External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted andunreadable"

[Guest Robert Colgan]

I've got a 320 GB external hard drive that I've had for about a year,

but the other day when I tried to access it I got the following error

message:

 

E:\ is not accessible.

The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

 

Anyone know the cause of this or a way to fix it? Is the hard drive

shot? Any chance of getting my data back?

 

Thanks,

Robert

(Sorry if this isn't the best place to post this, but I'm putting it

here in hopes that many people will see it.)

[Guest Robert Colgan]

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted andunreadable"

 

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted andunreadable"

 

On Feb 20, 10:48 pm, Robert Colgan <RobertECol...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I've got a 320 GB external hard drive that I've had for about a year,

> but the other day when I tried to access it I got the following error

> message:

>

> E:\ is not accessible.

> The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

>

> Anyone know the cause of this or a way to fix it? Is the hard drive

> shot? Any chance of getting my data back?

>

> Thanks,

> Robert

> (Sorry if this isn't the best place to post this, but I'm putting it

> here in hopes that many people will see it.)

 

(Note: Running chkdsk /r on it now.)

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable"

 

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable"

 

It is probably just as it says, a corrupt file or directory. That is not

the hard drive. However, to check the integrity of the hard drive, download

the hard drive manufacturer's test software and run it.

 

"Robert Colgan" <RobertEColgan@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:e09f0d92-7d30-4019-8618-c51489d58fa6@b29g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...

> I've got a 320 GB external hard drive that I've had for about a year,

> but the other day when I tried to access it I got the following error

> message:

>

> E:\ is not accessible.

> The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

>

> Anyone know the cause of this or a way to fix it? Is the hard drive

> shot? Any chance of getting my data back?

>

> Thanks,

> Robert

> (Sorry if this isn't the best place to post this, but I'm putting it

> here in hopes that many people will see it.)

[Guest Anna]

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable"

 

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable"

 

> "Robert Colgan" <RobertEColgan@gmail.com> wrote in message

>> I've got a 320 GB external hard drive that I've had for about a year,

>> but the other day when I tried to access it I got the following error

>> message:

>>

>> E:\ is not accessible.

>> The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

>>

>> Anyone know the cause of this or a way to fix it? Is the hard drive

>> shot? Any chance of getting my data back?

>>

>> Thanks,

>> Robert

>> (Sorry if this isn't the best place to post this, but I'm putting it

>> here in hopes that many people will see it.)

 

(Robert later adds...)

> (Note: Running chkdsk /r on it now.)

 

 

"Colin Barnhorst" <c.barnhorst@comcast.net> wrote in message

news:B97426EA-2552-4827-906E-330A22163500@microsoft.com...

> It is probably just as it says, a corrupt file or directory. That is not

> the hard drive. However, to check the integrity of the hard drive,

> download the hard drive manufacturer's test software and run it.

 

 

Robert:

Colin's advice is sound. Just one thing...

 

Hopefully the HDD diagnostic utility you download from the drive's

manufacturer will work with a USB-connected device (I'm assuming that when

you refer to an external hard drive it's connected via a USB interface). But

some of those diagnostic utilities will not detect a USB-connected HDD, so

in that case it's necessary (if possible) to install the drive as an

internal HDD in one's PC for the purposes of checking it out with the

diagnostic utility.

 

It's also a good idea to do so in case the problem is with the external

enclosure and not the HDD itself, although based upon your description of

the problem it doesn't sound like that's the problem.

 

Hopefully the chkdsk /r process will correct matters and return the drive to

a functional state. If it does not, also try the sfc /scannow process, see -

http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

Anna

[Guest Robert Colgan]

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted andunreadable"

 

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted andunreadable"

 

On Feb 21, 10:54 am, "Anna" <myn...@myisp.net> wrote:

> > "Robert Colgan" <RobertECol...@gmail.com> wrote in message

> >> I've got a 320 GB external hard drive that I've had for about a year,

> >> but the other day when I tried to access it I got the following error

> >> message:

>

> >> E:\ is not accessible.

> >> The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

>

> >> Anyone know the cause of this or a way to fix it? Is the hard drive

> >> shot? Any chance of getting my data back?

>

> >> Thanks,

> >> Robert

> >> (Sorry if this isn't the best place to post this, but I'm putting it

> >> here in hopes that many people will see it.)

>

> (Robert later adds...)

>

> > (Note: Running chkdsk /r on it now.)

> "Colin Barnhorst" <c.barnho...@comcast.net> wrote in message

>

> news:B97426EA-2552-4827-906E-330A22163500@microsoft.com...

>

> > It is probably just as it says, a corrupt file or directory. That is not

> > the hard drive. However, to check the integrity of the hard drive,

> > download the hard drive manufacturer's test software and run it.

>

> Robert:

> Colin's advice is sound. Just one thing...

>

> Hopefully the HDD diagnostic utility you download from the drive's

> manufacturer will work with a USB-connected device (I'm assuming that when

> you refer to an external hard drive it's connected via a USB interface). But

> some of those diagnostic utilities will not detect a USB-connected HDD, so

> in that case it's necessary (if possible) to install the drive as an

> internal HDD in one's PC for the purposes of checking it out with the

> diagnostic utility.

>

> It's also a good idea to do so in case the problem is with the external

> enclosure and not the HDD itself, although based upon your description of

> the problem it doesn't sound like that's the problem.

>

> Hopefully the chkdsk /r process will correct matters and return the drive to

> a functional state. If it does not, also try the sfc /scannow process, see -http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

> Anna

 

Thanks everyone. Chkdsk /r fixed that problem, but now for some reason

my computers won't automatically recognize the drive, instead showing

the found new hardware wizard, which finds no drivers, and the drive

won't show up. Any ideas on this?

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable"

 

Re: External hard drive - "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable"

 

I have seen this usb utility recommended a couple of times as a means of

fixing this complaint. It has a trial version.

http://www.usbinfo20.com/. I have not had occasion to use it myself so I

cannot make a recommendation.

 

"Robert Colgan" <RobertEColgan@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:4773a1af-4b5d-4f7f-91e4-b08e6bbe0f6f@72g2000hsu.googlegroups.com...

> On Feb 21, 10:54 am, "Anna" <myn...@myisp.net> wrote:

>> > "Robert Colgan" <RobertECol...@gmail.com> wrote in message

>> >> I've got a 320 GB external hard drive that I've had for about a year,

>> >> but the other day when I tried to access it I got the following error

>> >> message:

>>

>> >> E:\ is not accessible.

>> >> The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable

>>

>> >> Anyone know the cause of this or a way to fix it? Is the hard drive

>> >> shot? Any chance of getting my data back?

>>

>> >> Thanks,

>> >> Robert

>> >> (Sorry if this isn't the best place to post this, but I'm putting it

>> >> here in hopes that many people will see it.)

>>

>> (Robert later adds...)

>>

>> > (Note: Running chkdsk /r on it now.)

>> "Colin Barnhorst" <c.barnho...@comcast.net> wrote in message

>>

>> news:B97426EA-2552-4827-906E-330A22163500@microsoft.com...

>>

>> > It is probably just as it says, a corrupt file or directory. That is

>> > not

>> > the hard drive. However, to check the integrity of the hard drive,

>> > download the hard drive manufacturer's test software and run it.

>>

>> Robert:

>> Colin's advice is sound. Just one thing...

>>

>> Hopefully the HDD diagnostic utility you download from the drive's

>> manufacturer will work with a USB-connected device (I'm assuming that

>> when

>> you refer to an external hard drive it's connected via a USB interface).

>> But

>> some of those diagnostic utilities will not detect a USB-connected HDD,

>> so

>> in that case it's necessary (if possible) to install the drive as an

>> internal HDD in one's PC for the purposes of checking it out with the

>> diagnostic utility.

>>

>> It's also a good idea to do so in case the problem is with the external

>> enclosure and not the HDD itself, although based upon your description of

>> the problem it doesn't sound like that's the problem.

>>

>> Hopefully the chkdsk /r process will correct matters and return the drive

>> to

>> a functional state. If it does not, also try the sfc /scannow process,

>> see -http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

>> Anna

>

> Thanks everyone. Chkdsk /r fixed that problem, but now for some reason

> my computers won't automatically recognize the drive, instead showing

> the found new hardware wizard, which finds no drivers, and the drive

> won't show up. Any ideas on this?