I am now able to get some output from "Disk Management". I had run a CHKDSK from the "XP Recovery Console" prior to trying. I continue to be unable to list the drive's content by clicking on it in Explorer (but Properties continues to work and display correct information).

Disk Management shows:
Layout = Simple
Type = Dynamic
File System = NTFS
Status = Healthy
Capacity = 69.24GB (which is correct)

Since I have backed it up I am tempted to do a FORMAT. But I have this nagging feeling that ity's something in the OS that has gone amiss.

Any suggestions?



>>Hi Neil (and the others I CCed),
>>
>>I backed up the drive's content under SAFE MODE and all went well.
>>
>>No, there is no USB device that is masquarading as E:. However, I do believe, when I set this all up, that I did use Disk Management to re-assign the drive letters. But that was a year+ ago and never a problem encountered.
>>
>>I've neglected to mention that this is Win XP SP2 with fixes to July XX incorporated.
>>
>>Do any of you know what "Repair" does... I *think* the WinXP CD offers a "Repair" option but I have no idea what it's supposed to do?
>>
>>Also FYI, as soon as anything needs to reference the E: drive (for instance, my automatic backup of OutLook 2003 needs it) open applications continue to work but nothing will stop or start and I have to use the power off button to shut her down. The start bar disappears too.
>
>"Repair" on the XP CD basically repairs your installation of XP (usually in C:\Windows). It won't touch E:.
>
>Is there any indication your drive is failing? Messages in the System Event Log? Errors reported with Scandisk (try surface scan option) or chkdsk /f? You might Google the make/model of the HD to see if anyone's reporting a higher-than-expected problem or failure rate.
>
>>
>>
>>>Hi,
>>>No, it is in computer management/disk management.
>>>JAG, Have you plugged USB pen/thumb drive in that is set to drive E: ?
>>>
>>>>Hi Neil,
>>>>
>>>>I assume you mean Device Manager in "System" of Control Panel.
>>>>
>>>>There both "Disk drives" and "IDE/ATA/ATAPI controllers" show no red/yellow markers and d-clicking on either shows "The device is working properly".
>>>>
>>>>Very strange... and really messing me up, since all my own work is on that drive.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Hi,
>>>>>What status does Disk Management report about the drive.
>>>>>
>>>>>>I'm having a strange problem with my E: drive, which is not partitioned and a separate drive by itself.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>When I click on it or its plus-sign in Explorer the system just sits there and I cannot start or stop anything. I can get the Task Manager using Crtl-Alt-Del but no reactions if I try to end a task or shutdown.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>If I just rt-click on the drive in Explorer I *DO* get the properties displayed!!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>However, I can access the drive normally in SAFE MODE.
>>>>>>I ran a chkdsk on it and some repairs were reported.
>>>>>>I have removed (under safe mode) the specification to have the page file on it.
>>>>>>Still no joy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Any ideas as to what's up?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Thanks