Mapped Drives and removable Drives

[XxLicherxX]

Hello everyone,

I am having a problem with Windows XP not assigning the correct drive
letter when removable media is inserted (Flash, external HD, etc)

Let me go into my setup here. When a user logs onto their computer, a
script runs to map some network drives. One of the drives that gets
mapped is letter 'F' When a user inserts removable media into a machine
that has letters 'C','D', and 'E' taken with local devices, Windows
will assign the removable media the letter 'F' despite the fact that
there is already a mapped drive with that letter. This causes the
removable device not to display in Windows Explorer

I can go into Disk Management (From adminstrative tools --> Computer
Management) and see the removable device listed (With the 'F'
designation) and change the drive letter to something not being used.
This will make the removable device available from Windows Explorer,
but this only works for that time. As soon as I take it out and insert
it again, it goes back to 'F' . I want to avoid this hassle for my
users.

I have looked into the possibility of changing mapped drive 'F' to a
different letter, however this will open a pandora's box of network
shortcut problems. Why won't windows assign a removable device the next
available letter ('L' in my case). Is there any way to fix this?

Thanks

 

[Uwe Sieber]

Let me go into my setup here. When a user logs onto their computer, a
script runs to map some network drives. One of the drives that gets
mapped is letter 'F' When a user inserts removable media into a machine
that has letters 'C','D', and 'E' taken with local devices, Windows
will assign the removable media the letter 'F' despite the fact that
there is already a mapped drive with that letter. This causes the
removable device not to display in Windows Explorer

Yes, network drives are user specific and not visible
at system level. Therefore Windows suggests drive letters
form Z downwards when you map a drive by means of Explorer's
map dialog.

Have a look at my USB drive letter manager:
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbdlm_e.html
It can automatically remount a drive when Windows assigns
the first free local letter.

There is also a commandline tool for a quick manual remount.
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/remount.zip


Greetings from Germany

Uwe