Reassigning Drive Letters in XP

Eichhörnchen · 06-03-16, 05:43 AM

When I've plugged in hardware like printers and dvd burners in the past, some of them have "hijacked" the drive letter of my auxiliary hard drive that I use on one of my PC's. This hard drive is usually left plugged in, but when I switched it off recently (thinking to conserve its life) it had a different letter when I switched it back on, so all the shortcuts associated with it would no longer work.

I don't want to have to re-do all these shortcuts, but the computer just will not allow me to rename this drive. I've looked online, and apart from the obvious left-click>rename, this below is the only other suggestion... it doesn't work either. And I simply don't understand the bit right at the bottom.

How can I rename my auxiliary drive? I've already tried unplugging everything else and switching on, but it still comes up with the wrong name

vienna · 06-03-16, 02:00 PM

I think you may be mistaking the drive's 'label' for the drive's 'letter'; the label is what you call the drive ("My Drive", "Squirrel Land", etc.); the drive letter is the internal ID of the drive, C:, D:, etc. To change the drive letter, you need to go the Control Panel, then Computer Management, then Disk Management, right-click on the drive you want to re-assign, select Change Drive Letter And Paths..., select Change, and re-assign the drive letter. Hope this helps...

<O>

Eichhörnchen · 06-03-16, 05:34 PM

Hey thanks for that, buddy, I'll try it tomorrow (23:33 here now... time to curl up)

Just tried it... success! Bless you, Vienna, though I had to go into 'Admin Tools' to find 'Computer Management' etc. but it was all just as you described from then on.

And it was indeed the letter I was wanting to reassign. Thanks again.

vienna · 06-04-16, 11:43 AM

Glad it worked out for you. When I set out the instructions, I was using my computer as the template; I forgot you may have had a different version of Windows, so sorry if there was any confusion...

<O>

06-03-16, 05:43 AM	#1
Eichhörnchen Starte das Auto Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: The Fens Posts: 17,372 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Reassigning Drive Letters in XP When I've plugged in hardware like printers and dvd burners in the past, some of them have "hijacked" the drive letter of my auxiliary hard drive that I use on one of my PC's. This hard drive is usually left plugged in, but when I switched it off recently (thinking to conserve its life) it had a different letter when I switched it back on, so all the shortcuts associated with it would no longer work. I don't want to have to re-do all these shortcuts, but the computer just will not allow me to rename this drive. I've looked online, and apart from the obvious left-click>rename, this below is the only other suggestion... it doesn't work either. And I simply don't understand the bit right at the bottom. How can I rename my auxiliary drive? I've already tried unplugging everything else and switching on, but it still comes up with the wrong name __________________

06-03-16, 02:00 PM	#2
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	I think you may be mistaking the drive's 'label' for the drive's 'letter'; the label is what you call the drive ("My Drive", "Squirrel Land", etc.); the drive letter is the internal ID of the drive, C:, D:, etc. To change the drive letter, you need to go the Control Panel, then Computer Management, then Disk Management, right-click on the drive you want to re-assign, select Change Drive Letter And Paths..., select Change, and re-assign the drive letter. Hope this helps... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __

06-03-16, 05:34 PM	#3
Eichhörnchen Starte das Auto Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: The Fens Posts: 17,372 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Hey thanks for that, buddy, I'll try it tomorrow (23:33 here now... time to curl up) Just tried it... success! Bless you, Vienna, though I had to go into 'Admin Tools' to find 'Computer Management' etc. but it was all just as you described from then on. And it was indeed the letter I was wanting to reassign. Thanks again. __________________ Last edited by Eichhörnchen; 06-03-16 at 05:58 PM.

06-04-16, 11:43 AM	#4
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Glad it worked out for you. When I set out the instructions, I was using my computer as the template; I forgot you may have had a different version of Windows, so sorry if there was any confusion... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __