I'm seeking a reason, and a fix, for why explorer disconnects a usb drive during operation. Basic data: desktop with 4 SATA HDD approx 4Tb storage available, dual core AMD 5600+ processor @ 2.7Ghz clock, 4Gb Ram, running Windows 7 sp1 (32bit). I was running Corel video studio 7 sp1 to render a 5 minute project file (collection of video clips, still photos, text, music and voiceover's) into a composite mpg video file. The target folder for the rendered output was on a folder on an attached SDHC card, plugged into the desktop via a usb 2 interface. The operation began by setting up the target folder, per this image (see file location label RH lower side of image) Clicking on start, then render proceeded for several minutes and then inexplicably the file location changed to a C: drive location. When the render was completed, an error message about not being able to find the target was presented. Both the error message and the changed target location are displayed in the next image: When I checked - opened explorer and looked for the target drive, the specified folder and drive were no longer there. Explorer worked Ok in that it opened and the normal local HDD and local network drives were displayed, but the attached usb drive was NOT. The invisible disappearing drive. So I removed the usb drive (no explorer "ding" sound as is usual), reattached and looked at the contents after explorer recognised it. Which showed the specified usb folder had a part-completed output file. That part-output file is about 25% the size of the final file I later (15 minutes later) rendered to one of the attached internal drives. This is the explorer image of the specified usb output folder with the part file - obviously at the point where explorer disconnected the drive and later led to the 'can't find the file' message shown above: Further information Yesterday was patch Tuesday 8 July 14, and today before doing any work with Video Studio I updated Windows with the critical and some important items which had accumulated (total of about 29). Reviewing each of the KB articles before selecting for download, none of those installed updates dealt with usb drives. So it's not beyond possibility that one of the updates had this as a side effect, but I have not the faintest idea which one it might have been. Thus the questions: 1. What causes or would cause explorer to disconnect a usb 2 drive while it was being used by a program? (note that video editors usually work by adding processed parts to a specified file [append new data] as they are finished eg frame by frame). 2. How can I fix it and avoid this recurring? Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question. Anonymous 2014-07-22T15:05:42+00:00 Hi David, All the important Windows updates are necessary for Windows. You can ignore the optional updates but important and security updates are necessary in order to Windows function properly. Small Computer System Interface ( SCSI ) is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. If you are facing issue with Windows update run the System Update Readiness tool and check if it helps: Fix Windows corruption errors by using the DISM or System Update Readiness tool http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821/en-us Hope this helps. 0 comments No comments Report All the important Windows updates are necessary for Windows. You can ignore the optional updates but important and security updates are necessary in order to Windows function properly. Small Computer System Interface ( SCSI ) is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. If you are facing issue with Windows update run the System Update Readiness tool and check if it helps: Fix Windows corruption errors by using the DISM or System Update Readiness tool http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821/en-us Hope this helps. Anonymous 2014-07-21T01:51:38+00:00 Hi John, Replies to some of your queries: 1. What sort of system is it? Its a system build desktop PC with a gigabyte motherboard. The details are captured in this system info screenshot: 2. Using the USB ports after the event. This particular connection requires a card reader - to access an SDHC card plugged in to one of 4 physical interfaces - which in turn connects via a usb2 slot. I did refer to this this but not quite in that degree of detail. I have used that reader and interface, and that card, to access information since the event. I've also used all but one of the usb plugs on the system with different devices. So in my mind the hardware is all working as it usually did. 3. The fixit link you recommended. That links to a page that describes what the fix covers. Specifically; quote What it fixes... When you install a hardware device, it is not detected Determine if your audio device is plugged in Driver updates aren't automatically installed by Windows Update You receive one of the following errors: Your <Device Name> is currently disabled or turned off in Windows Your <Device Name> has a driver problem and needs to be reinstalled Windows has detected a problem with your <Device Name>, it is not working properly There is no driver installed for your <Device Name> unquote None of those things applies in this case. Taking them in order the device was detected by windows, when 1st plugged in. Going any further without that would have been pointless. Then I started Corel, and began to render the series of images. That requires a target and that target SDHC card via usb2 was detected at that point in the process. It was in use by the applications program when the disconnection occurred. The program could not have delivered 70Mb of partially rendered file to the SDHC card if that connection was not recognised. an audio device of any sort is not involved in this event. Updates that are not critical or important are not routinely installed. Periodically I scan those windows update says are available and manually install those that are relevant - and that's what I did 2 weeks ago. About 29 in total including the 6 or 7 critical/important ones issued for July. I mentioned that in the 1st post. And I have snapshoted the update history and attach that below, 2 images. The last entry on the 1st image is the first entry on the second. Windows device manager says that the usb drivers are all up to date when I press the update drivers button. There's no reason I know of to believe that the windows update and device update process operate independently and are not accurate. I included some remarks about the driver dates in my 2nd post. receiving errors from windows. When the event occurred, and even afterwards, there were none. No windows pop-up message boxes, flags or any of the other ways windows uses to indicate something is wrong. The only repeat only indication I had was observation during the render operation of the target folder in the Corel function screen that suddenly changed from the specified target to a default one in the C: drive; and when the render was supposedly finished, the corel error box was on the screen, and that image was included in the 1st post. A check of windows explorer immediately after the render was finished and the Corel error box was evident, and that SDHC card connection (as an external drive) was gone. And no errors from windows of any sort. Unpluging it and the re-plugging it, and its detected and displayed in the drives folder pane again. All of which is leading me to believe that software and specifically an intermittent something related to the windows update cycle has fingers in this. The July windows update history, image 1 July windows update history image 2 When manually installing optional updates, I read the KB articles first - there just isn't any good reason to install an update that involves something I don't have or don't use - eg SCSI drives. According to the KB articles I read before choosing to install an update, some of the optional or important updates had pre-requisites. And I assumed that the update would NOT be installed if the pre-requisite was not present. If that is not the case, it would be good to know, as it might be the source of this issue. Can you advise on that element please. If windows update does NOT check for the presence of any pre-requisites, then an uninstall of the relevant update would be in order. DAvidk03 0 comments No comments Report Replies to some of your queries: 1. What sort of system is it? Its a system build desktop PC with a gigabyte motherboard. The details are captured in this system info screenshot: 2. Using the USB ports after the event. This particular connection requires a card reader - to access an SDHC card plugged in to one of 4 physical interfaces - which in turn connects via a usb2 slot. I did refer to this this but not quite in that degree of detail. I have used that reader and interface, and that card, to access information since the event. I've also used all but one of the usb plugs on the system with different devices. So in my mind the hardware is all working as it usually did. 3. The fixit link you recommended. That links to a page that describes what the fix covers. Specifically; What it fixes... When you install a hardware device, it is not detected Determine if your audio device is plugged in Driver updates aren't automatically installed by Windows Update You receive one of the following errors: Your <Device Name> is currently disabled or turned off in Windows Your <Device Name> has a driver problem and needs to be reinstalled Windows has detected a problem with your <Device Name>, it is not working properly There is no driver installed for your <Device Name> Your <Device Name> is currently disabled or turned off in Windows Your <Device Name> has a driver problem and needs to be reinstalled Windows has detected a problem with your <Device Name>, it is not working properly

There is no driver installed for your <Device Name> None of those things applies in this case. Taking them in order the device was detected by windows, when 1st plugged in. Going any further without that would have been pointless. Then I started Corel, and began to render the series of images. That requires a target and that target SDHC card via usb2 was detected at that point in the process. It was in use by the applications program when the disconnection occurred. The program could not have delivered 70Mb of partially rendered file to the SDHC card if that connection was not recognised. an audio device of any sort is not involved in this event. Updates that are not critical or important are not routinely installed. Periodically I scan those windows update says are available and manually install those that are relevant - and that's what I did 2 weeks ago. About 29 in total including the 6 or 7 critical/important ones issued for July. I mentioned that in the 1st post. And I have snapshoted the update history and attach that below, 2 images. The last entry on the 1st image is the first entry on the second. Windows device manager says that the usb drivers are all up to date when I press the update drivers button. There's no reason I know of to believe that the windows update and device update process operate independently and are not accurate. I included some remarks about the driver dates in my 2nd post. receiving errors from windows. When the event occurred, and even afterwards, there were none. No windows pop-up message boxes, flags or any of the other ways windows uses to indicate something is wrong. The only repeat only indication I had was observation during the render operation of the target folder in the Corel function screen that suddenly changed from the specified target to a default one in the C: drive; and when the render was supposedly finished, the corel error box was on the screen, and that image was included in the 1st post. A check of windows explorer immediately after the render was finished and the Corel error box was evident, and that SDHC card connection (as an external drive) was gone. And no errors from windows of any sort. Unpluging it and the re-plugging it, and its detected and displayed in the drives folder pane again. All of which is leading me to believe that software and specifically an intermittent something related to the windows update cycle has fingers in this. The July windows update history, image 1 July windows update history image 2 When manually installing optional updates, I read the KB articles first - there just isn't any good reason to install an update that involves something I don't have or don't use - eg SCSI drives. According to the KB articles I read before choosing to install an update, some of the optional or important updates had pre-requisites. And I assumed that the update would NOT be installed if the pre-requisite was not present. If that is not the case, it would be good to know, as it might be the source of this issue. Can you advise on that element please. If windows update does NOT check for the presence of any pre-requisites, then an uninstall of the relevant update would be in order. Anonymous 2014-07-20T16:17:57+00:00 Hi, What is the make and model of the computer? Did you try connecting the USB device on another USB port and check? Sorry, to know that you are facing this issue. USB issue can be caused by several reasons. You may face this issue if device is corrupted or USB port is disabled after you safely remove the device from the port. Follow these methods and check: Method 1: Try running this Microsoft Fixit and check if it helps: Hardware devices are not working or are not detected in Windows **http://support.microsoft.com/mats/hardware\_device\_problems/** Method 2 : Let’s remove and reinstall all USB controllers: To remove and reinstall all USB controllers, follow these steps: a. Press Windows key + R , type sysdm.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK . b. Click the Hardware tab. c. Click the Device Manager button. d. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers . e. Right-click every device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers node, and then click Uninstall to remove them one at a time. f. Restart the computer, and then reinstall the USB controllers. g. Plug in the removable USB storage device, and then test to make sure that the issue is resolved. Hope this helps. If you need further assistance with Windows, let us know and will be glad to help. 0 comments No comments Report What is the make and model of the computer? Did you try connecting the USB device on another USB port and check? Sorry, to know that you are facing this issue. USB issue can be caused by several reasons. You may face this issue if device is corrupted or USB port is disabled after you safely remove the device from the port. Follow these methods and check: Method 1: Try running this Microsoft Fixit and check if it helps: Hardware devices are not working or are not detected in Windows **http://support.microsoft.com/mats/hardware\_device\_problems/** Method 2 : Let’s remove and reinstall all USB controllers: To remove and reinstall all USB controllers, follow these steps: a. Press Windows key + R , type sysdm.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK . b. Click the Hardware tab. c. Click the Device Manager button. d. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers . e. Right-click every device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers node, and then click Uninstall to remove them one at a time. f. Restart the computer, and then reinstall the USB controllers. g. Plug in the removable USB storage device, and then test to make sure that the issue is resolved. Hope this helps. If you need further assistance with Windows, let us know and will be glad to help. Anonymous 2014-07-16T09:40:56+00:00 I had a follow up query from the community - noticed this request was not answered and wondered if a fix had been found. No. I've been waiting for an answer and not received one. I do want a fix. Whilst waiting I verified again (via the system manager detail) that the usb drivers were up to date - but seriously wondered why microsoft was still using usb drivers dated 2006 when there is such an extensive history of problems with usb drives attached to windows. That's 4 possibly 5 major iterations (xp3, vista, possibly vista sp1, win 7, win7sp1) of the OS without a change to an area clearly prone to problems. Davidk03 0 comments No comments Report I had a follow up query from the community - noticed this request was not answered and wondered if a fix had been found. No. I've been waiting for an answer and not received one. I do want a fix. Whilst waiting I verified again (via the system manager detail) that the usb drivers were up to date - but seriously wondered why microsoft was still using usb drivers dated 2006 when there is such an extensive history of problems with usb drives attached to windows. That's 4 possibly 5 major iterations (xp3, vista, possibly vista sp1, win 7, win7sp1) of the OS without a change to an area clearly prone to problems.