external eSATA file corruption...how do I safely turn this thing off

[supaidaaman]

Im backing up some quicktime renders to an external esata enclosure using (evga x58 Jmicron port)

90% of the time the last file I stored before turning the external HD off shows corruption artifacts the next day when I turn on my system.

Ive tried using "safely remove hardware" but most of the time I cant because vista says the drive is still in use (even though there is nothing using it)

Now, I just turn off the pc, wait a minute then turn off the power switch on the external. Is that safe? -That method still causes artifacts in my files....occasionally the file will be fine...but it seems pretty random.

Is the drive bad? Is the esata port bad? Is the enclosure bad?

Not sure...

 

[Old Hippie]

I've run into this and have a few thoughts..............


When the external drive is running, go to the device manager>disk drives>(your external drive>properties>policies and check the box "optomize for quick removal".

Update the JMicron drivers if you haven't. The site doesn't seem to be working right now but I got new drivers from there yesterday.

If all else fails, I have used Unlocker to terminate the processes (usually Explorer) "holding" the drive.

Good Luck!

 

[supaidaaman]

strange, it seems that optimize for quick removal is grayed out....even on all my drives.

 

[RebateMonger]

What's an "artifact in my files"? You mean the file loads correctly, but has irregularities in the graphics?

Offhand, that seems like a strange effect if your problem is related to removing a drive before Windows is done writing to it. I'd think that'd corrupt the file to the point that Quicktime would refuse to read it.

If you want to be SURE that Windows is done writing the file, try re-loading the file from the SATA drive before shutting down or removing the drive. Windows would HAVE to finish writing the file before it could read it.

What happens if you run a "Chkdsk" on that "corrupted" drive? Does Chkdsk show file errors?

 

[supaidaaman]

Artifacts like bad jpeg distortion. Solid lines that run across the video like scanlines. Its strange...they only show up for a frame, and it only happens to the last file I put/moved/ran on the external drive. (of course, after it powers down and then up again)

Ill run chkdsk on monday.

 

[Old Hippie]

Now, I just turn off the pc, wait a minute then turn off the power switch on the external. Is that safe? -That method still causes artifacts in my files....

I keep thinking about this. That should work but doesn't.

If it were me, I'd be using Unlocker to see which, if any, services are still accessing the drive.

If none are, I could start troubleshooting other areas.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Old Hippie

Now, I just turn off the pc, wait a minute then turn off the power switch on the external. Is that safe? -That method still causes artifacts in my files....

I keep thinking about this. That should work but doesn't.

Yeah, there's something else wrong. (I'm assuming that "turn off the PC" means shutting it down correctly.)

 

[Elixer]

You can also do chkdisk /x driveletter: and it will unmount the drive (assuming you don't have a swap file on that drive), perform the chkdisk, and then you should be able to use the 'safely remove it' option.

Getting corruption can also be memory related errors, so you might as well run memtest from memtest86.com overnight, and if it is 0 errors, then you can rule that out.