimes, however, when I do a SaveAs, and change the name of the file, the
computer will divert the save to the C drive (default directory)rather than
putting it where I got it off my JumpDrive. Go home, and do a search of your
computer by the FileName, or parts thereof, and it may show up as being
stashed somewhere else..........

hth
Vaya Con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

I know that "never" is a strong word, as is "always", but sometimes it
applies. If you have a file that is so sensitive that you do not want to
leave a trace of it behind on a computer, NEVER use that computer to open
that file. Seems pretty simple to me. <shrug>

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Guest]

Glad to hear someone else makes this kind of use of flash drives also. I've
got a 4GB drive pretty much full of work I drag back and forth between home
and office - and often work from directly on the flash drive. One Excel file
on it is well over a year old and has probably been accessed daily with
updates daily.

Jessica, I hope CLR's suggestion pans out for you. I think what Nikos
Yannacopoulos wrote in his first post is probably on-point: make sure that
you 'eject' or use the [Safely Remove Hardware] feature before unplugging a
USB device. After using that feature, wait long enough for the cache to get
flushed and for the file to be written completely to the USB device - you can
usually tell when it has finished by just watching the indicator light on the
device or waiting for the [It is safe to Remove...] message from Windows.

 

[CLR]

Yup, I do use them all the time, and I do mean all the time. I have three
128's a 512, a 4GB and a 6GB and a 40GB. On some, I even have programs,
like Paint Shop Pro, and of course copy of my Personal.xls and lots of
reference material, pictures, songs.........sometimes the noise gets so bad
in the office that I just put on the headphones and play loud music to
myself to drown them out. And they are so easy to swap. What I would
"really" like, would be if I could have my own Operating System and my own
programs all on my own USB drive and walk up to any strange computer and it
would boot and run from my drive and it would feel like home.......On saving
files, I've been snake-bit from Company LAN's going bad so many times that I
usually save my working file to my Jump Drive every hour or so, sometimes
more.......and when things go fruity, I can always walk back through the
saves to find what I did to cause the trouble<g>.......anyway.....the jump
drives are not like the old floppies, they work fine and last a long
time.........

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

Glad to hear someone else makes this kind of use of flash drives also. I've
got a 4GB drive pretty much full of work I drag back and forth between home
and office - and often work from directly on the flash drive. One Excel file
on it is well over a year old and has probably been accessed daily with
updates daily.

Jessica, I hope CLR's suggestion pans out for you. I think what Nikos
Yannacopoulos wrote in his first post is probably on-point: make sure that
you 'eject' or use the [Safely Remove Hardware] feature before unplugging a
USB device. After using that feature, wait long enough for the cache to get
flushed and for the file to be written completely to the USB device - you can
usually tell when it has finished by just watching the indicator light on the
device or waiting for the [It is safe to Remove...] message from Windows.

Jessica..........I use Flash/Jump drives all the time, working directly to
and from them constantly and have never had a problem losing a file.
Sometimes, however, when I do a SaveAs, and change the name of the file, the
computer will divert the save to the C drive (default directory)rather than
putting it where I got it off my JumpDrive. Go home, and do a search of your
computer by the FileName, or parts thereof, and it may show up as being
stashed somewhere else..........

hth
Vaya Con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

 

[David F Cox]

It is possible to boot from a USB flash drive on some PC's. It has to be
selected as an option in the BIOS setup program.

.... And they are so easy to swap. What I would
"really" like, would be if I could have my own Operating System and my own
programs all on my own USB drive and walk up to any strange computer and
it
would boot and run from my drive and it would feel like home.......> Vaya
con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

Glad to hear someone else makes this kind of use of flash drives also. I've
got a 4GB drive pretty much full of work I drag back and forth between home
and office - and often work from directly on the flash drive. One Excel file
on it is well over a year old and has probably been accessed daily with
updates daily.

Jessica, I hope CLR's suggestion pans out for you. I think what Nikos
Yannacopoulos wrote in his first post is probably on-point: make sure
that
you 'eject' or use the [Safely Remove Hardware] feature before unplugging a
USB device. After using that feature, wait long enough for the cache to get
flushed and for the file to be written completely to the USB device - you can
usually tell when it has finished by just watching the indicator light on the
device or waiting for the [It is safe to Remove...] message from Windows.

Jessica..........I use Flash/Jump drives all the time, working directly to
and from them constantly and have never had a problem losing a file.
Sometimes, however, when I do a SaveAs, and change the name of the
file, the
computer will divert the save to the C drive (default directory)rather than
putting it where I got it off my JumpDrive. Go home, and do a search
of your
computer by the FileName, or parts thereof, and it may show up as
being
stashed somewhere else..........

hth
Vaya Con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



:

I just finished a spreadsheet last night that was opened from a flash/jump
drive and saved back on it after editing. I took the drive to work and now
it is saying that is a unable to read file. So I brought the drive back home
and it still won't open--saving unable to read file. Please help!

 

[CLR]

I've heard that David, but have never experienced it yet. Probably it is
another one of the things that the MIS dept can lock me out
of...........<sigh>

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

It is possible to boot from a USB flash drive on some PC's. It has to be
selected as an option in the BIOS setup program.

.... And they are so easy to swap. What I would
"really" like, would be if I could have my own Operating System and my own
programs all on my own USB drive and walk up to any strange computer and
it
would boot and run from my drive and it would feel like home.......> Vaya
con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

Glad to hear someone else makes this kind of use of flash drives also. I've
got a 4GB drive pretty much full of work I drag back and forth between home
and office - and often work from directly on the flash drive. One

Excel
file

on it is well over a year old and has probably been accessed daily with
updates daily.

Jessica, I hope CLR's suggestion pans out for you. I think what Nikos
Yannacopoulos wrote in his first post is probably on-point: make sure
that
you 'eject' or use the [Safely Remove Hardware] feature before

unplugging
a

USB device. After using that feature, wait long enough for the cache

to
get

flushed and for the file to be written completely to the USB device -

you
can

usually tell when it has finished by just watching the indicator light

on
the

device or waiting for the [It is safe to Remove...] message from Windows.

:

Jessica..........I use Flash/Jump drives all the time, working

directly
to

and from them constantly and have never had a problem losing a file.
Sometimes, however, when I do a SaveAs, and change the name of the
file, the
computer will divert the save to the C drive (default

directory)rather
than

putting it where I got it off my JumpDrive. Go home, and do a search
of your
computer by the FileName, or parts thereof, and it may show up as
being
stashed somewhere else..........

hth
Vaya Con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



:

I just finished a spreadsheet last night that was opened from a flash/jump
drive and saved back on it after editing. I took the drive to work and now
it is saying that is a unable to read file. So I brought the drive back home
and it still won't open--saving unable to read file. Please help!

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Your system needs to be capable of that. Not all systems can...yet.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I've heard that David, but have never experienced it yet. Probably it is
another one of the things that the MIS dept can lock me out
of...........<sigh>

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

It is possible to boot from a USB flash drive on some PC's. It has to be
selected as an option in the BIOS setup program.

.... And they are so easy to swap. What I would
"really" like, would be if I could have my own Operating System and my own
programs all on my own USB drive and walk up to any strange computer
and
it
would boot and run from my drive and it would feel like home.......> Vaya
con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



Glad to hear someone else makes this kind of use of flash drives also.
I've
got a 4GB drive pretty much full of work I drag back and forth between
home
and office - and often work from directly on the flash drive. One Excel
file
on it is well over a year old and has probably been accessed daily
with
updates daily.

Jessica, I hope CLR's suggestion pans out for you. I think what Nikos
Yannacopoulos wrote in his first post is probably on-point: make sure
that
you 'eject' or use the [Safely Remove Hardware] feature before unplugging
a
USB device. After using that feature, wait long enough for the cache to
get
flushed and for the file to be written completely to the USB device - you
can
usually tell when it has finished by just watching the indicator light on
the
device or waiting for the [It is safe to Remove...] message from Windows.

:

Jessica..........I use Flash/Jump drives all the time, working directly
to
and from them constantly and have never had a problem losing a file.
Sometimes, however, when I do a SaveAs, and change the name of the
file,
the
computer will divert the save to the C drive (default directory)rather
than
putting it where I got it off my JumpDrive. Go home, and do a
search
of
your
computer by the FileName, or parts thereof, and it may show up as
being
stashed somewhere else..........

hth
Vaya Con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



:

I just finished a spreadsheet last night that was opened from a
flash/jump
drive and saved back on it after editing. I took the drive to
work
and now
it is saying that is a unable to read file. So I brought the
drive
back home
and it still won't open--saving unable to read file. Please help!

 

[CLR]

Is there any kind of a benchmark, like all P-3's and above or all P-4's and
above can, or something like that........? But, maybe this is getting too
far off the thread....

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

Your system needs to be capable of that. Not all systems can...yet.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I've heard that David, but have never experienced it yet. Probably it is
another one of the things that the MIS dept can lock me out
of...........<sigh>

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

It is possible to boot from a USB flash drive on some PC's. It has to be
selected as an option in the BIOS setup program.


.... And they are so easy to swap. What I would
"really" like, would be if I could have my own Operating System and

my
own

programs all on my own USB drive and walk up to any strange computer
and
it
would boot and run from my drive and it would feel like home.......> Vaya
con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



Glad to hear someone else makes this kind of use of flash drives also.
I've
got a 4GB drive pretty much full of work I drag back and forth between
home
and office - and often work from directly on the flash drive. One Excel
file
on it is well over a year old and has probably been accessed daily
with
updates daily.

Jessica, I hope CLR's suggestion pans out for you. I think what Nikos
Yannacopoulos wrote in his first post is probably on-point: make sure
that
you 'eject' or use the [Safely Remove Hardware] feature before unplugging
a
USB device. After using that feature, wait long enough for the

cache
to

get
flushed and for the file to be written completely to the USB

device -
you

can
usually tell when it has finished by just watching the indicator

light
on

the
device or waiting for the [It is safe to Remove...] message from Windows.

:

Jessica..........I use Flash/Jump drives all the time, working directly
to
and from them constantly and have never had a problem losing a file.
Sometimes, however, when I do a SaveAs, and change the name of the
file,
the
computer will divert the save to the C drive (default directory)rather
than
putting it where I got it off my JumpDrive. Go home, and do a
search
of
your
computer by the FileName, or parts thereof, and it may show up as
being
stashed somewhere else..........

hth
Vaya Con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



:

I just finished a spreadsheet last night that was opened from a
flash/jump
drive and saved back on it after editing. I took the drive to
work
and now
it is saying that is a unable to read file. So I brought the
drive
back home
and it still won't open--saving unable to read file. Please help!

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

I don't think so. And I really doubt that any system old enough to have a P3
would be capable. I think it's all in the BIOS anyway.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Is there any kind of a benchmark, like all P-3's and above or all P-4's
and
above can, or something like that........? But, maybe this is getting
too
far off the thread....

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

Your system needs to be capable of that. Not all systems can...yet.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I've heard that David, but have never experienced it yet. Probably it is
another one of the things that the MIS dept can lock me out
of...........<sigh>

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3





It is possible to boot from a USB flash drive on some PC's. It has to be
selected as an option in the BIOS setup program.


.... And they are so easy to swap. What I would
"really" like, would be if I could have my own Operating System and my
own
programs all on my own USB drive and walk up to any strange computer
and
it
would boot and run from my drive and it would feel like home.......>
Vaya
con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



Glad to hear someone else makes this kind of use of flash drives also.
I've
got a 4GB drive pretty much full of work I drag back and forth between
home
and office - and often work from directly on the flash drive. One
Excel
file
on it is well over a year old and has probably been accessed daily
with
updates daily.

Jessica, I hope CLR's suggestion pans out for you. I think what Nikos
Yannacopoulos wrote in his first post is probably on-point: make sure
that
you 'eject' or use the [Safely Remove Hardware] feature before
unplugging
a
USB device. After using that feature, wait long enough for the cache
to
get
flushed and for the file to be written completely to the USB device -
you
can
usually tell when it has finished by just watching the indicator light
on
the
device or waiting for the [It is safe to Remove...] message from
Windows.

:

Jessica..........I use Flash/Jump drives all the time, working
directly
to
and from them constantly and have never had a problem losing a file.
Sometimes, however, when I do a SaveAs, and change the name of
the
file,
the
computer will divert the save to the C drive (default
directory)rather
than
putting it where I got it off my JumpDrive. Go home, and do a
search
of
your
computer by the FileName, or parts thereof, and it may show up
as
being
stashed somewhere else..........

hth
Vaya Con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



:

I just finished a spreadsheet last night that was opened from a
flash/jump
drive and saved back on it after editing. I took the drive to
work
and now
it is saying that is a unable to read file. So I brought the
drive
back home
and it still won't open--saving unable to read file. Please help!

 

[Nikos Yannacopoulos]

It is indeed BIOS-dependent, nothing to do with the processor.

Most recent systems support this function, and the only way an IS
Department can "lock" it is by physically padlocking the computer case
so the inside can't be accessed... once opened, bypassing a BIOS
password is only a jumper removal away.

Nikos

 

[Nikos Yannacopoulos]

Well, we've both made our points, and it seems to be a personal judgment
question after all... I rest my case.

Regards,
Nikos