• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Urgent advice:Windows - Delayed Write Failed

HookeyStreet

Eat, sleep, game!
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
7,122 (0.93/day)
Location
Great Yarmouth, England
Ive been getting this message for the past couple of days 'Windows - Delayed Write Failed' I also get some text with this saying that a certain file has failed to save and now the data is lost so save it in another place.

Ive been looking about to find a solution as a format did not solve it! Ive tried disabling 'write caching' like some have said on other sites and Ive also tried some methods suggested by Micro$oft, but still no luck :(

Ive updated all the Via chipset drivers and SATA / IDE drivers :confused:

What can I try next???
 
Possibly your hard disk is on its way out!
 
Did you recently use a USB HDD? Either a real HDD or a USB stick. This error message is typical of an early removal without properly unplugging the device via the control toolbar first.
 
Did you recently use a USB HDD? Either a real HDD or a USB stick. This error message is typical of an early removal without properly unplugging the device via the control toolbar first.

Soda's right on that account, I have seen that before myself, & in the conditions he notes...

You CAN 'turn off' delayed write caching (optimized for performance, rather than quick removal) via rightclicking on the diskdrive letter in Explorer.exe, & using its popup menu item that appears in PROPERTIES, & then, choose the HARDWARE tab in the dialog box that comes up.

Once there, choose the POLICIES tab in the next screen, & maybe try the "Optimize for Quick Removal" radio button being checked off, rather than "Optimize for Performance", & see if that helps you here!

:)

* Good Luck!

APK

P.S.=> If this doesn't cut it, perhaps using a tool like CacheSet (sysinternals) might help, because it allows for various adjustments in Windows NT-based OS' native cache (I use SuperDisk II here instead, but each works & there is possible adjustments in both), but do NOT discount it could be a problem w/ the hdd as folks noted here earlier/above... I hope not for your sake! apk
 
Check the message and it'll give you the path and filename. Could also be a network drive. The complete error should be in the event viewer in the system log.


Also the age of a harddrive is totally irrelevent for it to fail. New disks fail just as often as older ones.
 
Thanx m8, how long should I run it for?

run it all the way a post a screen shot or the results.

as said above, if you trying to store data on an external storage, try doing "eject hardware safety" to avoid writing delay errors.
 
Reconect device. Controll panel>add/remove hardware>remove device(twice if listed)then disconnect device>reboot. Had to do that with a buddy's external HDD he used to burn dvd's on my machine. Of course I also had to wait a week for him to bring it back over to the house. There had to be a better way!
 
Cool!

I wish all hassles on PC's were this simple to spot & fix!

:)

* What was it that cured it for you? I'd bet it was Namslas's idea, more than any other noted.

APK
 
Help guys, its back :(

I must ask, did you TRY this stuff, here from last page:

"You CAN 'turn off' delayed write caching (optimized for performance, rather than quick removal) via rightclicking on the diskdrive letter in Explorer.exe, & using its popup menu item that appears in PROPERTIES, & then, choose the HARDWARE tab in the dialog box that comes up.

Once there, choose the POLICIES tab in the next screen, & maybe try the "Optimize for Quick Removal" radio button being checked off, rather than "Optimize for Performance", & see if that helps you here!"

?

* Because, if that doesn't work for you? I don't know what to tell you, software-side/OS side @ least... not really, in the case of this type of errmsg!

APK
 
Hey Hookey,

Please provide more info. Are you using USB or Firewire drives at all?

Does your PC tend to freeze in explorer?
 
I must ask, did you TRY this stuff, here from last page:

"You CAN 'turn off' delayed write caching (optimized for performance, rather than quick removal) via rightclicking on the diskdrive letter in Explorer.exe, & using its popup menu item that appears in PROPERTIES, & then, choose the HARDWARE tab in the dialog box that comes up.

Once there, choose the POLICIES tab in the next screen, & maybe try the "Optimize for Quick Removal" radio button being checked off, rather than "Optimize for Performance", & see if that helps you here!"

?

* Because, if that doesn't work for you? I don't know what to tell you, software-side/OS side @ least... not really, in the case of this type of errmsg!

APK

Yeah Ive done all that, its strange because the PC seemed to be running fine....then it suddenly came back :( Its got me stumped and it all started after swapping my Sempron & mobo for an Athlon & mobo.....its has if the HDD isnt compatible with this mobo or chipset etc?????
 
Hey Hookey,

Please provide more info. Are you using USB or Firewire drives at all?

Does your PC tend to freeze in explorer?

No external USB/Firewire HDD's or ROM's m8, sometimes I do connect my m8s USB 80GB HDD when Im taking files from him.

It seems to freeze randomly, sometimes the PC will be fine but then it just freezes and I get that error message :confused:

I also get this problem when I try to burn a DVD etc, the DVDRW & PC just locks up :confused:
 
run the program that i have showed you and post a screenie when done.
 
Could also be bad ribbon cable, wrong/missing jumper on HDD, or wrong/bad mobo drivers for HDD, or HDD going bad.
 
I think this might be a VERY EASY FIX.

Buy a new 80 pin IDE cable and reconnect your devices. I had a similar issue once. A perfectly looking IDE cable was actually defective.
 
No external USB/Firewire HDD's or ROM's m8, sometimes I do connect my m8s USB 80GB HDD when Im taking files from him.

It seems to freeze randomly, sometimes the PC will be fine but then it just freezes and I get that error message :confused:

I also get this problem when I try to burn a DVD etc, the DVDRW & PC just locks up :confused:

Well, last "software-side related" point:

Does your mobo have "customized chipset &/or IDE/EIDE drivers", like VIA stuff does?

If so, you DO have options of "rolling back" to Microsoft std. WHQL ones, OR going the reverse direction as well (trying the OEM's drivers for disk I/O & see what happens)...

You bring up that set of points I quoted from you, & it made me think of THAT possibility here...

EDIT: I SEE YOU DO USE VIA STUFF! Take out their EIDE/IDE controller-ware, the optional component during install!

(It warns about it in fact, iirc, during installation & offers it optionally only, UNINSTALL IT, & rollback to your WHQL normal Windows/Ms provided one!)

APK

P.S.=> This one's funny, we THOUGHT we had you all set, & so did you... but, alas, we are NOT there yet... hopefully, this is the trick - let the rest of these guys handle the hardware side... I will concentrate or help to concentrate on software/OS/drivers possibles! apk
 
Yeah, unfotunately, I have had this error too. Tried all the software fixes, but it kept popping up every now and then.

Days later, my drive took a dump on me while I was trying to retrieve the data off of it.

Hope you don't have the same issues, and that it will be a software fix. Good luck.
 
I think this might be a VERY EASY FIX.

Buy a new 80 pin IDE cable and reconnect your devices. I had a similar issue once. A perfectly looking IDE cable was actually defective.

The HDD is S-ATA :confused:
 
Well, last "software-side related" point:

Does your mobo have "customized chipset &/or IDE/EIDE drivers", like VIA stuff does?

If so, you DO have options of "rolling back" to Microsoft std. WHQL ones, OR going the reverse direction as well (trying the OEM's drivers for disk I/O & see what happens)...

You bring up that set of points I quoted from you, & it made me think of THAT possibility here...

EDIT: I SEE YOU DO USE VIA STUFF! Take out their EIDE/IDE controller-ware, the optional component during install!

(It warns about it in fact, iirc, during installation & offers it optionally only, UNINSTALL IT, & rollback to your WHQL normal Windows/Ms provided one!)

APK

P.S.=> This one's funny, we THOUGHT we had you all set, & so did you... but, alas, we are NOT there yet... hopefully, this is the trick - let the rest of these guys handle the hardware side... I will concentrate or help to concentrate on software/OS/drivers possibles! apk

Thanks m8, I will try it ;)
 
Is your DVD SATA also? If not, try swapping IDE cables and channel to DVD.

Also try another SATA cable for your HDD, and a different SATA channel, just in case.

Also, are you properly ejecting your friends USB/Firewire HDD or flashstick? If you are under NTFS it will try and record "last access time", but if the drive wasn't property dismounted, it will try to a non-esiting drive and hang.
 
Back
Top