Help! I am having a strange problem with my computer and its external hard drives. A year ago I bought two Western Digital external HDs, intending them for backup and storage. (I enjoy working with photos.) The first HD, when installed, took over the My Documents folder from the internal HD. I thought it strange but I wasn’t concerned until the first HD began failing recently. It did not fail completely, but would be up and running just for short periods at a time, then it would go down and no access to My Documents folder. It took me ages to transfer its contents to the second HD. Now it is beginning to do the same as the first.

My computer is a Gateway GT5058 and the OS is Windows XP.

So the question is, how do I get the My Documents folder back onto the internal HD and see that it is in command, not the external HDs?

Gary P.

I have an external WD hard drive that I use for storage and never had this problem; my guess is that it could be related to the software that came with these hard drives that you used while installing them. Try to format them, and then let Windows detect them without using the installation software that came with them. Of course you need to backup whatever is on them first before you do so; also before you start using them again I recommend that you run hard drive diagnostic software on them to determine whether the failing issue that you mentioned in your post is software or hardware related.

Thanks, I'll try that. The HDs are different models but the same brand - WD. One has an installation disk with a diagnostics section, but does not come up when clicked on. The other one, the newer, is plug-&-play with no disk. I will Google and try to find some diagnostic service, or whatever. I will get back with you and give my results, good or bad. I'll save my judgment on Western Digital until later.

Gary P., aka bachflight

Gary, try going to WDC and looking under support. Find your model, click on support or downloads, and you should be given a choice to download Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows for that model.