Getting error code 0x800701E3 when copying files from laptop to external hard disk

Anonymous
2014-02-22T16:03:35+00:00

Original title: error 0x800701E3

I have this WD ext hard drive 300 gb for pat 3 years. recently I am getting the above error message whenever I try to copy or send files from laptop to external hard drive. I tried different USB ports on laptop with same error message coming up. I ran chkdsk from laptop on the external drive but the problem persists. I backed up the files from the ext hard drive and formatted the drive. but no success. any suggestions to rectify the problem? thanks

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2014-03-31T17:13:43+00:00

Hi Mirle,

What was the exact scan report that was generated after you ran the ‘Error check’?

Did it provide you an option to delete the files that couldn’t be recovered?

It appears that Windows has tried to recover some of the files in the bad sectors. If they are corrupt and beyond repair, then Windows might fail to open the file or delete it. If you are unable to delete these files, then you can copy the other files to a different location, format the external drive completely to remove all corrupt files, and then copy the other files back to the External hard drive. Right click on the External hard drive in File Explorer and select ‘format’ to format the drive.

Hope this helps. Let us know the results.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-01T08:19:47+00:00

    Yes, you can copy the files from the external drive to another one and then back again.

    The software on the external drive is almost certainly just a bunch of installation files for you to install if you wish.  I don't think any of them are preinstalled.  If they are then you need to know exactly what they are doing in case they have  a bearing on the situation.

    Denis

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-01T01:47:38+00:00

    Wll did a check on both the c drive and external drive and no errors found..So tried running the system image again and still getting the same error as posted in this thread..As I stated earlirer the same external drive ran fine on my desktop. Both after the updates to win 10 the only difference between the 2 is that the laptop(with the issue) was in use prior to the update with software installed and the desktop was a fresh out of the box pc with win 7 so did all the updates, cleaned out all the garbage then did the win 10 update. Also out of curiosity I copied from the laptop 3 gb of files to the external drive with no error, so it is something in the system image process copying to the external drive that is the issue.

    So I am a the point with another option from this thread to reformat the external drive. Only question I have here is that the system image from the desktop is on here, as well as software came preinstalled on the external drive. So if copy all this to another drive then back again are the files going to be good ??

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-30T22:04:14+00:00

    Scott,

    No, I haven't any ideas about this fault.  The comments below are just my suggestions about doing the steps that have been suggested in previous posts in this thread.

    The steps suggested in this thread worry me to varying extends.  You have not yet made a system image of your C:\ drive so anything drastic might force you to do a full reinstallation if it goes wrong.

    I think it would not be a waste of time to run ChkDsk on your external HDD.  In File explorer, right-click on your external HDD, select Properties, select the Tools tab, click on Check, [you will get an Admin challenge], then a confirmation dialog appears

    but note that it is offering to scan & repair.  I am nervous about suggesting this step because you would never know if anything had been changed that invalidated the system image you already have on it [unless you tried to restore from it and it failed to work].  You will at least know one way or the other because the scan results are displayed when it finishes -

    If the scan results show that anything was repaired then I think you will just have to make a new image for your Desktop. 

    It might not be a waste of time running ChkDsk on your internal HDD but I am sceptical about this step as I cannot see the connection between your HDD structure & the fault you are experiencing.  In File explorer, right-click on your external HDD, select Properties, select the Tools tab, click on Check, [you will get an Admin challenge], then a slightly different confirmation dialog appears

    and note that it is offering to scan but then to check back with you before doing any repairs.  I hope you do not find any faults but, if you do, you will have to decide whether or not to try letting ChkDsk fix them.  You will have no idea if all your files are intact afterwards [OS & application files and your own files on that same HDD].  Personally, I would make a full backup of all my own files onto an external HDD before doing any repairs.  I would also do a system image as well but you are not really in a position to do so.

    Perhaps you'd like to try these steps & post back with your results.

    Denis

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-07-30T21:15:25+00:00

    Denis,

    Your opinion my external drive did a system image fine on desktop, my laptop gives me the error listed in this thread. I copied over 3 gb's of data to the external drive, access files and delete no problem I only get this error when I try to do a system image copy...there were a few suggestions in this thread reformat the drive and/or try a fix on the c drive which is why I asked the question..Any ideas ..no big deal doing a repair check on the c drive,,but doesn't make sense that all else works fine except this function and did fine on the desktop..makes me suspicions that something else is not right ..

    Scanned the c drive no errors found..I can reformat the external drive but to be honest I do not thing that will resolve issue ?

    Scott

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