Windows 7 File Folders Empty - Image & Video files gone

[Imageman]

Dual boot - Windows 7 RC1 7100 64bit / Vista Ultimate 64bit / USB2 External Drives

I'm posting this problem history for the benefit of others who may be having the same or similar problem.

I have several 500GB USB2 external drives that store seldom used image and video files. I opened a folder on one of them yesterday and though all the folders showed, they appeared to be empty. Same on the second and third drive.

Properties showed high percentage of drive used, and Windows 7 wanted to format the drives. Running a drive rescue program, came up dry.

This morning I booted in Vista, and low and behold the files were showing. Booted back to Windows 7, and there they are now. This proves to me that a good night sleep and exercising patience is a great tool I have no real idea what went on with this problem, hope you don't experience it. Probably related to USB drivers? - IM

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you encountered an unusual issue with your external USB drives when using them with Windows 7 RC1 7100 64-bit and Vista Ultimate 64-bit. Based on your description, it appears that the files stored on the external drives were not visible when accessed from Windows 7, but they were visible when accessed from Vista. Here are some potential reasons and solutions for this issue: 1. Driver Compatibility: - USB drivers sometimes vary between different versions of Windows. It's possible that there might be compatibility issues with the USB drivers in Windows 7 RC1 7100 causing the drives to not display properly. 2. Drive Letter Assignments: - Windows assigns drive letters to external drives. It's possible that there was a conflict with the drive letter assignments between the two operating systems. This can sometimes be resolved by manually assigning drive letters consistently across both Windows 7 and Vista. 3. File System Errors: - File system errors on the external drives could also lead to issues in recognizing the files. Running a disk check or repairing the file system using tools like chkdsk might help resolve these errors. 4. User Account Control (UAC): - User Account Control settings in Windows 7 might affect the visibility of files on external drives. Try running the file explorer with elevated privileges (Run as Administrator) to see if that resolves the issue. 5. Permissions: - Ensure that the user account you are using in Windows 7 has the necessary permissions to access the files on the external drives. Checking and adjusting the file/folder permissions can sometimes fix visibility issues. 6. File Indexing: - Windows operating systems use indexing to improve search performance. Rebuilding the index on Windows 7 might help in resolving the issue of files not appearing in the folder. 7. Data Corruption: - There might have been some data corruption on the external drives that caused the files to not display correctly. Scanning the drives for errors using tools like Check Disk can help in identifying and fixing any corruption issues. By exploring these potential causes and solutions, you may be able to resolve the issue you encountered with your external USB drives on Windows 7 and Vista. If the problem persists or if you need further assistance, feel free to provide more details for personalized troubleshooting assistance.