USB drive causes system to hang

[Jeff Lambert]

I've purchased an external USB drive for my Windows ME
system. Installation seems fine, the drive is recognized
and shows up as a separate drive in My Computer (within
Device Manager I defined it as 'removable' and named it
Drive F). The problem arises when try to interact with
the drive (e.g. copy a file to it or simply open it from
My Computer). It causes the system to completely freeze
and I have to either power off the drive or the computer
itself. By the way, the drive works fine on an XP
laptop. Any idea why it would be making ME choke like
this?

Thanks.

I am experiencing this same problem. My external F drive
causes my main computer (to which it is attached) to hang
frequently. However, it does not cause my other computer
(laptop running XP) to hang. My machine is hanging even
when I don't access it. What brand do you have?
>-----Original Message-----
>I've purchased an external USB drive for my Windows ME
>system. Installation seems fine, the drive is
recognized
>and shows up as a separate drive in My Computer (within
>Device Manager I defined it as 'removable' and named it
>Drive F). The problem arises when try to interact with
>the drive (e.g. copy a file to it or simply open it from
>My Computer). It causes the system to completely freeze
>and I have to either power off the drive or the computer
>itself. By the way, the drive works fine on an XP
>laptop. Any idea why it would be making ME choke like
>this?
>
>Thanks.
>.
>

[bigNuts]

If you have a via motherboard get the latest via4in1 drivers

> wrote in message
...
> I am experiencing this same problem. My external F drive
> causes my main computer (to which it is attached) to hang
> frequently. However, it does not cause my other computer
> (laptop running XP) to hang. My machine is hanging even
> when I don't access it. What brand do you have?
> >-----Original Message-----
> >I've purchased an external USB drive for my Windows ME
> >system. Installation seems fine, the drive is
> recognized
> >and shows up as a separate drive in My Computer (within
> >Device Manager I defined it as 'removable' and named it
> >Drive F). The problem arises when try to interact with
> >the drive (e.g. copy a file to it or simply open it from
> >My Computer). It causes the system to completely freeze
> >and I have to either power off the drive or the computer
> >itself. By the way, the drive works fine on an XP
> >laptop. Any idea why it would be making ME choke like
> >this?
> >
> >Thanks.
> >.
> >

[Jeff Lambert]

I have a Fantom Drive 160 Gig. I'll try the via4in1
driver suggested by bigNuts and let you know what
happens. What brand do you have?
>-----Original Message-----
>I am experiencing this same problem. My external F drive
>causes my main computer (to which it is attached) to hang
>frequently. However, it does not cause my other computer
>(laptop running XP) to hang. My machine is hanging even
>when I don't access it. What brand do you have?
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I've purchased an external USB drive for my Windows ME
>>system. Installation seems fine, the drive is
>recognized
>>and shows up as a separate drive in My Computer (within
>>Device Manager I defined it as 'removable' and named it
>>Drive F). The problem arises when try to interact with
>>the drive (e.g. copy a file to it or simply open it from
>>My Computer). It causes the system to completely freeze
>>and I have to either power off the drive or the computer
>>itself. By the way, the drive works fine on an XP
>>laptop. Any idea why it would be making ME choke like
>>this?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>.
>>
>.
>

I have a 80G ACOM. Bizarre as I have a wireless network
and it works fine from my XP Laptop.
>-----Original Message-----
>I have a Fantom Drive 160 Gig. I'll try the via4in1
>driver suggested by bigNuts and let you know what
>happens. What brand do you have?
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I am experiencing this same problem. My external F drive
>>causes my main computer (to which it is attached) to hang
>>frequently. However, it does not cause my other computer
>>(laptop running XP) to hang. My machine is hanging even
>>when I don't access it. What brand do you have?
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>I've purchased an external USB drive for my Windows ME
>>>system. Installation seems fine, the drive is
>>recognized
>>>and shows up as a separate drive in My Computer (within
>>>Device Manager I defined it as 'removable' and named it
>>>Drive F). The problem arises when try to interact with
>>>the drive (e.g. copy a file to it or simply open it from
>>>My Computer). It causes the system to completely freeze
>>>and I have to either power off the drive or the computer
>>>itself. By the way, the drive works fine on an XP
>>>laptop. Any idea why it would be making ME choke like
>>>this?
>>>
>>>Thanks.
>>>.
>>>
>>.
>>
>.
>

[Tom]

I am experiencing a similar problem with a usb connection
to my Canon digital camera. See my post today from tom.
any help is greatly appreciated.
>-----Original Message-----
>If you have a via motherboard get the latest via4in1
drivers
>
> wrote in message
...
>> I am experiencing this same problem. My external F
drive
>> causes my main computer (to which it is attached) to
hang
>> frequently. However, it does not cause my other
computer
>> (laptop running XP) to hang. My machine is hanging even
>> when I don't access it. What brand do you have?
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >I've purchased an external USB drive for my Windows ME
>> >system. Installation seems fine, the drive is
>> recognized
>> >and shows up as a separate drive in My Computer (within
>> >Device Manager I defined it as 'removable' and named it
>> >Drive F). The problem arises when try to interact with
>> >the drive (e.g. copy a file to it or simply open it
from
>> >My Computer). It causes the system to completely
freeze
>> >and I have to either power off the drive or the
computer
>> >itself. By the way, the drive works fine on an XP
>> >laptop. Any idea why it would be making ME choke like
>> >this?
>> >
>> >Thanks.
>> >.
>> >
>
>
>.
>

[Mike M]

Check your windows\inf folder (a hidden system folder and you will have to
enable the viewing of such files and folders in Explorer (Tools | Folder
Options | View and check "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide
protected operating system files") and look for large numbers of oem*.inf
files that are all 0 bytes in size. If you've got thousands of such files
this is the cause of your problem as you're probably at the limit of the
number of entries that can be entered in a FAT folder and therefore cannot add
any inf file associated with the update. Delete these 0 byte oem*.inf files.

Why has this happened? If you have Norton's System Doctor installed did you
perhaps forget to disable System Doctor before updating your system from the
Windows Update site? If you don't delete these files some software and most
hardware and driver installs will take a very long time to complete if they
complete at all.

For more details see the Symantec site:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nunt.nsf/docid/2000120915010309&src=n and
also MS KB 281967 - "Computer Stops Responding (Hangs) During Setup,
Installing Updates, or Adding New Hardware"
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=281967). I would strongly recommend that
you contact Microsoft and mention 281967 and also 301540 and ask for a copy of
the new ifsmgr.vxd v4.90.3003. You will then either be sent the file or told
how and where to download a copy. There should be no charge for this call
other than for the cost of the phone call. Alternatively do yourself and your
PC a favour and dump System Doctor.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Tom > wrote:

> I am experiencing a similar problem with a usb connection
> to my Canon digital camera. See my post today from tom.
> any help is greatly appreciated.