UNABLE TO WRITE TO C:


  #1  
Old 09-08-01, 12:32 PM
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Okay all you geeks, this one has me stumped and looking for ideas. About two weeks ago installed a new WD hard drive, 40 GB/7200 rpm. Did a "clean" install of Win98 SE and reloaded all programs. Everything has been working 4-0 since until today. I found two more programs I hadn't loaded so I installed them (Bicycle Poker and a Photo program, PhotoSuite). After install, played a couple of hands of poker and then opened the photo program. While the photo program was open I got a blue screen message "unable to write to drive C:", files may be lost, etc, etc. Tried to reboot, no luck. Computer would hang up right after the message "verifying DMI pool data" and the hd disk light was showing no activity. Tried Safe Mode boot up, no luck, still hung up. Tried my Win98 boot disk, no luck. Tried my Nuts & Bolts rescue disk, ran the DiskMinder function and got some errors. Fixed them but still no boot up. Finally ran the disk diagnostic program that came with the WD drive, it said everything was fine, reboot. Rebooted and everything worked. Immediately ran all my diagnostic progams and found some errors on the drive which were then fixed. Also removed the PhotoSuite program just as a precaution. Everything seemed to be working fine, but then got another blue death screen, unable to write to c: (can't remember what I was doing at the time). Same stuff all over again, but no fixes. Finally opened up the case and pulled and reconnected the power and data cables to the drive (they were seated fine already). Windows booted up fine and is now okay (apparently).
Any educated guesses out there on what happened and why out of the clear blue like it did? I'm clueless.

jws
 
  #2  
Old 09-08-01, 03:52 PM
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My $.02
Sounds like a corrupt registry file to me. Deadliest thing on reinstalls.

You didn't mention if you ran the full surface scan with Scan Disk. Real pain and it takes forever but if it says your disk is ok then your only left with is software. Also, running Defrag helps get files squared away.
 
  #3  
Old 09-09-01, 02:27 AM
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Well, you were warm. Apparently it was a virus. Did a big DUUUH last night when I ran my Norton Antivirus (which I highly recommend, by the way) and it reported a file in "quarantine" and that my boot record had changed, etc, etc. Came in by way of an email attachment from a normally "reliable" sender. Virus id'ed was w95.hybris.worm. So far no additional problems.
 
 

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