USB flash drive won't let me write files to it

I have a generic USB flash drive that I use with Windows 98SE. A few
weeks ago, it started behaving badly. It won't let me write new files
to it. When I attempt to copy a file to the drive I get the message
"Error Copying File.
Cannot copy [Name of file]. The directory or file cannot be created."

However, I just discovered that if I try to copy a file to it that has
the same name as one that is already on the USB drive, it asks me if I
want to replace the existing file with the new one, and then writes
the file!

It's just new files that it rejects.

Meanwhile, I am able to copy files from the USB drive to my hard
drive.

The drive is not write-protected. I am wondering if the problem could
be related to the fact that a few weeks ago a technician adjusted my
LAN settings so that I could be hooked up to a local internet LAN in
my building.

I haven't tried using the drive on another computer yet.

I might try reformatting the drive, but it has some valuable backups
on it, and I wanted to get your opinions first. Thanks for any help.

"Arvo Jennings" wrote in message om...
I have a generic USB flash drive that I use with Windows 98SE. A few
weeks ago, it started behaving badly. It won't let me write new files
to it. When I attempt to copy a file to the drive I get the message
"Error Copying File.
Cannot copy [Name of file]. The directory or file cannot be created."

snip
Meanwhile, I am able to copy files from the USB drive to my hard
drive.

The drive is not write-protected. I am wondering if the problem could
be related to the fact that a few weeks ago a technician adjusted my
LAN settings so that I could be hooked up to a local internet LAN in
my building.

I haven't tried using the drive on another computer yet.

That would be a good test to check if it is a problem with the drive or
with the system.


I might try reformatting the drive, but it has some valuable backups
on it, and I wanted to get your opinions first.

You could also run Windows scandisk on the drive. Why not copy
the entire drive to the HD until you get it sorted out?

Are you sure it's not just full? For instance, is there a difference
between saving a file in the root folder and saving a file to an existing
subfolder?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Arvo Jennings" wrote in message
om...
I have a generic USB flash drive that I use with Windows 98SE. A few
weeks ago, it started behaving badly. It won't let me write new files
to it. When I attempt to copy a file to the drive I get the message
"Error Copying File.
Cannot copy [Name of file]. The directory or file cannot be created."

However, I just discovered that if I try to copy a file to it that has
the same name as one that is already on the USB drive, it asks me if I
want to replace the existing file with the new one, and then writes
the file!

It's just new files that it rejects.

Meanwhile, I am able to copy files from the USB drive to my hard
drive.

The drive is not write-protected. I am wondering if the problem could
be related to the fact that a few weeks ago a technician adjusted my
LAN settings so that I could be hooked up to a local internet LAN in
my building.

I haven't tried using the drive on another computer yet.

I might try reformatting the drive, but it has some valuable backups
on it, and I wanted to get your opinions first. Thanks for any help.

Besides what Bill & Jeff said, I've also noticed after using them alot
adding & deleting files from them that eventually they do that whether
fully or partially erratic, and I've found by simply doing a reformat on
it when that happens straightens it all out. Of course if you have data
on it that you need then copy it off before you reformat; if you aren't
able to copy files from it normally then trying creative ways like you
did to get it, and more, hopefully will get them first.

Rick


Arvo Jennings wrote:
I have a generic USB flash drive that I use with Windows 98SE. A few
weeks ago, it started behaving badly. It won't let me write new files
to it. When I attempt to copy a file to the drive I get the message
"Error Copying File.
Cannot copy [Name of file]. The directory or file cannot be created."

However, I just discovered that if I try to copy a file to it that has
the same name as one that is already on the USB drive, it asks me if I
want to replace the existing file with the new one, and then writes
the file!

It's just new files that it rejects.

Meanwhile, I am able to copy files from the USB drive to my hard
drive.

The drive is not write-protected. I am wondering if the problem could
be related to the fact that a few weeks ago a technician adjusted my
LAN settings so that I could be hooked up to a local internet LAN in
my building.

I haven't tried using the drive on another computer yet.

I might try reformatting the drive, but it has some valuable backups
on it, and I wanted to get your opinions first. Thanks for any help.

"Jeff Richards" wrote in message ...
Are you sure it's not just full? For instance, is there a difference
between saving a file in the root folder and saving a file to an existing
subfolder?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

Bingo, Jeff! The drive is not anywhere near being full, it's not even
half full, but I just tried copying a file to a subfolder on the USB
drive and it worked! But then I tried copying it to the root folder
and I got the error message again.

Why is it doing this? What's the solution?

Thanks, Bill. I did copy it to my HD, but I'm using the USB drive as a
backup, so I thought I would rather preserve what's on it on the drive
itself until I can figure this out.

The root folder has a limit on how many files it can store (at least on
floppies, and I expect on this too). That limit has nothing to do with
the file size - it is just the number of files that is significant.

Arvo Jennings wrote:
"Jeff Richards" wrote in message
...
Are you sure it's not just full? For instance, is there a difference
between saving a file in the root folder and saving a file to an existing
subfolder?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

Bingo, Jeff! The drive is not anywhere near being full, it's not even
half full, but I just tried copying a file to a subfolder on the USB
drive and it worked! But then I tried copying it to the root folder
and I got the error message again.

Why is it doing this? What's the solution?

Thanks, Bill. I did copy it to my HD, but I'm using the USB drive as a
backup, so I thought I would rather preserve what's on it on the drive
itself until I can figure this out.

It is doing it because there are limits.
The solution is to use sub folders.
I suspect the limit for a flash drive may be similar to that of a zip
drive. Read he

http://support.microsoft.com/support...s/q39/9/27.asp
MS-DOS: Directory and Subdirectory Limitations

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion, (Arvo
Jennings) wrote:

"Jeff Richards" wrote in message ...
Are you sure it's not just full? For instance, is there a difference
between saving a file in the root folder and saving a file to an existing
subfolder?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

Bingo, Jeff! The drive is not anywhere near being full, it's not even
half full, but I just tried copying a file to a subfolder on the USB
drive and it worked! But then I tried copying it to the root folder
and I got the error message again.

Why is it doing this? What's the solution?

All DOS/Windows file systems have a limit on the number of file entries in
the root directory. For large hard disks you are unlikely to notice the
limit, but floppies, ZIPs and RAMsticks could have a limit that you will run
into. Where possible, store files in subfolders. You can even create just
a single subfolder and store everything in that.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Arvo Jennings" wrote in message
om...
"Jeff Richards" wrote in message
...
Are you sure it's not just full? For instance, is there a difference
between saving a file in the root folder and saving a file to an existing
subfolder?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

Bingo, Jeff! The drive is not anywhere near being full, it's not even
half full, but I just tried copying a file to a subfolder on the USB
drive and it worked! But then I tried copying it to the root folder
and I got the error message again.

Why is it doing this? What's the solution?

Thanks, Bill. I did copy it to my HD, but I'm using the USB drive as a
backup, so I thought I would rather preserve what's on it on the drive
itself until I can figure this out.

Arvo Jennings wrote in message om...
"Jeff Richards" wrote in message ...
Are you sure it's not just full? For instance, is there a difference
between saving a file in the root folder and saving a file to an existing
subfolder?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

Bingo, Jeff! The drive is not anywhere near being full, it's not even
half full, but I just tried copying a file to a subfolder on the USB
drive and it worked! But then I tried copying it to the root folder
and I got the error message again.

Why is it doing this? What's the solution?

The root directory of a FAT volume has a limit of 512 entries,
a simple consequence of the meager space allocated to the table.

However, to shoehorn the maximum number of files into the root directory,
your file names would have to conform to the old 8.3 format.

However, if you are using long file names, which you almost certainly are,
then you will use 2 or more entries for each file,
depending on the actual length of each file name.

The solution is simple, regardless of whether you are talking about
a flash drive or your primary desktop PC.

Keep files out of the root as a matter of principle. Use sub-directories.

Strange...I was sure I responded before with the denouement of this
drama...but I don't see my post. So let me just say that you guys were
right, and using subdirectories fixed the problem.