I have metadata file errors on all 4 of my partitions:
- Seagate Barracuda 40GB, ATA 100, 7200 RPM drive
- Dual boot XP Pro with 2000 Pro
- The errors are listed at the bottom of this message (the same error message was reported for each partition
- Most of the time everything works just great (I almost always use Windows 2000)

Just in case the metadata file errors were not caused by an existing virus (located in Windows) how about backing up the MBR, then writing zeros to the MBR and using software (such as Boot Corrector) to rebuild it?

Also, any idea of how best to search for info on finding malcode/viruses (on your system), which may have been circulated by the RIAA? (through file sharing services). Someone said this is known to cause these types of errors.

I tired a web search and so far it's been very hard to find anything on this. I use google Groups too, when searching. You'd think this would be a hot subject.

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I decided to check my Seagate 40GB HD with SeaTools Desktop v3.02.03
after experiencing some intermittent problems with my Windows 2000 Pro system locking up.

I ran all the tests and the result was that the drive checked OK but all four partitions were reported to have these errors (and chkdsk /p /r does not remove these particular errors although the drive then works normally for a day or so).

I used this Seagate utility to write zeros to the Entire drive, Partition Expert to create new partitions, copied the backed up partitions, one at a time, back to the main drive (using Ghost 8.0) and still the same error reported (using SeaTools).

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The following errors were found while scanning the volume:

- One or more errors were found in the index
- One or more errors were found in metadata file records
- Other errors were found

***Testing the drive with Maxtor's and Gateway's utilities there are NO errors reported