new build problem (long) -help required

[FishPolice]

Right I've built my new dual core system (ASRock dualVSTA + E6400) but having problems accessing a couple of partitions.

My primary drive (ie with windows on) is an 80GB Samsung spinpoint SATA drive & is split into 2 partitions: C for windows & D for games.
My secondary drive is a 320GB Western Digital drive and consists of one single partition: E for storage. It is currently showing as only 128GB but that is the least of my worries right now.

My system boots up fine but if I try to access either of the 2 other drives windows tells me: The disk in drive # is not formatted. Do you wish to format it now?
Now if this is what it takes for me to access & use drive D then fine as it is currently empty. However, there is no way on earth I want to lose the data on the 320GB E drive so a format is out of the question here.

I remember having a problem with this drive when I first installed it in the system last year. I had to download & run Data Lifeguard Utilities (windows version) before it would work along with my Samsung Sata drive. Ok, so this time I tried running the Data Lifeguard Utilities to see what it said about the drive. Well there is an option to install the drive but it would involve partitioning/formatting etc so thats a no no. However, it did say that there is a problem with how windows is currently viewing the drive due to a DDO (Dynamic Drive Overlay?) that needs removing with the DOS version of Data Lifeguard Utilities. I don't want to try this though in case this dos prog goes ahead & reformats the drive before I get the chance to stop it.

This is doing my head in cos all the drivers/utilities I need to setup my new installation are on that 320GB drive!!

Any ideas people?

 

[FishPolice]

This is the last time I use a Western Digital drive

The windows version of Data Lifeguard Utilities (WD utility) says there is a problem with the drive & suggests I use the DOS version of Data Lifeguard Utilities to remove the DDO from the drive. So I load up the DOS version & the option to remove the DDO from the drive is greyed out

I even got so desperate I rebuilt my old system earlier today to see if that would see the drive properly but no that didn't work.

Thats 320GB of files etc down the drain. Yeah I know, should have backed up but if it's just a question of backing up all the time why bother with such large drives at all? Might as well stick to a 40GB drive & a shed load of DVDs...

grrr

 

[Cupra]

the only thing i can think of is that you have done somthing on windows install or seting up the system to knack it.. im a big wd fan (have 5 of there drives in my pc)
did you end up formating?>

 

[FishPolice]

Yeah I had to format in the end out of sheer desperation -thought it might remove the DDO from the drive. It didn't of course but I think I found a way to do that later from the bios (or it might have just removed itself by coincidence).
I then tried a variety of file recovery progs to no avail until I tried GetDataBack trial which seems to have found most of my files. Just need to wait until payday now so I can fork out for a working copy.

For future reference whats the best way to back up files? I could compress stuff with something like 7zip or Winrar I suppose & then burn to DVD or should I use ghost/imaging software to backup the drive itself? What do most people use to back up their stuff?

[edit] I'm normally a WD fan too but this disk gave me grief when I first tried to install it last year as well as this weekend. It's just my ineptitude I guess

 

[Zefan]

WD have been pretty bad (comparitively) for at least a year now. A shame really.

I have no idea what the best way to back up is, I just rar the files I want to keep and write themto a dvd/cd. Normally it's just essential drivers/steam games so it's not that big.