You cannot access an NTFS file system on a Melco (Buffalo) USB 2.0 hard disk drive on a Windows 2000 SP3-based computer (326919)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3
This article was previously published under Q326919
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

Windows SE:30370

SYMPTOMS

When you try to access an NTFS file system on a Melco (Buffalo) USB 2.0 hard disk drive on a Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3)-based computer, the following behavior occurs:
  • You cannot access the hard disk drive or the My Computer folder if you connect the hard disk drive after you start the computer.
  • The system stops responding if you connect the hard disk drive before you start the computer.
Note If the hard disk drive does not have an NTFS partition, this behavior does not occur.

WORKAROUND

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To work around this behavior, disconnect the hard disk drive and then add the UserWriteCacheSetting DWORD value to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSetEnum\IDE\HardDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk

Note In this registry key, HardDiskDrive is a placeholder for the name of the hard disk drive. Also, SerialNumber is a placeholder for the serial number of the hard disk drive.

To add the UserWriteCacheSetting DWORD value, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSetEnum\IDE\HardDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters

  3. If there is a Disk subkey, go to step 4.

    To create a Disk subkey, follow these steps:
    1. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key.
    2. Type Disk, and then press ENTER.
  4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSetEnum\IDE\HardDiskDrive\SerialNumber\Device Parameters\Disk

  5. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  6. Type UserWriteCacheSetting, and then press ENTER.
  7. Right-click UserWriteCacheSetting, and then click Modify.
  8. In the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, click Decimal, and then type 0 (zero) to disable the disk write cache.
  9. On the File menu, click Exit.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Melco (Buffalo) USB 2.0 hard disk drive, visit the following Melco (Buffalo) Web site:

http://www.buffalotech.com

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/13/2004
Keywords:kbtshoot kbprb KB326919 kbAudEndUser
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