Maxtor external hardrive failing to copy files??? at DVinfo.net

Clint Comer · April 9th, 2005, 07:35 AM

Ok I have a Maxtor one touch 200gig external hard drive. Firewire/USB2.0. It is plugged in via firewire. For some reason it keeps getting stopped by my computer every once in a while when I am transfering files, or just doing something that it seems it can't handle. Is it because it is so big and it can't actually handle that many files, so it's a 200gig but I really should only be storing like 120gigs? Could it be related to my firewire card and just have a bad port? I have a western digital 80 gig and never have any problems with it. Now one thing I did do diffrent this time is I reformated it to NTFS instead of leaving it as fat32. I noticed fat 32 has a file size limit and I figured all my internal drives are NTFS, it would be better. Could that be my problem? Does NTFS not work well on an external? Or is just a bad HD? Either way I probably will be taking it back but I am in the middle of a project and it is really frustrating having to restart my computer every time it happens and about every 3 times I lose files and have to recapture the footage. I need help guys. Thanks!

Rhett Allen · April 9th, 2005, 02:19 PM

You would probably get a reply if you moved this to the "Non-linear DV Editing on the PC" forum. This isn't really the best forum for questions about computers and computer hardware. This forum is more for "production tools" like tripods, tape and lighting equipment. You might also consider naming your thread something more specific than "Why Why Why???"
I wish I had an answer for your question but unfortunately I don't.

Jim Lafferty · April 9th, 2005, 11:08 PM

Are you getting Write Delay Failures? If so, there's a patch for this.

Clint Comer · April 10th, 2005, 12:13 AM

What is the name of this patch? How did you know this was what I/you needed?

Ed Smith · April 10th, 2005, 05:51 AM

Have you tried using the USB port?

I've changed the thread title to something a bit more relavant.

Thanks,

Rob Lohman · April 10th, 2005, 06:07 AM

On the PC I would always go with USB2, it is better for a number
of reasons:

1. when daisy chaining firewire devices (especially a camera and harddisk) you can get dropped frames etc.

2. firewire needs drivers installed for such harddisks (USB does not)

3. firewire seems more "buggy" on some PC's

On the PC I would simply go with USB2, there is no real world
performance difference (I tested that myself with a Maxtor OneTouch
160 GB drive) between USB2 and firewire on Windows XP/PC.

Jim Lafferty · April 10th, 2005, 08:13 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Clint Comer : What is the name of this patch? How did you know this was what I/you needed? -->>>

The name of the patch is "q329256_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe".

I took a guess at your issue, as I'm not even sure what OS you're running (this is for XP).

I had similar problems recently, and someone directed me to the patch. Here's the knowledge base article describing the problem.

- jim

Clint Comer · May 2nd, 2005, 01:27 AM

Does changing an external HD to NTFS matter? All of them seem to be formated fat 32 so it will work on all operating systems. But I reformated this one as soon as I got it. Could that be causing problems?

Clint Comer · June 21st, 2005, 11:34 AM

Could I be getting this error because it is trying to write caching on the disk? I noticed that my other 2 external drives, which I have had no problems with, have this turned off. The setting is Optimize for quick removal instead of performance which enables write caching. Anyone else have any issues with this?

Rob Lohman · June 22nd, 2005, 03:47 AM

Both formatting as NTFS and caching should not really be a problem. My
external Maxtor OneTouch drive has NTFS and I'm pretty sure it has
caching as well (since they advertise it having a 8 MB cache, which would
be pointless if it is not being used).

You never did answer my or Ed's question whether you've tried the USB
port. This has solved all my problems I had with the Maxtor drive.

David Corley · June 22nd, 2005, 11:26 AM

USB is a lot more reliable than Firewire for external drives. However, you should know that I experience problems recently capturing video to a Maxtor external drive. I was able to solve them by attaching the maxtor to my pc via firewire. I guess the USB and Firewire chips in the PC weren't able to sync the transfer correctly.

April 9th, 2005, 07:35 AM	#1
Clint Comer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 144	Why Why Why??? Ok I have a Maxtor one touch 200gig external hard drive. Firewire/USB2.0. It is plugged in via firewire. For some reason it keeps getting stopped by my computer every once in a while when I am transfering files, or just doing something that it seems it can't handle. Is it because it is so big and it can't actually handle that many files, so it's a 200gig but I really should only be storing like 120gigs? Could it be related to my firewire card and just have a bad port? I have a western digital 80 gig and never have any problems with it. Now one thing I did do diffrent this time is I reformated it to NTFS instead of leaving it as fat32. I noticed fat 32 has a file size limit and I figured all my internal drives are NTFS, it would be better. Could that be my problem? Does NTFS not work well on an external? Or is just a bad HD? Either way I probably will be taking it back but I am in the middle of a project and it is really frustrating having to restart my computer every time it happens and about every 3 times I lose files and have to recapture the footage. I need help guys. Thanks! __________________ Vlog On! http://youtube.com/clintus

April 9th, 2005, 11:08 PM	#3
Jim Lafferty Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 636	Are you getting Write Delay Failures? If so, there's a patch for this. __________________ Realism, anyway, is never exactly the same as reality, and in the cinema it is of necessity faked. -- J-L G

April 10th, 2005, 12:13 AM	#4
Clint Comer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 144	What is the name of this patch? How did you know this was what I/you needed? __________________ Vlog On! http://youtube.com/clintus

April 10th, 2005, 05:51 AM	#5
Ed Smith Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 1,545	Have you tried using the USB port? I've changed the thread title to something a bit more relavant. Thanks, __________________ Ed Smith Hampshire, UK Good things come to those who wait My Skiing web www.Frostytour.co.uk For quick answers Search dvinfo.net \| The best in the business: dvinfo.net Sponsors

April 10th, 2005, 06:07 AM	#6
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	On the PC I would always go with USB2, it is better for a number of reasons: 1. when daisy chaining firewire devices (especially a camera and harddisk) you can get dropped frames etc. 2. firewire needs drivers installed for such harddisks (USB does not) 3. firewire seems more "buggy" on some PC's On the PC I would simply go with USB2, there is no real world performance difference (I tested that myself with a Maxtor OneTouch 160 GB drive) between USB2 and firewire on Windows XP/PC. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 9th, 2005, 02:19 PM	#2
Rhett Allen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 607	You would probably get a reply if you moved this to the "Non-linear DV Editing on the PC" forum. This isn't really the best forum for questions about computers and computer hardware. This forum is more for "production tools" like tripods, tape and lighting equipment. You might also consider naming your thread something more specific than "Why Why Why???" I wish I had an answer for your question but unfortunately I don't.

April 10th, 2005, 08:13 AM	#7
Jim Lafferty Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 636	<<<-- Originally posted by Clint Comer : What is the name of this patch? How did you know this was what I/you needed? -->>> The name of the patch is "q329256_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe". I took a guess at your issue, as I'm not even sure what OS you're running (this is for XP). I had similar problems recently, and someone directed me to the patch. Here's the knowledge base article describing the problem. - jim __________________ Realism, anyway, is never exactly the same as reality, and in the cinema it is of necessity faked. -- J-L G

May 2nd, 2005, 01:27 AM	#8
Clint Comer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 144	Does changing an external HD to NTFS matter? All of them seem to be formated fat 32 so it will work on all operating systems. But I reformated this one as soon as I got it. Could that be causing problems? __________________ Vlog On! http://youtube.com/clintus

June 21st, 2005, 11:34 AM	#9
Clint Comer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 144	Could I be getting this error because it is trying to write caching on the disk? I noticed that my other 2 external drives, which I have had no problems with, have this turned off. The setting is Optimize for quick removal instead of performance which enables write caching. Anyone else have any issues with this? __________________ Vlog On! http://youtube.com/clintus

June 22nd, 2005, 03:47 AM	#10
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Both formatting as NTFS and caching should not really be a problem. My external Maxtor OneTouch drive has NTFS and I'm pretty sure it has caching as well (since they advertise it having a 8 MB cache, which would be pointless if it is not being used). You never did answer my or Ed's question whether you've tried the USB port. This has solved all my problems I had with the Maxtor drive. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

June 22nd, 2005, 11:26 AM	#11
David Corley Tourist Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ireland Posts: 3	USB is a lot more reliable than Firewire for external drives. However, you should know that I experience problems recently capturing video to a Maxtor external drive. I was able to solve them by attaching the maxtor to my pc via firewire. I guess the USB and Firewire chips in the PC weren't able to sync the transfer correctly.