\Device\Harddisk3\DR3 Error

You did your own research and resolved the issue you faced. I appreciate.

You also took time to share your experience that could help others. Good and welcome.

That is the pat and now the punch.:)

Even in your case the error was associated with an external USB device.

"That error is usually associated with an external USB connected device." No misinformation from TVeblen as quoted by you.

Next Disk 2 in the Disk Management will be the DR3 in the error message. Very correct and no misinformation here too.

I haven't used dd anytime and therefore would not comment on its efficacy to pinpoint the problem device as you have propounded except stating I generally abhor advising the command line way of doing things. It may suit a geek but not an ordinary average user and my common sense tells me that knowing that it is usually associated with connected USB devices one can safely pull those out to determine which one is causing that problem. Again that is not the solution but only exploration since the device itself is not a problem (in most cases).

Coming to the solution, you assigned a different drive letter and presto your problem was resolved. When you did a google search on this error message, I am sure you must have also come across "ghost devices" being mentioned and their elimination as one possible solution.. Windows gets confused with these non-present devices and at times and in rare cases even changing the drive letter also will not resolve the problem.:)

One such case here USB Thumb Drives not recognised (not drive letter)

In general, removing the non-present devices by doing a drive clean up as here USB Thumb Drives not recognised (not drive letter) in most cases should resolve this problem.

( It is a different story if some programs are set to look for a specific device with a specific drive letter and in those cases one has to be alert and check whether the intended device is getting the same drive letter and change it if necessary before running the program or resort to other means of setting the specific drive letter to that device automatically.)

What has gone in here should definitely help those looking for a solution for this problem and I wouldn't have entered this thread but for your post. So thank you for that.

TVeblen said:

So you "determined which device is being seen as Disk 3 by the system"
Good job!

Ah. I did not see that post, which isn't the same recommendation you gave in your previous post. Why did you change from Disk 2 to Disk 3 in your two posts?

TVeblen said:

It's post #4

Why does post 4 disagree with post 2? That was my question. Is it intentional? A typo? A correction?

TVeblen said:

My first post was typed up in a general sense based upon available data.
My second post was typed up based upon additional data.
The search for the answer is seldom a straight line.
You sometimes need to be more flexible in your thinking.

Why not just edit post #2 and correct it?

TVeblen said:

That is considered bad "netiquette". A forum or newsgroup thread should proceed like a conversation. Editing past posts changes the conversation and makes the following posters look like fools.
It is always important to read the entire thread.
The only exception is when a thread goes off on some tangent. Like this one.

Exactly. I have the same notions. It was only recently that I jumped on an OP or poster who made drastic changes to his earlier post, that made whatever I wrote subsequently completely out of context and wayward that any one who read the thread would consider me an absolute idiot ( and how SevenForums could have given a medal for such an absolute idiot. ). I am not. Incidentally it was the first time I lost my cool and used a . :)

I am a member of another Indian Forum which has strict standards on written English ( no slang, no net language or blabber, no mention of hacking and copying etc., etc.,) and no editing beyond 20 minutes of posting. If the poster has anything to modify beyond 20 minutes, he has to do it only on a new post in that thread.

And I have been seriously considering suggesting this to the Admin. I think it is time for Admin to take note of this.