Ext. hard drive keeps crashing windows explorer

scourgewarper

I bought a 1tb maxtor ext. drive and nearly every time I try to transfer files to it, the file transfer box lags up and stops responding requiring a full system restart. I have vista basic 64bit. I have changed the cables and used different USB ports and same thing happens.

I have the exact same drive i bought a few months ago and had no problems with it. I Did a windows disk scan and there are no errors on it. Any idea why it's causing windows explorer to keep freezing during file transfer?

Jeremy Lindstrom

Western Digital passport drives for the win.

notman

have you left it for a long period before you restarted? I've seen windows completely hang on a PC, while it figures out what the content is on the drive.

I'll also second perna's idea of trying it on a different PC, just to see if you get the same results.

scourgewarper

I have a laptop I could try it on but that runs vista also, as do all my flatmates computers :S

Been doing some googling and it seems vista has problems with windows explorer crashing when some usb ext drives are attached, although many of these posts are from 2007 so not sure what to make of it, plus I have the exact same drive and it transfers files fine.

I'm performing that lengthy error checking process on the external drive in question, is there a more definitive way to gauge whether the drive is faulty? Bar that i'll just have to try and find someone with windows xp to try the drive out on.

TheWinterLord

Are you attempting downloading the internetz?






silly...

Jeremy Lindstrom

OH.. just remembered. I had a corrupt thumb index file on the root of my drive crashing my windows explorer. I put it back on view by type and turned off the thumbnails and works fine now. I also went and deleted the thumbnail index.

scourgewarper

Hmm I have firewire cables but connector on hard drive isn't compatible guess you need external case.

@Dekard: I can't find that file you mention, do I have to 'look' somewhere for it? Not sure what you mean by root folder, I unhid all my files but couldn't see anything :S