External Hard Drives

[jonniebkk]

I have 3 external HDs that I use with my notebook computer. I use them to back-up data. The problem is that when I plug in one of the drives, it is assigned a drive letter E F or G but it is never the same letter for a particular drive. Then, when I use my back-up software, it gets complicated to match which back-up profile to use so it matches the letter assigned to the external drive for a particular session.

My question is: Is there a way to make WinXP or the BIOS assign the same drive letter designation to a particular drive when it is plugged in? So that each time it is plugged in, it will get the same letter?

[toptuan]

I have exactly the same problem, especially if I have a flash drive plugged in from time to time. The drive letters switch nilly-willy between the external HD and the flash drive.

Hope we get some input!

[jonniebkk]

I have exactly the same problem, especially if I have a flash drive plugged in from time to time. The drive letters switch nilly-willy between the external HD and the flash drive.

Hope we get some input!

Darn Top...I thought you had the answer

[grtaylor]

I have exactly the same problem, especially if I have a flash drive plugged in from time to time. The drive letters switch nilly-willy between the external HD and the flash drive.

Hope we get some input!

Darn Top...I thought you had the answer

OK - here we go.

With all your drives plugged in, right-click "My Computer" on the Start menu and select "Manage".

Go to "Disk Management" and you will get a screen which show all your drives.

Right-click on a drive and select "Change Drive Letters and Paths..."

Here you add, change or remove a drive letter. That letter then becomes permanently associated with that drive.

Hope that helps.

Graham

[jonniebkk]

OK - here we go.

With all your drives plugged in, right-click "My Computer" on the Start menu and select "Manage".

Go to "Disk Management" and you will get a screen which show all your drives.

Right-click on a drive and select "Change Drive Letters and Paths..."

Here you add, change or remove a drive letter. That letter then becomes permanently associated with that drive.

Graham

Thanks Graham! I guess I just made it under the wire as my notebook has 3 USB connections and I have 3 external HDs. Curious, what would one do if say I had 4 drives? Would it work to get one of those USB hubs with more slots in it?

By the way, are you the author of those "Missing Manual" books

[grtaylor]

OK - here we go.

With all your drives plugged in, right-click "My Computer" on the Start menu and select "Manage".

Go to "Disk Management" and you will get a screen which show all your drives.

Right-click on a drive and select "Change Drive Letters and Paths..."

Here you add, change or remove a drive letter. That letter then becomes permanently associated with that drive.

Graham

Thanks Graham! I guess I just made it under the wire as my notebook has 3 USB connections and I have 3 external HDs. Curious, what would one do if say I had 4 drives? Would it work to get one of those USB hubs with more slots in it?

By the way, are you the author of those "Missing Manual" books

Yes, you can use a USB hub, the only downside being the more devices you have the slower the transfer speed.

Not an author of manuals, just an IT teacher at an international school here

[jonniebkk]

Yes, you can use a USB hub, the only downside being the more devices you have the slower the transfer speed.

Not an author of manuals, just an IT teacher at an international school here

Now I know why you guys at the big "Inter" schools make the big bucks (or should I say "big bahts").

Thanks again,

Cheers

[toptuan]

I have exactly the same problem, especially if I have a flash drive plugged in from time to time. The drive letters switch nilly-willy between the external HD and the flash drive.

Hope we get some input!

Darn Top...I thought you had the answer

Nope, but thanks for letting me hitch-hike on your problem. No charge!

And, thanks GRTaylor. I plugged in all 4 flash drives and my 3 exterior hard drives, and still didn't run out of alphabet letters to assign to them! What happens after "Z" is taken?

Edited May 5, 2008 by toptuan

[bkkguy1970]

That letter then becomes permanently associated with that drive.

"permanently" here means until you unplug the drive and plug it in again, you will need to do this each time it is plugged in - at least under Win2k, XP/Vista may be different

under many versions of Linux drives will mount as the drive label thus avoiding the problem nicely

bkkguy

[A_Traveller]

If memory serves, you need to associate a folder with the drive. Forgive me I'm about to log-out but as guidance:-

• Create blank folder(s) with suitable IDs
  
• Plug in USB drive(s)
  
• Start->Run ->diskmgmt.msc
  
• Right Click on USB Drive -> Add -> Mount into empty NTFS folder -> Browse. Now navigate to the appropriate subfolder ->OK.
  
• Going forward the USB drive will be accessible from that folder when it is connected to the computer.
  

HTH

Regards

Edited May 6, 2008 by A_Traveller

[grtaylor]

That letter then becomes permanently associated with that drive.

"permanently" here means until you unplug the drive and plug it in again, you will need to do this each time it is plugged in - at least under Win2k, XP/Vista may be different

under many versions of Linux drives will mount as the drive label thus avoiding the problem nicely

bkkguy

With Windows XP it doesn't lose the assigned drive letter if you unplug it. However, if you've shared the drive, the sharing gets lost.

An alternative approach, as you suggest, is to 'mount' the drive. You can do this with Windows XP, as long as the drive you are mounting it in is NTFS formatted.

From the same place you selected "Change" Drive Letter, select "Remove" instead, and remove the letter. Then select "Add" but use the second option in the dialog box "Mount in the following empty NTFS folder". You must create an empty folder before you do this. Doing it this way has some advantages:

• You don't run out of drive letters
  
• Sharing isn't lost if you unplug the drive
  
• Any files you delete go into the Recycle Bin instead of just disappearing
  

G

Edited May 6, 2008 by grtaylor