Tom's Hardware > Forum > Storage > Hard Disks > External HDD Error: The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.

External HDD Error: The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.

Forum Storage : Hard Disks - External HDD Error: The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.

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nsnead   09-26-2009 at 01:10:02 AM

When I go to plug my Western Digital HDD into my desktop computer running WinXP MCE, I get the error message "The file or directory is corrupt and unreadable." Though when I plug it into my laptop running Windows Vista Premium, I can open the HDD and view all of the file on it. I'm thinking the problem has to do with security and permissions, because I have had problems hooking this HDD to other computers other than my laptop. Any ideas? I have read through many forums trying to solve this problem, but have come up with nothing. Thank you in advance.

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Bronze Storage badge r_manic   09-28-2009 at 10:23:21 AM
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If your problem really has something to do with permissions (though I doubt it), clear the security restrictions on the laptop where you first connected the hard disk. This involves going to the Properties window of the folders and files in question.

------------------------------ Desktop | E7300 | P5KPL-AM | 2GB DDR2 667MHz | NVIDIA 9500 GT | ST3320613AS | w2228h
XPS M1330 | T8300 | Dell 0U8042 | 2GB DDR2 800MHz | NVIDIA 8400M GS | WD2500BEVS-75US | 1280 x 800
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foxy_roxy   09-28-2009 at 12:33:56 PM
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If possible connect it to a different Windows XP machine [not MCE] and let us know what happens. ;)

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apache_lives   09-28-2009 at 02:38:16 PM
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run a hdd test and see what it says

also if its a USB powered hdd it may need more power from the ports (eg run from the back of the tower, not the usually useless front usb ports)

------------------------------ Q6600@3510/1560 + TT BigTyphoon+Mod
8gb Kingston 800mhz
Gigabyte EP35-DS3P
XFX 8800GT/512
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nsnead   10-18-2009 at 11:05:30 PM
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Hello,

Sorry for the late response. I set the security permissions to allow everyone access to the drive. This solved half my problem, being that I can now read/write to the HDD with two computers, one running Vista Premium and the other running Vista Basic. When I try on both my XP Pro and XP MCE computers, I still get the error message. Also, when I go into the HDD properties, it lists the file system as RAW, with 0mb capacity. Also, the HDD is not USB powered. I Hope this helped.

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nsnead   10-18-2009 at 11:12:44 PM
- 0 +

foxy_roxy wrote :

If possible connect it to a different Windows XP machine [not MCE] and let us know what happens. ;)

 

Hooked it to a machine running XP pro. No difference :(


Message edited by nsnead on 10-18-2009 at 11:13:16 PM
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