Vista mistakes ext HD for something that I've removed

[Greg66]

This is a bit odd (IMO, at least).

Earlier in the week I bought a 1TB external NAS. I hooked it into the router that hangs off my PC (it's a Dell Studio running Vista HP. Nothing odd) with a CAT 5 ethernet cable.

Vista named it \\LS-CHL-V209B\Share.

I couldn't get on with it and sent it back to amazon. In its place I ordered a Western Digital 1TB external USB drive.

Plugged the WD drive in. Now it gets odd.

1. Computer reports the WD as a drive under the Network Location List.
2. It shows displays as an icon with a big red X across it, just like the HD of the laptop that's on the home network, but is presently powered down.
3. It calls the WD \\LS-CHL-V209B\Share.
4. I can access the WD no problem, copy files to it and delete them.
5. I can (and have) change the name of the disk in Explorer to "Data".
6. Revealing hidden and system files discloses the System Information Volume folder. Double click on that, and I get a message saying \\LS-CHL-V209B\Share isn't there.
7. Disk Management in Vista recognises the WD, but calls it Elements.
8. Running a Quick Format on the WD changes nothing. It does remove the other hidden files on the WD, but the SVI folder is still there/recreated. Double clicking still produces the message in 6.
9. I'm running a full format on the WD now, but don't expect that to be done for some time.

This is tiresome at the moment, simply because it's unnerving to use a HD that Explorer says isn't connected (even if it works fine). But where it will get messy is if, as I suspect, Backup and Restore won't play nice with this disc because it's a network drive.

I'm thinking that there's something left over from the Buffalo install, but I have no idea what. I've uninstalled all the Buffalo-related software I can find in Control Panel/Programs. Not sure what else to look for, frankly.

Ideas, anyone?

 

[Greg66]

A quick PS: when I plugged the WD into the USB port, I got nothing in the System Icon tray about installing drivers. I've just plugged another external USB HD into the Dell, and it did generate those messages, and in Explorer appeared in the Hard Drives section, not the Network Location section.

 

[Ubrales]

Time to get Windows 7 64-bit

 

[Greg66]

Actually, no, as it turns out. Problem now sorted.

The problems *seems* to have been twofold: (a) Vista still had the Buffalo mapped as a network drive, and (b) when I plugged the WD in, Vista thought it was the Buffalo network drive (even though it was plugged into a USB port).

The solution was to sort out (a), rather than worry about (b). The clue came when I disconnected the WD and the renamed \\LS-CHL-V209B\Share was still showing in Network Locations. In what used to be called File Explorer, I disconnected the renamed \\LS-CHL-V209B\Share as a network drive. Presto - it was gone, and stayed gone (ie after a reboot).

Then I plugged the WD back into a USB port and Presto #2, it popped up as a new hard drive in the right place in Explorer.

All sorted.

 

[Ubrales]

Glad you solved the problem. Do consider Win 7 64-bit.