Windows 7 Wants to Reformat External Drive

My setup: 1GB SATA Raid 0 C Drive with OS and admin User ID; 2.5GB SCSI RAID 6 Network Drive (F) with primary Logon User ID and all documents/content files and folders. Note: all of my userids (except for the Administrator account) are located on the F drive.

I use Paragon to backup my C drive and SyncBack Pro to "copy" files on my F drive. Both drives have a current backup.

Last weekend, after a shutdown caused by computer not responding, I could no longer access the F drive. In Disk Management, the drive is reflected as attached by in RAW form and needs to be formatted before I can use it.

Here is my question. When copied the files on my F drive using ran the SyncBack Pro, there were 7 files that could not be copied because they were System Information Files that could not be copied because I did not have the right privileges (even though I was logged in with administrator privileges). If I reformat the F drive, copy over the files from the backup (which is missing the System Information files), will my computer return to its original state OR will I lose all of my User IDs???

I don't know what these System Information files contain but thought that all necessary System Information was already on my C Drive. Are the System Information files on my F Drive simply the Restore Points (which I can do without)?

Appreciate any insights/help. Thanks in advance ...

 

Do you mean System Volume Information?

That directory and content cannot be copied over because you as the Administrator do not have permissions or ownership for that folder. It is owned by System and it tries to keep people from messing with it. You can take ownership if you wish but...not much point.

It is merely system restore points. Nothing to fret about unless you need them.

 

I did mean System Volume Information ... thanks for the clarification.

Since I have a current backup created by SyncBack Pro, which is simply a file copy program, I assume I can reformat the drive, copy over all the files onto the external drive and not lose any of my User ID information. I just worried that the uncopied files had some type of system information that would be necessary in the boot process (like the MBR). If the uncopied files are simply system restore information I won't need that and can recreate one once I bootup the system in a normal mode.

Is my thought process correct on that point? Thanks for your help on this ...

 

Yeah, not sure. I use Acronis, which also grabs the MBR.

 

Is there an MBR for each hard disk (internal and external) OR is it only for the drive with the OS? For some reason I thought there was only one MBR.

 

Each drive has an MBR, as that is where the partition data lies.

 

Okay, forgive my lack of technical understanding, but now I am a bit confused. My C drive contains the OS. My F drive (the one that needs reformatting) contains UserID information (files and folders) as well as "data" files, including pictures and Office documents. I am trying to avoid having to go back, recreate my UserIDs and then reload the software that I have previously loaded onto my C Drive under a specific UserID.

At this point, I am assuming that the System Information Files that could not be copied contain System Restore information and are unnecessary at this point.

If I reformat my F drive, I lose all the files that are on it even though Windows does not recognized them. However, I can restore all but the System information files when I copy them over from the backup. Once this is done, can I expect that the OS on the C drive will interact with the F drive as before. That is to say, will my other Windows UserIDs be there and show up in my logon screen?

Hope I am making sense and thanks for your continued help on this ...

 

All your user information should be on the C: drive (mostly in the registry); there shouldn't be anything on an external data drive.

Since you currently can use the system, even though the F: drive is not accessible, it is safe to assume that you can continue to fully use the system after you format and restore your F: drive.