weird computer problem
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Posted on Jul 28, 2010 02:30 am
fortymile
Member Since: Jan 18, 2003
error: 'delayed write failed.' but only sometimes...
it's an external drive, and i did some things recently.
the drive is typically hooked up to my xp machine. but in order to install a program, i connected the drive to my vista machine, so as to use its dvd drive. i installed the program to the external drive, not to any sort of c drive. in vista, the external drive is seen as 'g.' in xp, it's seen as 't.' never thought too much about it, and hasn't been a problem. only rarely do i move the drive between systems.
i'm pretty sure this has something to do with the problem.
i need to do a few more tests, but so far the couple of times this happened, my actual g drive has been attached along with the variable letter external drive, and i'm running a program which has to deal with the stuff i installed while the drive was seen as 'g.'
when i get the error, nothing on the drive is accessible.
any ideas?
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CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jul 28, 2010 07:29 pm I would set the external drive to be the same letter on both machines if actually installing apps and not just using for data. When I do this with my pen drives it actually remembers for next time as well.
right click my computer - > manage -> disk management - from there it's pretty simple to specify a drive letter.
If G: is already taken on the XP machine by something other than just data (programs, folders that are looked for by your music apps) then I would uninstall said program on vista, reassign the drive letter to T: (so it mactches XP) and then reinstall the app.
If G: on XP is just data you could reassign that one to another letter and assign G: to your external drive. Either way.
Does it always come up as T: on XP?
Last but not least, you are not trying to run said app on both machines right? Not having proper registry settings on the xp machine would cause problems if so.
That stuff mentioned is just good practice but I'm doubting it causes the problem. MS has this to say about it.
support.microsoft.com/kb/330174
Jul 29, 2010 06:45 am I am with Tripps...when you install a program sometimes configurations (such as the drive letter and location of the app or associated folders for creating temp files and whatever) is written to the registry, or, to config files within the application install itself...if the later is the case with your setup it could be a problem.
With drives like yours, that move between systems, I often start at the back of the alphabet, so it'd be "z" on both system just to keep it consistent.
Keith WarrenMans reach exceeds his graspMember
Since: Oct 23, 2007
Jul 29, 2010 08:29 am Honestly, I used to get the message a lot when I changed the letter of a drive between machines, as described. I've never dealt with Vista, but I can tell you that Deeb's has the magic. If you can, reformat the drive and name it Drive :Z. After that, unless you have 8 DVD drives and 15 HDD's, you should be safe in transferring.
Now here's a fun question:
Why again are you installing programs on an external drive?
Do you need them to work on both systems?
Jul 29, 2010 09:21 am this is the only time i've ever installed a program on an external drive, and the reason i did that was because only the vista machine has a DVD drive, but the program was for use on xp. the detail about how the drive letter is written to the registry would explain a lot. i think that probably explains it, thanks
Jul 29, 2010 01:14 pm they're only 20 bucks? i didn't know
ah well, i don't really use 'em that much
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jul 29, 2010 05:05 pm Hehe, I don't either. I use mine to burn cd/dvd and that's about it. I usually buy digital downloads of apps/games.
And actually I linked the cheapest possible (just readers) but; stepping up to a DVD burner is only about 3$ more nowadays.
I was quite suprised myself.
Tim NUh, at least one more time . . .Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007
Jul 31, 2010 12:40 am The program that you loaded into the external drive dropped some of it's stuff into the boot drive of the Vista machine . . . so when you try to run said program on the XP, it won't work, because of the missing files . . . I've experienced this same thing. I don't know for sure, but I think the program, no matter what drive it's installed on, looks automatically to the boot drive of the computer for certain files that always go to the boot no matter where you install the program. If you install the program on an outboard drive attached to computer A, and then transfer the drive to computer B and try to run the program there, in my experience, it won't work. I may be wrong about this, and it may have been a drive letter issue for me too, but I'm curious to see if that's the issue.
Aug 01, 2010 08:47 pm it does work on the xp machine. as long as the real drive G is not also connected. when G is connected, i get the delayed write error on the other drive, the one with the program.
i haven't tried anything yet, but given what i said in the above paragraph, renaming the program-containing drive 'G' (and naming the real G something else) should fix it. i believe i can do this because there are no programs installed on either drive but the one.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Aug 02, 2010 12:05 pm That's cool that it at least works when using G: as the drive.
More often than not they will not work due to registry additions, very cool that yours does not require them.
