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Strange problem with flash drive and zip files

 
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SteveO29

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:40 pm    Post subject: Strange problem with flash drive and zip files
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Hello,

I was hoping someone in here could help me. I just received a new flash drive (my first) and am having a few problems with it.

The problem I'm having is really bizarre. This is what happens..

I'll plug in the flash drive to my computer's USB port and drop a zip file in it. I'll click the zip file, and it opens and shows the contents just fine.

Then, I'll unplug the flash drive from the computer.. and plug it back in. I'll click on the same file and get this prompt..


"Please insert the last disk of the Mult-Volume set and click OK to continue"


I'll click "OK" and nothing happens.. I click "CANCEL" and the prompt disappears.

I tried dragging and dropping the zip file from the flash drive to a folder on my computer, but when I tried to open it.. I got a prompt saying it was corrupt.

I don't have this problem with putting zip files on other media like CDs and DVDs.. is there a problem with using zip files on flash drives?

Any replies will be greatly appreciated!

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John B.

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:54 pm    Post subject:
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Hi Steve029,

What Operating System are you running? Windows XP? Home, Professional, service packs?

Do only zip files get corrupted or also normal files like executibles and word documents? What about rar files?

Do you just pull out the flash drive or do you do anything before you pull it out? If so, what do you do?

Greets, John.


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SteveO29

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:10 pm    Post subject:
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Hi John

Thanks for the fast reply!

Sorry, I didn't give much info on my system. I'm running Windows XP Home SP2.

I haven't really tried any other types of files on the flash drive because my main use for the drive was to store backup programs, text files and such. And I have them all in individual zip files.

The drive didn't come with any software, when I first got it.. I plugged it into my computer's USB port and XP recognized it and installed it.

I don't do anything before I pull the drive out, I just drop the files into it.. wait a few seconds and pull the drive out. Then when I pop it back in.. I get that prompt when trying to view the files.

Do I have to do something before pulling the drive out of the computer? I'm very new to flash drives, although I do have an mp3 player which doubles as a 1GB flash drive. I use it the same way as the new flash drive. I plug it in, drop mp3s into it.. then pull it out. I never had any problems with that.. but then I only use it for mp3s.. not zip files.


John B. wrote:

What Operating System are you running? Windows XP? Home, Professional, service packs?

Do only zip files get corrupted or also normal files like executibles and word documents? What about rar files?

Do you just pull out the flash drive or do you do anything before you pull it out? If so, what do you do?

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SteveO29

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:34 pm    Post subject: Update
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Just an update..

I just tried the drive with some picture files.. they all looked fine when I dropped them into the drive. But then I unplugged the drive and plugged it backin and looked at them again.. and sure enough many were corrupted.

When looking at the flash drive's properties.. the drive's file system is FAT.

My mp3 player (the one that works fine) has a FAT32 file system.

Could that make a difference?

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John B.

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:48 pm    Post subject:
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Hi Steve,

Steve wrote:
I just tried the drive with some picture files.. they all looked fine when I dropped them into the drive. But then I unplugged the drive and plugged it backin and looked at them again.. and sure enough many were corrupted.

Makes me think the flash drive is damaged. Did it fall? Please try to use it on another computer to see if it works there.

Steve wrote:
Do I have to do something before pulling the drive out of the computer?

Most people just pull out it but there's a more 'official' and 'cleaner' way to do it.

After putting files on the flash drive all the windows you have opened. On the right-bottom of the screen double click on a system tray which says 'safely remove hardware' when you go over it. It should look like this (maybe you have to expand the amount of system drays which are displayed using the arrow):
http://education.ucsb.edu/itg/gselabs/html/faqs/images/addremicon.gif

A window like this should open:
http://ask-leo.com/images/safelyremovehardwaredialog.png

Click on the right device and click Stop. Now choose for the one on top and click Ok. A pop-up will say that you can safely remove the hardware so close the window and remove the flash drive.

See whether things will work now. Also note that the error normally means that the zip file is part of a bigger zip file cut into several pieces and it's now asking for the rest of it (used to put things on multiple floppy drives). Did you cut the zip files?

Greets, John.


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SteveO29

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:26 pm    Post subject:
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Hi again John,

I didn't drop the drive or damage it in any way, so it can't be that. Unless of course it was dropped or damaged before it got to me.

I tried all your suggestions and still had the same results unfortunately.

I also tried to reformat the drive using the FAT32 file system, and still had the same results.

And I tried other types of files as well.. jpegs, executables, docs, etc.. and many of them ended up corrupted.

The strange thing is, the files are fine when I first add them to the drive and view or execute them while they're still in the flash drive. The problem occurs when I unplug the drive and plug it back in.. that's when the files get corrupted.

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John B.

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 10:16 pm    Post subject:
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Did you try doing the same on another computer?


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SteveO29

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:25 pm    Post subject:
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John B. wrote:
Did you try doing the same on another computer?

I wish I could John, but I don't have another computer to do that. I have an older compuer, but it's so old that it runs Windows 95 and doesn't have a USB port.

I can't understand what I could be doing wrong.. I have an mp3 player which doubles as a flash drive and I use it the same way with no problems.

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John B.

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:45 pm    Post subject:
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Maybe you could ask the neighbors or a friend who lives near your house to copy a file on the flash drive with their computer and see what happens. It would make the difference with a problem with the flash drive or a wrong setting on your computer. Make sure you remove the flash drive the 'official' way I told you when you tried it at a different computer.


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