Computer explanation request

[baileybop]

Can anyone help me with this? This morning I got up, turned on my Sims computer, and there was a message on my screen, "delay write failed......blah blah blah.
I have 2 hard drives on that computer, and use the second one for file saving purposes only. (Copy Sims2 folders for back up on that drive).
Am now having trouble opening Windows on that computer, presently it is doing the "checking file system" thingy, and that is going quite slowly.
I am wanting to know just what is this "delay write" tool? The function, the purpose?
I'm not quite sure how this goes, my primary drive is 1G, and my secondary drive is 80 g's (?). Meaning my primary drive is the larger of the 2. I am in the land of utter confusion when it comes to mg's, kb's gig's, having no idea whatsoever, what any of that actually means. (other than a space measurement, but I'm old school, miles, not kilometres, farenhiet, not celcius, neither of which it appears I can spell properly at the moment)
Since I cannot get into that computer, all I can tell you is that I exceed all of the requirements to play Sims2, pertaining to Video card, speed, and space, etc. I am running Windows XP, home edition, and until today have not had any problems, apart from 2 spectacular crashes where I inadvertantly wiped my entire hard drive. Silly me, I had to do it twice, as if once was not devastating enough! But that issue has been resloved, the reason for the crashes has been discovered and repaired. Since then my computer has been running smoothly, no issues, glitches, etc., until this morning.

Would I be better off only enableing the second drive when I copy my folders and/or replace them, and then disabeling the drive when I am finished? This is the first time the computer has not opened, so to speak, after this "delay write" message has appeared. It has operated before after displaying this message, so I am completely in the dark as to what my actual problem is.

[kathy]

Technically this isn't a Sims 2 question however I moved it here so hopefully someone will see it and can help you.

[ancienthighway]

The write error usually occurs when a computer is turned off when the system is in the process of shutting down.  Let the computer finish doing the disk check.  In most cases it will fix itself.  If for some reason the computer won't start, put the Windows installation or recovery CD in and reboot the computer.  Follow the options to repair then installation.

As far as enabling/disabling the second drive, there's no reason to do so.  Just leave it enabled.

[baileybop]

Thanks Ancienthighway, but the problem occured overnight, and the computer was not turned off. I'm wondering if I had a brief power outage then? A couple of times the power has gone off and then back on so quickly, that I've never given it a moments notice. After thinking about it, I decided to log off, and then turn off this computer when I am finished with it. After having gone through 2 spetacular crashes, and loosing everything, I don't want to take any more chances. The thing I don't understand is why it only ever has affected my second hard drive, never once my primary one. Since I have been turning the computer off, I have not had any more problems.

Kathy, thank you very much for moving my thread,:thumbrig: I finally got an answer to my problem, :dance: in spite of posting it in a number of places, one most notably being a "so-called" computer assistance specialist site.:angry6:, 4 days later and I am now going to go there and request they remove it, 21 views and no replys, if it was in the wrong place all they had to do was tell me.