Re: Windows Delayed Write Failed

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: Rick \ (rick_at_mvps.org)
Date: 10/31/04 

Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 06:07:48 -0500

Hi alanpp,

F:\$Mft is the Master File Table (Mft) for the external drive, it's not
something you can visually see. This issue occurs sometimes when write
caching is enabled, but the data transfer and cache purging is too slow. Go
to the control panel/system/hardware tab and click on device manager. Expand
the section where the USB drive is housed and double click the drive. Go to
the policies tab, uncheck the box to "enable write caching on the disk". 

-- 
Best of Luck,
Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
"alanpp" <alanpp@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:6DC3CF53-78B5-475C-A977-830E4A13696E@microsoft.com...
>I am having a problem with my external hard drive.
>
> I have a Lacie 80GB USB 2.0 external drive.
>
> Lately - Windows XP Pro 2002 has been popping up the following error 
> message:
>
> "Windows Delayed Write Failed -
>
> Windows was unable to save all the data for the file F:\$Mft.
> The data has been lost.
> This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network
> connection.
> Please try to save this data elsewhere."
>
> Once this message pops up, I am no longer able to access certain files of
> off the external drive, and programs that would access files from the 
> drive
> are no longer able to do so.
>
> If I reboot the machine, everything goes back to normal, until the next
> error message pops up.
>
> Also, since I can't even find the file F:\$Mft, I have no idea how to save
> it elsewhere or how to set my machine so that it would know where to find 
> the
> file.
>
> Any ideas what the $Mft file is? What the problem might be? Suggestions 
> as
> to a fix?
> Constant rebooting is getting tiresome.
>
> Thank you

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