External Drive - I/O Error. Help!

Well, hello there... I have an usb 150Gb WesternDigital external HD, where I keep my music and backup plugged to a PIV running on XP.
I disconnected it for a couple of days (everything was working fine) and today when I tried to open it, an error message came up.
It reads something like:

"The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error."

(My comp is in spanish, hence the "something like". Sorry).

Anything I can do? Are my files lost? I'm panicking a little here... Plllease help!

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A week ago I had my comp cleaned (physically, as in dust removed from fans and etc), since then everything's been a bit wacky, but nothing like this!
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Attached: jpg with the message.

 

Hi there, first of all ,with the external hard drive connected, go to start, right click on my computer, click manage, then in the window that pops up , go to disc management.
Then click on your external hard drive - if you only have one inside your system, it would be disc 0, and the external will probably show as dic 1.
Right click on that drive , then click properties, then click tools, on the this option will check for errors, button, click check now button. Then tick both boxes, and close, as you will need to restart, if it does not offer to do it, for it to run, as it usually tells you to because its in use.
When it restarts, just let it run, and come back if you need more help.

 

Hi! Thanks for your reply.

When in properties, following your steps, there's not an "option will check for errors". There's a "problem solver" kind of button, but it only takes me to the XP help centre, which makes me click on options and eventually takes me nowhere.

When I go to my computer I see the 'G:' drive, but instead of reading "my book" or whatever it used to say, it just says "local drive (G". Strange.

I've read somewhere something about ATA controllers or something like that. Maybe I'm way, way off... But, could it be something of that sort?

Thanks again, Mar.-

 

Any ideas? Anyone?

I tried the external disc on another computer and it worked just fine... so, my PC's gone nuts again?!

 

I would try Start , run, type in CHKDSK /R, restart - to check for errors.
Also , you can put your XP disc in the cd/dvd rom, hold down the shift button, so that it does not start, then, again , start, run, type in sfc /scannow, a -nd let it run until the box disappears - you will need to keep clicking retry, sometimes several times, and this will check windows protected files, and replace any corrupted ones.
Then check again to see if your external is recognised.
Also Windows update - have you updated lately.
The check I gave you in disc management, -if you click to tick both boxes, it should also check and repair.
If it shows as "G in" the disc management - try clicking "explore"- you should be able to right click the drive to do so from there, in the external drive ,to access the data, if windows is not corrupted.
I am short of time this week, as I am away for a few days- perhaps someone else could pick up and help, in my absense.

 

Thanks, B. I'll try everything and tell you how it went.

 

Just popped ,for a moment , or, two to show you the disc management that you should see to tick the boxes, but if it shows on another computer, I would run the other checks, first, as it seems your Windows files, on this PC, may need checking
See attatchment.
This is from my own computer, but ignore all my partitions, just note your own.
Good luck.:wave

 

if you've had the case opened and cleaned, check all the cables to make sure theyre secure....what usb port do you connect the hd to? is in one on the front of the case, one on the back, near the mouse/keyboard ports? or one lower in the back by the pci slots? the usb ports in the front of a case, or on the lower part of the back usually connect to the motherboard by a cable, make sure none of those cables came loose.

 

Baklogic: A) Re your previous answer: I don't have the XP CD, is there any other way to check for corrupted files?

B) Thanks for the attachement. I got to that window, where I checked the boxes (both first and then one at a time) but nothing seems to happen. It looks like it's going to start checking something, but then the whole box just disappears. (I tried a couple of times, weird.)
Oh, I noticed my inner HD is "0"... but the external is "0" also, not '1' . It recognises it, and says it's working fine (though on properties it says the disc is empty, but when I tried it on the other computer, all the files are still there).

Smokingun, thanks for the answer... yeh, I thought at first it could be a loose cable, but I've tried every usb slot. Plus, the camera, iPod and printer work just fine on any slot.

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Also, I've ran the CHKDSK and updated Windows.

...I sound desperate, don't I?

 

10 days after...

Still problematic. I realised my iPod will charge, but it won't open on iTunes; I can upload stuff to my pen drive but I can't download files, and so on. CD drive works fine... it's an USB thing. So, it's always the same error window: I/O device error. (More of an In than an Out, I suppose...)

Could it be something physical? ie something on my mother is broken? I tried all 6 usb ports, front and back... same error every time.

...Any ideas?

 

is your external drive a sata drive?
I would think that it is an (e)ide, by the fact that it shows as disc 0, as well as your internal drive. if it is (e)ide, then try changing the jumper, onthe back of the external drive. If you look at the top/rear of the hard drive, you will see little diagrams, to set as Master, or, slave.
If it is sata, check the settings in the bios, and let us know.
As it works in another computer, it seems strange, if you tried CHK DSK/F, AND SFC /SCANNOW IS DIFFICULT, IF YOU HAVE NOT GOT A DISC.

 

wow...that was a bit of chinese... mmh... apparently my external is not a SATA, but just usb2.0
the external drive has nothing but the on/off button, usb slot and the power slot. no jumper changing thing on it.
and in the bios, the internal drive is the master.

but yes, it works on another computer and so does every other usb thing I've got. So it's not an external drive problem.
So, basically, from what I can figure out on my own, the In/Out error comes from my computer not being able to download stuff from usb memories...

 

Sorry, I asked that because I use an e-sata connection, and my external box takes e(ide), USB, and e-sata.
Inside the box, is where my changes can be made- to use an e(ide), sata, or, e-sats, through different connectors- or, usb.
If this happened since you took the drive off your pc, can you remember the date- It might be that an Windows update has been made, since you disconnected, and reconnected to find the problem.
If you have a system restore point, for that date, it could be worth restoring to before you disconnected, and had the problem.
Or, You could look in add and remove programs, asking for it to show updates,(ticking the box at the top, and uninstalling any Windows update, after you first disconnected. Sometimes an update can mess things up -
Wherever I have seen the i/o error, it seems microsoft tend to offer registry fixes.
Unfortunately , its 23.10 in England, and I have to go off-line now.
I will look in , again, tommorrow

 

Thanks for your reply!
Hum.... 1st of July was the date my comp was cleaned. I checked for a restore point, but the further it goes is from this past Saturday (19th)...
And the only update since the clean-up, was from July10th and it said it was an "XP Security Update (KB951748)", (whatever that means...), I uninstalled it, rebboted and tried again, but nothing happened.

 

It seems that possible that your partition table in XP has been messed up.If you used another drive, or pen drive, before replacing this drive, and it took the drive letter for the usb drive. it might cause this problem.
Otherwise, when you cleaned it, your usb ports have somehow got damaged.
Personally, I would save my data to the other computer from that problem hard drive, and then you may have to reconfigure the usb drive in XP, by formatting.
From what I have read WD usb drives have mixed reviews, and this problem seems to have come up before, and I have not found anything, yet regarding a fix.
But,you may find some help from this link.

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/USBProblems.htm#externalhdd


This site has a good guide to usb, (and firewire problems)

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/USBProblems.htm#how

If all else fails, try WD Support.
http://support.wdc.com/

Frequently asked questions page.
http://support.wdc.com/product/kb.asp?level1=4&lang=en
http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc...new_search=1&p_search_type=answers.search_fnl
I am sorry that I do not feel that I have been able to help you solve the problem - Perhaps someone else might confirm, or, give more light on this problem.
You could help by posting as much information on your set up as possible-
I have posted as much help as I can, as I am really pressed by her indoors to do some painting, tonight.
Gotta go-- good luck.

 

Hey BL... thanks for the links, I'll take a look, see if I can find anything... either way, I just sent an email to the guy who cleaned the computer a couple of weeks ago, see if he can come over and try to fix it, (or at least I'll be able to blame it on someone!) heh. I'm afraid I'll have to go the [dreaded] formatting way... goodbye to my obsessive personalized organization - hello fresh start.
Well, it had to happen some day, I guess...
Thank you anyway for the trouble you've gone through! And if I solve it, I'll let you know, just in case it happens to anyone else...
Have a great night..... painting!