Hey Danthon - Seeing how this is a very recent occurrence, first thing I would try is a system restore.

Go to StartAll ProgramsAccessoriesSystem ToolsSystem Restore. When the initial System Restore screen appears, select the option to "Choose a different Restore Point" then click on the 'Next' button. You will now see a list of available restore points. Choose one which definitely takes you back to before the problem started, there should have been a restore point created automatically prior to the Windows updates.

I always like to use system restore from safe mode, it seems to be more stable and reliable that way. To enter safe mode: restart the computer and just as the BIOS is finishing but before the operating system actually begins to load start pressing the F8 key repeatedly. You should get a screen with a list of options, use the arrow keys to select 'Safe Mode' (if not already selected/highlighted) and then press 'Enter'. Then just use system restore as above.

If that doesn't fix the problem please post back.

What is the name of the program you are using to create your automatic backups? The reason I ask is that many of these include options for when the backups should be or should not be processed. You may be able to change a setting to ensure this doesn't happen again.

Cheers....JIM

If I read your post correctly both instances involve situations where the drive was writing and disconnected (either by you or a shutdown).

Disconnecting the drive while it is writing is not good (without ejecting the drive). It can cause corruption of the external drive, or driver issues on the host PC. Some drives and operating systems are more susceptible to this than others. Windows 2000 was bad. XP, Vista, and now win 7 handle it much better. The Western Digital and Seagate external drives I've had recently seem to tolerate it better than Maxtor drives.

I would follow the steps you did previously to delete the drive from Device Manager, format the external drive, and start over. After the drive is installed again go back to device manager and open the properties page for the drive. Make sure "Quick Removal" is selected on the Policies page.

You might want to change your Windows Update settings to "Download and Notify". That will download the update and let you decide when to install them. You might also want to go the manufacturer's site and see if you can find updated chipset drivers for the motherboard.