Western Digital USB External Drive Problem & Repair Tip

This blogger's external drive via USB [Western Digital], became stalled with a feedback alert of Drive corrupted, directory unreadable; and unable to access file path, invalid file path, etc. Windows on re-booting alerted to an external drive problem and commended a "cmd prompt" by alert pop-up, to "check disk" (check the disc condition) on the particular drive. Using that command alone (START RUN CMD CHKDSK) usually returned a response that the disk could not be checked becasue it was in use, then asked for Y or N as to chdsk action on next restart. A yes produced some of the requested action, but would not cure the problem on my drive. Its file directory would only partly re-appear.

Looking for more info on line, the link above & below provided some more information via "ehow".

The key to remember, is to make the instruction as a command, then specifically enter/write not just the particularized drive, but to also use a sub-command after CHKDSK in the form of the letter "r" for repair. CHKDSK will then run smoothly; Allow all the time for the checking of available space, and the directory problem and file path problem will be fixed and the full directory available again.
Good Luck. Worked well for this blogger.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6875765_repair-external-usb-hard-drive.html