Err Msg: The Device Reported an Error on a Request to Write Data to Media

ID: Q240392

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SYMPTOMS

When you use Windows 2000 Backup (Ntbackup.exe) to back up data to a hard disk that cannot be write protected and you choose FILE for the back-up destination, you may receive the following error message:

Drive Error:

The device reported an error on a request to write data to media.
Error reported: Write protected media.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you use an invalid drive path syntax in the backup media or file name box. For example, you may have accidentally typed two or more colon (:) characters:

C::\backup.bkf

Although Ntbackup.exe checks for other syntax problems, it does not check for multiple colon characters. The correct drive path syntax is driveletter:\directory\filename.bkf

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, make sure the path syntax in the backup media or file name box does not contain multiple colon characters.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 2000.

Additional query words:

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug