Import a file and PD disconnects external HDD, which then removes those files from timeline.

Jhdgsk

Newbie Joined: Feb 22, 2013 12:10 Messages: 17 Offline

Solved by

Oct 19, 2013 00:04

*Note I haven't have any connection issues with my external HDD prior to a few days ago. These disconnections ONLY happen during import or a second afterward. This happens nearly every time I have imported anything into PD over the last two days.

For a day or so PD11 has been briefly disconnecting (then reconnecting) my external HDD almost every time I import a file (image, audio, video, etc.). When it disconnects my external HDD, it removes every file from the timeline that comes from the external drive. To counter this, I have been hitting the save button during the split second between the import and the disconnect. Then I just reopen the newly saved file. It's pain in the..... but it works.

That is, until I hit save a tad too late. It saved the version with 90% of the stuff in my timeline missing. The worst part is that it was a project that took meticulous editing, was 99% finished, and I was just adding music credits to the end. I figured shadow files would bail me out, but the most recent one I could find was from an hour prior to the calamity.

I realize that there probably isn't a way to get my edit back other than redoing it (sigh). But maybe there's a way to fix the HDD disconnection issue?

I really really don't want to lose anything else!

Thanks in advance.

OS: Windows 8.1
PowerDirector Ultra 11.0.0.3230
Serial# VDE130812-01
Anti-virus: Windows Defender
No codec packs
No other video editing program
No burning software
Other running applications:
Iron browser
Bluftitler (3D titling program)
Too many background processes to list (a third of which are my browser)
My OS is 64 bit but I didn't see the <Run 64BIT DXDIAG> button anywhere
Powerdirector is up-to-date.

After including the screen shot and the DXDIAG file, the attachment limit only allows me to include one of the three files I imported during the disaster. The other two were image files (a background and a text image overlay).


Filename	PD Screen Shot.jpg	Download
Description
Filesize	245 Kbytes
Downloaded:	74 time(s)

Filename	jhdgsk DxDiag.txt	Download
Description
Filesize	80 Kbytes
Downloaded:	399 time(s)

Filename	Vinyl Record Needle Static Sound Effect.mp3	Download
Description
Filesize	4696 Kbytes
Downloaded:	441 time(s)

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Oct 19. 2013 00:13

OS: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
PowerDirector Ultra 11 always up-to-date
Serial# VDE130812-01
Anti-virus: Windows Defender
No codec packs
No other video editing program
No burning software
Other applications are closed when using PD

Jhdgsk

Newbie Joined: Feb 22, 2013 12:10 Messages: 17 Offline

Oct 19, 2013 01:20

It happened again to another project! But this time I made a duplicate save of the project before I did anything else. So only the duplicate was lost. BUT I was able to see what happened more closely. I DIDN'T hit save too late. I hit save THEN a split second later the disconnection happened and it got included into the save since the save hadn't yet completed.

As it stands right now, PD is totally unusable. Not even saving after literally-every-single-trivial-step works since the disconnection weasels its way into the save -- complete with an erased timeline.

Is there a way to prevent PD from removing everything from the timeline? I can live with my external HDD disconnecting and instantly reconnecting, but it erasing my timeline and library is unworkable. OS: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
PowerDirector Ultra 11 always up-to-date
Serial# VDE130812-01
Anti-virus: Windows Defender
No codec packs
No other video editing program
No burning software
Other applications are closed when using PD

RobAC

Contributor Joined: Mar 09, 2013 18:20 Messages: 406 Offline

Oct 19, 2013 03:05

You have 198 GB free on your main C: drive can you transfer your files over to a new directory and work from there?
Also in preferences you can set it to save every 2 minutes automatically.

Try the following:
Right click lower left corner of your screen where the new Win 8.1 logo appears and select "Disk Management"
Now click on your external HD, right click select Properties
Click the "Tools" tab and select Check to start error checking.

Does it come up with any errors?

Have you tried plugging your external HD into a different USB port?
Are you using a USB hub of any sort besides the computers own built in port?

Rob

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Oct 19. 2013 03:18

PD 14 Ultimate Suite / Win10 Pro x64
1. Gigabyte Brix PRO / i7-4770R Intel Iris Pro 5200 / 16 GB / 1 TB SSD
2. Lenovo X230T / 8GB / Intel HD4000 + ViDock 4 Plus & ASUS Nvidia 660 Ti / Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIZw3GPwKMo&feature=youtu.be

Jhdgsk

Newbie Joined: Feb 22, 2013 12:10 Messages: 17 Offline

Oct 19, 2013 19:56

Hi Rob. Thanks for responding.

I am currently moving 175GB from my computer to an external HDD. The transfer should be finished in 90 minutes. I would really prefer to not move the files that are being used in the projects from the external drive since it would break the link to all of the projects. I am working on one massive project with many sub projects and have been doing so since January. I would really hate to have to go through everything to save the new pathways.

Anyway, as per your suggestion, I scanned the external drive and it came up error free. As for whether or not I have used a different USB port, I honestly don't know. There are two right next to each other and I don't even look when I plug something in. However, I intend to start taking notice of this. I don't use a USB hub either.

- James OS: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
PowerDirector Ultra 11 always up-to-date
Serial# VDE130812-01
Anti-virus: Windows Defender
No codec packs
No other video editing program
No burning software
Other applications are closed when using PD

Longedge

Senior Contributor Joined: Apr 28, 2011 15:38 Messages: 1504 Offline

Oct 20, 2013 05:56

The xml project file (pds) that PD creates uses absolute references for files that are used in the project for example "C:/Users/Username/Desktop/VideoProject/video.mpg" even when all referenced files are in the same folder as the pds. Each time you plug an external drive in Windows will allocate a drive letter but you can't be sure it will always be the same one.

Personally I only use removable devices to store the end product. I do also specify a fixed drive letter using Windows disk manager rather than allowing Windows to allocate a letter on the fly. If for whatever reason Windows loses contact with an external drive at least it will always come back with the same drive letter.

One other thing that occurs to me is that if your drive is disconnecting randomly then there is a distinct possibility, depending on your Operating System and the way the settings are configured for that drive, that you will suffer data corruption.

if it were me, I'd stop using the external drive until you have resolved the problem.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Oct 20. 2013 05:59

Jhdgsk

Newbie Joined: Feb 22, 2013 12:10 Messages: 17 Offline

Oct 20, 2013 11:01

I went ahead and assigned a fixed drive letter to my external HDD. Not sure if that will prevent PD from removing files upon disconnect, but I should find out this evening when I edit next.

I also made a copy of all the relevant files from the external on my computer.

So last night I opened PD, connected the external, opened a project, then went ahead and did something else on the computer. I let it sit in the background for several hours. Not a single disconnection. Then I went into PD and after a handful of imports it disconnected. Come to think of it, since I got the computer early this year, I can't recall a single time the drive disconnected outside of using PD.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Oct 20. 2013 11:03

OS: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
PowerDirector Ultra 11 always up-to-date
Serial# VDE130812-01
Anti-virus: Windows Defender
No codec packs
No other video editing program
No burning software
Other applications are closed when using PD

borgus1

Senior Contributor Joined: Feb 27, 2013 00:33 Messages: 1318 Offline

Oct 20, 2013 14:26

Quote: So last night I opened PD, connected the external, opened a project, then went ahead and did something else on the computer. I let it sit in the background for several hours. Not a single disconnection. Then I went into PD and after a handful of imports it disconnected. Come to think of it, since I got the computer early this year, I can't recall a single time the drive disconnected outside of using PD.

Assuming that your removable drive is USB, the following is worth a test, though it may have nothing to do with your issue...

Drill down to Control Panel|POWER OPTIONS|CHANGE PLAN SETTINGS (balanced)|CHANGE ADVANCED POWER SETTINGS.
Scroll to USB SETTINGS and expand the branch by clicking on the + sign.
Click on the plus sign to the left of USB SELECTIVE SUSPEND SETTING.
Click on SETTING:
Click the arrow and choose DISABLED.

If no joy, simply return to ENABLED.

Jhdgsk

Newbie Joined: Feb 22, 2013 12:10 Messages: 17 Offline

Oct 25, 2013 20:47

Hey sorry for the delayed follow up. I ended up copying all the files from every source folder and put it all into one huge folder on my computer. The external HDD disconnection issue is still there, but I really need to start wrapping these projects up, so I guess I'm stuck with this workaround for now. Thanks to everyone for their help! OS: Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
PowerDirector Ultra 11 always up-to-date
Serial# VDE130812-01
Anti-virus: Windows Defender
No codec packs
No other video editing program
No burning software
Other applications are closed when using PD