File index disappears

[ATA]

I'm using DC++ 0.673 on WinXP. My share is located on an external USB HD.

After the usual 8 or so hours it takes to for DC to initially index my share, I opened it up one day and couldn't join the hubs 'cause my share was "too low." I looked in Preferences and the share was gone! Not even there. I pointed DC to the folder again, and the index luckily intact.. it had simply lost the pointer to the folder.

Earlier today, I had DC running without having made any changes at all - suddenly, I get disconnected from every hub I'm in. Again, my share is "too low." This time it wasn't a matter of choosing the share folder again in preferences: the index was gone. Not only that, but DC had already begun indexing my files.

Is there any way I can avoid having to go through this again? Maybe a different client, or perhaps someone knows the name of the index file DC creates so that I could make a backup and restore it in cases like these (i.e. literally copy my backup of the index file back where it should be when this happens again)?

I appreciate any kind of help you can give!

[xan]

The index files are Hashdata.dat and Hashindex.xml

Unless the drive letter changed, or that drive was disconnected, dc++ won't drop the share for no reason. Maybe check the event log to see if anything is going on with that drive.

[truelyme]

Look in the folder where your client is installed to, where the files are kept. Copy and put aside these files, notepad, queue.xlm, favorites, and all files with the name hash in them. Reinstall your client fresh. Paste those set aside files back in the newly installed client. Reopen the client and all should be there but your general settings. Those you will have to fill in again.

Over time, these clients get bugs in them in that random bits and bytes get lost or damaged with surges and flucations. You never know where such will occur. This usually solves the problem.

[ATA]

Thank you, xan and truelyme for your advice. I'll reintstall like truelyme said, and then backup the files xan pointed out.