Error Message: 'Delayed Write Failed' - hard drive Full?

I have a WinXP Pro system. Today there was a power outage, but the
Uninterrutable Power Supply, as usual, worked fine. However,
afterwards, I've had probs with a "Delayed Write Failed" error
message:

"Windows was unable to save all the data for the file I:\$Mft. The
data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your
computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file
elsewhere."

In addition to the reference to the $Mft file, another "Delayed Write
Failed" error message has also mentioned an INFO2 file.

I think the error message is caused by one of my external hard drives
being full - specifically, a prob with a hidden RECYCLER folder.
Google found that someone else posted
(http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/22061/?o=60) about a
similar prob:

"Hi Just thought I would let you all know my solution to this problem
ended up being a full hard drive.
XP showed 11.gig of unused space but when I looked closer the drive
was full. That particular drive is only used for storing data with no
OS installed on it. What appears to have happened is XP has made a
recycled bin on that drive and all the files within it were not
registering as taking up space. Deleted them and the problem has gone.
Sounds to simple but I had tried everything else that I could find on
forums with no luck"

My "I" hard drive is a 500 GB HD, and the space reserved on it for the
Recycle Bin is 3.99 GB. Windows says Free Space on "I" is 4.89 GB.

So the solution would seem to be to free up some space on "I", maybe
15 or 20 GB, until all its contents can be transferred to another,
larger HD. First, I thought I'd delete either I's RECYCLE folder or
the contents of I's RECYCLE folder. Its only contents seems to be a
SID (security identifier) folder
(S-1-5-21-2800802158-4014822629-3681521231-1005) that contains 207 MB
(its contents = D1.ZIP, D2.ZIP & desktop.ini).

Sometimes the folder or files in it get corrupted. If they're deleted,
Windows simply recreates them anew when needed.

However, I'm unable to delete I's RECYCLER folder or its contents. "rd
/s /q c:\recycler" does not work. If I log in as administrator
supposedly I can delete the folder or its contents, but am not sure
how to do that.

Do you agree that the "Delayed Write Failed" error message is probably
caused by a full hard drive? And do you agree that I's RECYCLE folder
(or its contents) should be deleted? Would changing (lowering) the
amount of space reserved on "I" for the Recycle Bin help?

All suggestions will be appreciated.

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:52:00 GMT, ErrorMessage wrote:

> I have a WinXP Pro system. Today there was a power outage, but the
> Uninterrutable Power Supply, as usual, worked fine. However,
> afterwards, I've had probs with a "Delayed Write Failed" error
> message:
>
> "Windows was unable to save all the data for the file I:\$Mft. The
> data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your
> computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file
> elsewhere."
>
> In addition to the reference to the $Mft file, another "Delayed Write
> Failed" error message has also mentioned an INFO2 file.
>
> I think the error message is caused by one of my external hard drives
> being full - specifically, a prob with a hidden RECYCLER folder.
> Google found that someone else posted
> (http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/22061/?o=60) about a
> similar prob:
>
> "Hi Just thought I would let you all know my solution to this problem
> ended up being a full hard drive.
> XP showed 11.gig of unused space but when I looked closer the drive
> was full. That particular drive is only used for storing data with no
> OS installed on it. What appears to have happened is XP has made a
> recycled bin on that drive and all the files within it were not
> registering as taking up space. Deleted them and the problem has gone.
> Sounds to simple but I had tried everything else that I could find on
> forums with no luck"
>
> My "I" hard drive is a 500 GB HD, and the space reserved on it for the
> Recycle Bin is 3.99 GB. Windows says Free Space on "I" is 4.89 GB.
>
> So the solution would seem to be to free up some space on "I", maybe
> 15 or 20 GB, until all its contents can be transferred to another,
> larger HD. First, I thought I'd delete either I's RECYCLE folder or
> the contents of I's RECYCLE folder. Its only contents seems to be a
> SID (security identifier) folder
> (S-1-5-21-2800802158-4014822629-3681521231-1005) that contains 207 MB
> (its contents = D1.ZIP, D2.ZIP & desktop.ini).
>
> Sometimes the folder or files in it get corrupted. If they're deleted,
> Windows simply recreates them anew when needed.
>
> However, I'm unable to delete I's RECYCLER folder or its contents. "rd
> /s /q c:\recycler" does not work. If I log in as administrator
> supposedly I can delete the folder or its contents, but am not sure
> how to do that.
>
> Do you agree that the "Delayed Write Failed" error message is probably
> caused by a full hard drive? And do you agree that I's RECYCLE folder
> (or its contents) should be deleted? Would changing (lowering) the
> amount of space reserved on "I" for the Recycle Bin help?
>
> All suggestions will be appreciated.

I had those same errors pop up on mine.
I figured out that they started shortly after installing a certain program.
As well as from shutting off the machine with unplugging it without
shutting down the system properly.
I did a few things to correct it. Got rid of the program. As well as did a
system restore. That seemed to cure the problem. At least I haven't seen
the messages since.