Hello AudioSex users, I hope everyone is doing fine. I have been lurking for a while and decided to make an account.

Basically since 2018 my hard drive has been locked, unable to add files to or delete any from the hard drive which still has so much space on it. It forced me to buy another one since then because it's become rather useless to me, other than reading the files that are already there.

Unless I want to copy the files from this drive onto another then the error reads the same for any action I want to do:
"An unexpected error is keeping you from copying the file If you continue to receive this error, you can use the error code to search for help with this problem.

Error 0x80071AC3: The operation could not be completed because the volume is dirty. Please run chkdsk and try again"

All my files on the faulty drive are read only and unchecking it does nothing. The "delete" option is missing no matter what file I right click in the drop down menu. When I connect the drive back in, it says "There might be a problem with some files on this drive or disc. This can happen if you remove the device or disc before all the files have been written to it" With the option to scan and fix or not to scan.

When I choose to scan, another small window pops up saying "Check disk options: 1) Automatically fix file system errors and 2) Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" both options are able to be chosen. I've been choosing "scan and check" for 5 years now but it never scans or checks in any other window so nothing has changed.

I've tried to fix it on my own multiple times but I've failed each time. People on other forums have said that this issue goes away on its own when I "auto-scan the drive" when I plug it into my computer but it has been frozen for 5 years now with no hope.

I have used the search function to seek help before posting, on here and other places but to a dead end. Please help if you can because it has felt malicious since I've randomly encountered the error. It's evil. All help is appreciated. If you need any additional info, please ask and I will provide.

 

you could use a partition tool like gparted or libparted and delete all the partitions. format it to whatever filesystem you want.

you should backup, because it sounds completely unreliable. my data is worth more than 100 bucks for a new 4tb external to me. use it for junk or something because you will regret using it for anything important the minute you do. if you use it for junk, it will work forever. It's part of the hd addendum to Murphys law.

 

Last edited: Apr 19, 2022

Some things are not adding up, this could be a language barrier or maybe not.

Didn't even know CHKDSK still exists, I am going to assume some version of Win(X).

What OS, What drive, the copying behavoir is the strangest of all.

SSDs fail in read only, but there should have been other errors such as swapfile overflow, etc...

Boot off a portable Linux USB get kext for your filesystem if needed copy the files you want to keep off from Linux onto an other drive. Try to partition and reformat with options for verbose and output and thorough reformat. If there are errors at least you'll have a log.

Strange question to start off on an audio forum with a tech support request.

Good luck.

 

I'm i general agreement with both @clone and @JMOUTTON, though if it were me i'd simply copy those files temporarily into a temp folder on different drive, then NTFS format the 'faulty' exteral drive, then copy all the the files back from the temp folder, along with some others just to see if it's now behaving as it should. I'd also run malwarebytes etc on those original files, just to make sure there's no contaminated junk lurking in there that may possibly have contributed to these bizarre drive errors in the first place?

 

Last edited: Apr 19, 2022

if you pull the files off, stick them into some sort of sandbox or whatever. it's an old drive and you have no idea what is on it. of course, salvage anything you need to. but how much time do you really want to spend on a years old problem? (shitcan it).

Try another USB port. (you probably already have).
Is there a driver/installer for the drive from the vendor? update or install it.
Readyboost? Google that, it looks like something you don't want any involvement with?


What is ‘Error 0X80071AC3: Volume is Dirty’, and its impact?
‘Error 0x80071AC3: Volume is Dirty’ means that your system cannot read or write data to the disk. You may receive this error due to the following reasons:

• Bad sectors on the drive
• Damaged USB port
• Outdated or defective device drivers
• ReadyBoost disk caching feature is enabled

 

Last edited: Apr 19, 2022

I would remove the drive from whatever case it is in and try it using another interface.
I have had 2 external drive case interfaces fail but the drives were actually fine once connected via normal SATA cable to the computer.
Although mine were completely inaccessible, I wonder if your problems might be due to the interface.

 

Spoiler: What Causes Error 0x80071ac3?

What Causes Error 0x80071ac3?
Error 0x80071ac3 in Windows refers to dirty bits, not the physical state of the computer. With every block of memory in a computer, the processor needs to know whether the memory has been modified, whether it has been stored, and whether it should be deleted. The dirty bit is what the CPU relies on to carry out this process. Think of it like a switch: Error 0x80071ac3 informs you the switch on a particular drive is jammed.


There are a number of causes for this error:

• Bad sectors on the hard disk. You can't read or write to these areas of the hard drive.
• Specific files may be corrupted due to suddenly removing the drive or unplugging the power source without properly shutting down the computer.
• The external drives may have a problem due to incomplete or uninstalled drivers.
• A drive may be at the end of its life cycle and worn out.

After you fix the dirty bit, there are a number of things you can do to avoid this error from reoccurring:

• Always safely eject drives and other data storage devices before disconnecting them.
• For drives that have their own power source, plug them into a surge protector to prevent sudden power outages or surges from damaging the drive.
• Fix or replace frayed wires and loose switches as soon as possible.

How to Resolve Error 0x80071ac3
Try these steps in order until you no longer see the error message:

1. Check the external drive for physical damage. Cables can also lose effectiveness over time, so swap out any cords used by the drive.
   
   
   
2. Remove write protection. Some drives have a physical lock switch that makes it impossible to copy to or remove files from the drive. This switch can be left in the locked position or get stuck.
   
   
   
3. Use Windows System Restore to return to a previous restore point. If you installed a new drive for your computer, run System Restore and use the earliest restore point available.
   
   Restore the system to its current version if the error is not resolved. Otherwise, the system may be vulnerable to attacks and other errors.
   
   
4. Scan the hard drive using Error Checking. The built-in error-checking tool can identify and resolve many common Windows errors.
   
   
   
5. Run the chkdsk command. If you're comfortable using the Command Prompt, the chkdsk command provides more options for troubleshooting errors. See further details in the section below.
   
   
   
6. Format the drive. This erases all the data on the drive and reconfigures it to work with Windows, so back up files you want to keep. If the primary hard drive is not functioning, boot from a USB device or an external hard drive.
   
   Use the format command if you only have access to the Command Prompt.
   

How to Clean Dirty Bits With Chkdsk
To troubleshoot error 0x80071ac3 using the Command Prompt:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following code:
   
   fsutil dirty query [drive letter]:
   
   You will be informed that the drive is dirty or not dirty. Repeat the command for each drive until you find the dirty one.
   
   
   
2. If the drive is dirty, enter the following:
   
   chkntfs /x [drive letter]:
   
   This ensures that the drive does not boot on startup, allowing the computer to start normally.
   
   
   
3. Reboot the computer with the drive connected and reopen the Command Prompt or PowerShell. Enter the following to run the full chkdsk utility on the drive.
   
   chkdsk /f /r [drive letter]:
   
   
   
4. Enter the following code again:
   
   fsutil dirty query [drive letter]:
   
   The disk should come back as not dirty.
   
   
   
5. If you run the dirty query script and it comes back as not dirty, you can make it dirty. This forces the computer to check the disk automatically. To mark it as dirty, enter the following in the Command Prompt:
   
   fsutil dirty set [drive letter]

 

Thanks for the reply! I'm guessing that as soon as I save up enough to buy another hard drive just as big as the first one then I will back up those files on to it then wipe the entire drive with the programs that are offered in this thread?

I saved up so much money to buy that damn hard drive and then it gives me that dumb error which made me buy a couple of smaller ones to split my data up and it's been a nightmare having to plug 2 or 3 hard drives in when I could have just used one for everything like I originally intended. I think you're right, I will use the first one for useless junk that I don't mind losing because it is indeed unreliable.

 

I'm using Win7 still. The drive is WD 7.27 TB. I completely agree, the behavior of the drive is very strange. Lets me copy, access and take files from the drive but not add any or take any away. Made me think it was malware because I never unplugged or interrupted any process of putting files on or off the drive.

I've also never had any power outages happen to it. I did some reading about hard drives the day I made this post and an article said I need some surge protectors or something of this sort so that when a power outage happens it will protect my data because the drive is connected to power as well as USB.

I'm not even sure what chdsk is to be honest. I should have mentioned that I'm not super inclined on hard drive knowledge or the inner workings of a PC other than how to use my chosen DAW & that's it basically. Not too deeply anyways. I don't use Linux either so I don't know how to gain access to that. What's swapfile overflow? Sorry for starting my first post asking for help, I should have posted a new thread introducing myself first. Sorry about that.

 

I always have thought that this is what I should do so I will update my most important files onto another drive once I get one that's big enough to match my first faulty drive. Then I will wipe all the files on it and see if that works. Thanks for the reply.

 

Whats a sandbox? The bulk of my samples are on the drive with the remainder of my samples on another drive so it's frustrating to have 2 drives just for samples. I think I just need to save up enough for another drive big enough to house those samples then wipe the drive entirely and use it for junk stuff once it's wiped like you said. It said that readyboost has been off since 2018 when I check the "properties" of that drive.

I have not tried to run the driver on that hard drive before because I thought it would be useless because the HD doesn't allow any additional files to be written to it. But I will try it today and see if they update. Do you think this could cause any data loss if I try? Or should I just wait until I match that HD with enough space before trying anything risky? Looks like I have even more research to do on hard drives this week. Thanks for all the replies!

 

The drive isn't the type that's inside my PC case, it's the type that plugs in through a USB cable. I'm not sure that SATA cables are so I don't think I am using those. Can you explain what you mean by interface?

Sorry I'm such a noob when it comes to these subjects. I'm only trying to learn but I appreciate all of the help I'm getting, thank you!

 

Wow thanks for the detailed message, it looks like there could be a number of reasons for my HD to be locked. It does say something about bad sectors when it asks me to scan it when I plug it in and on occasion it says "force dismount" but not other times upon plugging in the HD. Looks like I have a lot of research to do now that people have replied to me. I will do a lot of digging this week to try to figure this out because it's my largest drive and my smaller ones work perfectly.

 

Older external drives are usually the same kind of hard drives as inside desktop computers (3.5" size) or laptops (2.5" size).
You can usually open up that box and take the actual hard drive out and then install it inside a computer.
As a test one could just attach an unused power and SATA cable, but if you do not know what a SATA cable is then it might be a bit above your current abilities.
So...definitely try different USB cable and different USB port, and if those don't work, try a different computer if you have one available.

If the drive is useless anyway, it could be a learning experience to remove it from the case, but it might not be the kind of thing you care about.
What kind of computer do you have?

 

Damn really, no shit?! I had no idea you could do stuff like that which is pretty cool, learned even more new stuff today. I'm using the WD Utilities program to scan the drive for bad sectors instead of my pc doing it automatically when I plug it in. I'll see if that does anything.

I have a decade old PC still running Win7 but I'll be getting one for Win10 or Win11. Don't know yet, I'm guessing more audio oriented users trust Win10 more than Win11 right? Thanks again for the help!

 

CHKDSK is a command line tool, you can access it from the powershell/shell/cmd, use a search engine.


Swapfile.sys

Windows is always writing and reading to HDDs and SDDs using them as extra memory storage when needed and to keep OS states and logs and more. If it can not it do this it will complain. The MS term for this is virtual memory but there is a lot more in swapfile.sys than just memory overflow, it also may contain temp registry flags, and many other small bits of data. There is also temp data generated by applications in

/USER/Public/Appdata/
/USER/<XXX>/Appdata/
/Windows/Temp/

Other things, search engine of your choosing there is too much ground to cover and why bother being thorough here if it is already been said elsewhere.

Either way your best bet is to take what you need or want from that disk and erase it and do it from an other secured memory space OS like Linux just in case it is malware so you can scan and analyze it before you return it to an other machine to be certain it is safe data.

The other alternative is just to throw everything away and start a new from fresh and not take anything with you.

Linux isn't hard to use, we all learn things all our lives weather that is cooking a new recipe in the kitchen, how to use a chainsaw, drive a car or a different tool like *NIX to fix our buggered Windows machines. Tools are just tools, you can adapt or just become helpless to the violence of the Cosmos. The Cosmos always wins in the end, but at least you can try to give it the finger every once in a while.

GL

 

Thanks for the help, it's highly appreciated from you and other users as well! There is a lot of this stuff I don't fully understand but I am doing research as I try to figure this out, I won't be giving up. But a lot of you are very deep and informative on this stuff so it helps out tremendously.

If I can't fix it then I probably will end up not plugging that drive into my new computer in the future just to be safe. Probably will just use it for junk if I back up my important files and scrub it in the end. Will probably only use it with my old computer only since it was plugged into it before.

 

So it took literally all day to do that bad sector scan with WD Drive Utilities. It said it might take a few hours so that's all I was bracing for but it had me stuck in the house all damn day today. I think it took over a whopping 12 hours but its FINALLY done.

I was surprised to find that the program came up with no errors as if nothing is wrong with the drive, yet I'm STILL running into the same issues which is frustrating. Time wasted, no surpises here. Not sure what it does, but I tried launching the WD Discovery software yet when the app pops up, it just says it's out of date but goes nowhere when I click "Download" so I went online and downloaded the latest supported version yet it won't install. But hitting the retry button takes me full circle to no end.

Do I even need WD Discovery and will it even help? Maybe it's useless to begin with? I've never launched it before. Thanks to everyone that came to my aid regardless though. I appreciate everyone being nice, helpful and knowledgeable about the situation!

I'm guessing my only other chance is to buy a hard drive big enough to salvage the files I need then wipe the old drive clean using WD Drive Utilities?

 

I can't see the point of using a drive like this if you cannot trust it. You are just asking to lose your work. perfect for a big temporary usb flash drive though. make it bootable and stick linux on it, maybe? the ultimate boot drive. kali, unetbootin, some Hirens magic things.

 

Yeah I was basically going to do just that. Salvage my samples onto the new large drive and dump my junk from my small hard drive onto that after I wipe it clean. I was not gong to rely on it again.

What new drive should I buy that's more reliable than the "My Book"
Probably a Solid State Drive? Although someone else on here recently had that die on them too.