Vista "forgets" USB Device Locations

When I plug in the external USB drive I use for backup, Vista recognizes it,
can read and write to it, etc. But within a few minutes Vista "forgets" the
location of the USB drive. I note that, like most people, I have multiple USB
devices plugged in. The error message I get is:

=============================================
Could not find this item.

This is no longer located in <%3 NULL:OpText>. Verify the item's location
and try again

DATADISK
Space free: 74.4 GB
Total size: 74.5 GB
=============================================

This obviously appears to be a Vista USB problem, but searching the web for
this error message turns up nothing. Is anybody else having this problem, or
knows of a solution?

[Removing error code numbers in Vista error messages was a really badly
thought out decision. Error messages like the above are almost impossible to
find based on the text itself. At least with an error number one had a chance
of locating error message info on the internet.]

In message <129C59C3-9513-4757-8F19-4EF4A5D36F35@microsoft.com> phillfri
<phillfri@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>This obviously appears to be a Vista USB problem, but searching the web for
>this error message turns up nothing.

It does?

It sounds to me more like a bad USB cable, or faulty/unpowered drive.
I've seen very similar from drives which were supposed to be USB
powered, but were trying to draw more current then the USB spec allowed,
on a system that wouldn't or couldn't provide it.

That is very much a shot in the dark though.

--
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

Thanks for the suggestion. But my USB hard drive has its own power source,
and works just fine on my Windows XP machine - which kinda indicates that the
issue is a Vista issue.

"DevilsPGD" wrote:

> In message <129C59C3-9513-4757-8F19-4EF4A5D36F35@microsoft.com> phillfri
> <phillfri@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >This obviously appears to be a Vista USB problem, but searching the web for
> >this error message turns up nothing.
>
> It does?
>
> It sounds to me more like a bad USB cable, or faulty/unpowered drive.
> I've seen very similar from drives which were supposed to be USB
> powered, but were trying to draw more current then the USB spec allowed,
> on a system that wouldn't or couldn't provide it.
>
> That is very much a shot in the dark though.
>
> --
> I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
>

Sorry for reviving such an old thread...

I have exactly the same problem. I just installed Windows Vista Home
Premium.
When I try to copy stuff from my external USB drive (with its own power
supply) I get the same error message.
Interestingly, for some items (e.g. pictures) I get the preview of the
picture as thumbnail but cannot look at it with the Windows Photo
Gallery or cannot copy it.
When I connect the external USB drive to a WinXP machine it works
fine...


Any ideas whats wrong with that?


--
BES

Hi, BES.

WHAT "old thread"? What "same error message"? You didn't quote any part of
the prior conversation, so we have no idea what you are talking about -
except for your new description.

The headers for your post say that you are using:
X-Newsreader: vBulletin USENET gateway

I'm not familiar with that newsreader; does it have a setting such as
"Include prior message in Reply"?

Does that USB device show up in Disk Management? In Device Manager? Where
did you get the Vista drivers for it? Are you trying to use the WinXP
drivers in Vista? Is your drive plugged into a built-in USB connector, or
to an external hub?

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64)

"BES" <BES.2z6ng6@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:BES.2z6ng6@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> Sorry for reviving such an old thread...
>
> I have exactly the same problem. I just installed Windows Vista Home
> Premium.
> When I try to copy stuff from my external USB drive (with its own power
> supply) I get the same error message.
> Interestingly, for some items (e.g. pictures) I get the preview of the
> picture as thumbnail but cannot look at it with the Windows Photo
> Gallery or cannot copy it.
> When I connect the external USB drive to a WinXP machine it works
> fine...
>
>
> Any ideas whats wrong with that?
>
>
> --
> BES

I've been struggling for the past week to sort out a similar problem
occuring with my usb storage device, which is a 256mb flash disk.

When I plug the device Vista installs the usb mass storage driver for
the device and it is picked up in the Device Manager. The device is also
displayed in Windows Explorer. It is only when I try to add files to the
device that i receive the "Item not found" %3 NULL:OpText ERROR.

The device works fine in XP. I've also tried to copy a file onto the
device in XP and open it in Vista, but to no avail. The file is not even
displayed on the device in Vista.

Is there someone out there who could help me please


--
bpdrotsche

Vista by default does not cache USB drives, activating buffer for my
external drive solved the problem for me (Though I cannot remember where
or how I did this, just try to google for this).

I hope this helps, I somewhere filed the info away if I find it back I
will submit it here.


--
BES