external hard drive

Now that's more like it. Your short answer was all it took then I was able
to figure out what to do. I deleted the volume and then recreated it and
formatted the drive. I hope this works as theses drives are expensive. This
tool will come in handy from time to time. Never knew anything about
administrative tools before now. I consider myself above average when it
comes to computer knowledge but I'm still learning and probably always will.
Thanks for all your replies, these news groups are great for learning. Never
assume the person your giving your answer to knows how to do it.

--


Walt
"Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:O%23e19nGyJHA.4116@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Type Management in search.
>
> Start Computer Management
>
> Start Disk/Drive Management under Storage
>
> --
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience
>
>
>
> "Walter Goldschmidt" <wgold.RemoveThis@woh.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:gt8712$aed$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> I know all about right clicking I do it all the time it can be a real
>> shortcut. You geniuses don't seem to understand that I need you to
>> explain how to do these things your all talking about. What the heck is
>> drive management I could not find it under help.
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Walt
>> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:uHkfn8EyJHA.5496@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> Walter,
>>>
>>> All through your computer, by selecting an object etc., right clicking
>>> gives you different options/choices of what you can do to that object.
>>> Don't be afraid to experiment with the right click.
>>>
>>> Now, right click on the empty space in drive management.
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Richard Urban
>>> Microsoft MVP
>>> Windows Desktop Experience
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Walter Goldschmidt" <wgold.RemoveThis@woh.rr.com> wrote in message
>>> news:gt7ifj$t3r$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>>> Yeh but tell me how to do it!!
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Walt
>>>> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:ut25nRCyJHA.1196@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>> You are saying that you want to delete a partition. Are you certain
>>>>> that it is not "Unallocated Space"" If it is as I suspect all you have
>>>>> to do is create a partition in the unallocated space and format the
>>>>> partition.
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>>
>>>>> Richard Urban
>>>>> Microsoft MVP
>>>>> Windows Desktop Experience
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Walter Goldschmidt" <wgold.RemoveThis@woh.rr.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:gt7bot$utk$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>>>>> There is no delete partition in there. I opened drive manager and
>>>>>> went to Disk drives/chose Generic USB Disk USB Device and right
>>>>>> clicked. No delete partition. Also opened computer and right clicked
>>>>>> on that drive. No delete partition. Only format and a few other
>>>>>> things. Where's delete partition at because a format alone won't fix
>>>>>> the drive?
>>>>>> --
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Walt
>>>>>> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:OwfCO3%23xJHA.6004@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>> You work with an external drive the same as you would work with an
>>>>>>> internal drive. Use drive manager! Go to the drive and right click
>>>>>>> on the visual representation of the drive. You will see options
>>>>>>> there. Delete partition / create partition / format partition.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Richard Urban
>>>>>>> Microsoft MVP
>>>>>>> Windows Desktop Experience
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Walter Goldschmidt" <wgold.RemoveThis@woh.rr.com> wrote in message
>>>>>>> news:gt6jan$e1q$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>>>>>>> How do you delete partitions on a external hard drive. I'm assuming
>>>>>>>> your telling me to do that first and then format it?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Walt
>>>>>>>> "Malke" <malke.RemoveThis@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
>>>>>>>> news:O8HpHr5xJHA.4164@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>>>> Walter Goldschmidt wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I tried to format drive afterwords but it still didn't function
>>>>>>>>>> properly.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> There is no way for me to know what you did or the state of the
>>>>>>>>> drive by
>>>>>>>>> reading about it in a newsgroup. I suspect that you didn't realize
>>>>>>>>> that you
>>>>>>>>> need to completely delete all partitions and create new ones
>>>>>>>>> before you
>>>>>>>>> attempted a format. I've had an external drive be corrupted and it
>>>>>>>>> took a
>>>>>>>>> bit of doing to get it back in shape so I could format it and use
>>>>>>>>> it again.
>>>>>>>>> The drive was *physically* fine.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Malke
>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>> MS-MVP
>>>>>>>>> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
>>>>>>>>> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>

Hi, John.

I'm resurrecting this old thread to remind those who know and tell those who
don't know about a well-hidden setting that might avoid future such
problems.

In Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc - one of my favorite utilities!), you can
right-click on Disk 5 - or whichever is the Disk # for your removable
device, then click Properties. On the Policies tab, choose whether to
optimize for Quick Removal or for Better Performance. If you choose Quick
Removal, you never need to wait for the "Safe to remove..." signal. You can
"pull the plug" at any time because this disables write caching on that
device.

As you know, John, but others may not, Vista speeds up operation when saving
data to a device by first writing it to a cache in RAM, then, when it has
time, leisurely writing from RAM to the relatively slower device. But if
the plug is pulled before the RAM-to-device write is completed, the data can
be garbled or lost. When we set Policies to optimize for Quick removal,
Vista does not use the cache, but immediately writes the data directly to
the device. Thus, unless we are lightning-quick in pulling the plug,
there's no chance for data loss. This does make writes to the device
slower, but few of us will ever notice the slight difference. The delay
time is usually measured in milliseconds.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc RemoveThis @grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8064.0206) in Win7 Ultimate x64 RC 7100

"John Barnett MVP" <freelance RemoveThis @invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:ewxVYP5xJHA.6004@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> As Malke has pointed out you haven't physically damaged the drive you have
> simply corrupted the data. This has probably been cause by the fact that
> you unplugged the drive while data was being written to it.
>
> I use an external drive, but if you also mean a standard hard drive that
> has been put into an outer casing with a USB connection, then yes they are
> basically the same and yes I do also have one like that and it gets the
> same treatment as my other external drive.
>
> --
>
> --
> John Barnett MVP
>
> The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
> kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
> reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable
> for
> any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of
> the
> use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
> mail/post..
>
>
> "Walter Goldschmidt" <wgold RemoveThis @woh.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:gt4m7j$43i$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> I've ruined 2 drives by accidently unplugging them. Afterwards I could
>> not copy some of the files. Do you use a regular hard drive plugged into
>> usb port instead of a external hard drive or are they the same?
>>
>> "John Barnett MVP" <freelance RemoveThis @invalid.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:%23C3T910xJHA.3460@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Walt I can't say I've ever ruined a drive by simply pulling the plug.
>>> Vista is supposed to be more 'hot swappable' than XP. In fact I rarely
>>> use the remove hardware button now. However, turning the computer off
>>> does allow you to unplug the device without causing any damage because
>>> it effectively shuts down the disk drive.
>>>
>>> I have a Verbatim USB stand alone hard drive now which sits on top of my
>>> PC case. This is permanently connected to the power supply and the USB
>>> port, all I need do is press the switch at the back to turn it on or
>>> off. When I have finished using it I simply press the switch to turn it
>>> off and then unplug the USB if I need to use the drive elsewhere. The
>>> disk also shuts itself off when the PC is powered down (assuming I
>>> forget to switch it off at the back) and then powers itself up again
>>> when I switch the computer back on.
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> --
>>> John Barnett MVP
>>>
>>> The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of
>>> any
>>> kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
>>> reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable
>>> for
>>> any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of
>>> the
>>> use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
>>> mail/post..
>>>
>>>
>>> "Walter Goldschmidt" <wgold RemoveThis @woh.rr.com> wrote in message
>>> news:gt4fdi$2ek$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>>> I have several external hard drives and to remove them from usb port
>>>> your suppose to double click remove hardware icon in task bar near
>>>> clock. I have ruined 2 of them by accidentally unplugging them. If the
>>>> computer is turned off is it a different story. Can you go ahead and
>>>> unplug it without clicking remove hardware icon without harming device?
>>>>
>>>> Walt