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Missing Folders on a pen drive
racingmars
19-10-2008
Hi all,

I am trying to copy a load of standard MP3 music files onto a pen drive and they keep disappearing.

This has happened with three different drives so far (from different companies).

I copy stuff across, everythink seems hunky dorey...then files are magically empty!

please help.

frasera
22-10-2008
you sure that drive is not a fake? some dodgy drives from asia have fake boosted capacity. space that doesn't exist:P

does it work on other pc's?
racingmars
25-10-2008
Right guys, getting REALLY fed up now, please help.

I have two new pen drives, both from different sources. one is a 32gb, the other a 16gb. i also have two PC's, a desktop running XP and a laptop with Vista (sorry!).

It doesn't matter which one i use, when i copy to these drives files appear to have copied, and then when you open the folders some files magically vanish! the files i am copying are generally music and video files.

What is going on? please can someone advise me?

cheers

ps. i have also tried the freeware pen drive manager and same problem!
chrisjr
25-10-2008
When do they disappear?

Immediately after you have copied them or after you unplug the pen drive and plug it in somewhere else?

I have had this happen more than once if I copy files then just unplug the drive straight away. To stop that happening it is essential to use the Safely Remove Hardware option to stop the drive before you remove it.

Windows is not above caching the files rather than writing them immediately to the drive. Using the Safely Remove Hardware option forces it to actually copy the files.
racingmars
25-10-2008
Hi mate,

it happens while it is still connected!

The copying window tells me the stuff is copying, but when it's completed random folders are empty when i check them.
chrisjr
25-10-2008
And presumably no error messages generated?

Out of interest if you use Safely Remove Hardware, stop the drive then remove it and plug it back in what do you see?

If the files are still missing after that then there really is something odd going on. I have known Windows not list folder contents properly after copying. Sometimes even pressing F5 won't refresh the list. But usually if they are there you can eventually get Windows to see them.

Unless it's doing something really stupid like setting the Hidden attribute?? Worth setting My Computer or Explorer to View All files just in case.
racingmars
25-10-2008
just checked by plugging drive back in (always use stop drive to remove), and still missing!

chrisjr
25-10-2008
I would have thought that if there were a reason why the files couldn't be copied then Windows would pop up a message, for instance if you fill the drive before all the files copy over.

Is it always the same files that disappear or are they completely random. ie you copy a set of folders once and certain files vanish. Then you copy the same set of folders and a totally different set of files vanish. Or is it the same files both times?

If it is the same files then try copying one or two by them selves. If they don't copy then there may be something about them that Windows doesn't like. But again i would expect it to tell you why.
racingmars
25-10-2008
thanks for your help in this.

in answer to your question, never had an error message, but what it does (on both machines) is copy a folder across, but not the contents. even though it says it has. it is rare that it misses files within a folder, it is usually all or nothing!
frasera
26-10-2008
well somethings dodgy withyour drives then.
i doubt 3 pc's would have the same issue. unless you've done something to them.
write cache on external drives is off by default. even if you ripped it out half way through atleast some files would make it through. the remove safely thing in system tray is an extra safety, but for smoothly running pc's its not really necessary.

you are copying with windows explorer right?
racingmars
26-10-2008
Two windows open, the folder on the hard drive and the pen drive itself.
drag and drop copying.

does this help?
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