External drive folder hierarchy

[charlesh]

My external drive on F: is a Seagate Goflex. A list of folders contain my backups but when I right click on a folder the drop down window does not contain "New" so I can not create subfolders. But when I right click on an empty space, the drop down window has New and I can create and rename new folders but only in the 1st level. What is the hierarchy on the drive, just one level of folders? On the main HD a tree can be developed, not on the external drive? Please advise, thank you
Windows 7 Pro.

 

[TrainableMan]

Yes of course an external drive can have multiple levels of files and folders.

What software did you use to create the backups? The reason I ask is because Windows Back-up, for instance, does not create multiple files/folders that you can actually look at on the backup drive, instead it creates one huge lump of compressed data and files/folders can only be accessed via the software.

If you did not use back-up software and you merely mean you backed them up by creating a copy on the external drive then the issue may be where you created them; if you did not use your current computer then the problem is likely one of Permissions (basically your current computer doesn't think you own them so it won't let you edit them). Try downloading, installing, and then running the Take Ownership script on each folder hanging off the root of your GoFlex drive.

 

[charlesh]

Thank you TrainableMan, ("Of course an ext drive can have multiple levels...") But mine doesn't. The issue is not backup, I haven't started that, but simply, Why can't I create a subfolder in F: (for backup, regular operations or whatever)?

 

[charlesh]

Oops! Now something else: Even in the regular HD (C:|) when I right click on an existing folder, instead of a drop down window (containing "New"), warning window ("Windows Explorer has stopped working") WE stopped and other drop down window: ("Windows Explorer restarting"). I thought that it happened only in the F: Goflex, but now it happens in C:. I can not create subfolders either in C: or F: Seems something wrong with Windows 7 Pro, or just the Explorer?

 

[TrainableMan]

I would start with a safe mode scan. I know you don't have BSODs but please see the start of my post HERE for the best safe mode virus scan recommendation I know.

Next I would run:
SFC /scannow
for an administrator command prompt.

You could also try this Microsoft Fix-it for Files & Folders.

But the truth is I suspect it is a problem with your registry and the only sure way I know to fix that is a complete reinstall

 

[charlesh]

I run SFC/scannow and apparently it did some good because the problem disappeared. Thank you.

 

[TrainableMan]

In that case you should keep an eye on your hard drive; hopefully it was just a file that got corrupted but it's also possible your hard drive is going bad and more and more files may become lost/corrupted.

If you right-click on the drive (in Windows Explorer) and choose the Tools tab you can choose "check now". Enable the check & repair of bad sectors. This will schedule it to scan the HD the next time you reboot. When it runs, if you notice a large amount of bad sectors or you see more and more every week then it is time
to replace the hard drive.