'Invalid Drive: E:\'

[Guest]

Hello. The above message is what I got when I tried to install a new hp
inkjet printer on my Toshiba A-105 series laptop. During installation dialog
boxes appeared that indicated this was a fatal error. What MAY have caused
this is the fact that I sometimes use an external hard drive salvaged from
another Toshiba laptop that still has the OS on it. Some time back I booted
the computer while this external drive was connected and I THINK there was
some kind of interaction. Any ideas on how I can get things back to normal?
(By the way, I also lost 'Pictures' from the start menu after I began using
the external hard drive, so I'm pretty certain there's a connection here).
Thanks for your help....Mr. Ed

PS: The printer appears to be working normally, but I think some features
are not operational due to the installation abort.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hello. The above message is what I got when I tried to install a new hp
inkjet printer on my Toshiba A-105 series laptop. During installation dialog
boxes appeared that indicated this was a fatal error. What MAY have caused
this is the fact that I sometimes use an external hard drive salvaged from
another Toshiba laptop that still has the OS on it. Some time back I booted
the computer while this external drive was connected and I THINK there was
some kind of interaction. Any ideas on how I can get things back to normal?
(By the way, I also lost 'Pictures' from the start menu after I began using
the external hard drive, so I'm pretty certain there's a connection here).
Thanks for your help....Mr. Ed

PS: The printer appears to be working normally, but I think some features
are not operational due to the installation abort.

Your %temp% variable may be set to E:\. Run regedit.exe
and search for the string "E:\". Where does it occur?

 

[Guest]

Hello. The above message is what I got when I tried to install a new hp
inkjet printer on my Toshiba A-105 series laptop. During installation dialog
boxes appeared that indicated this was a fatal error. What MAY have caused
this is the fact that I sometimes use an external hard drive salvaged from
another Toshiba laptop that still has the OS on it. Some time back I booted
the computer while this external drive was connected and I THINK there was
some kind of interaction. Any ideas on how I can get things back to normal?
(By the way, I also lost 'Pictures' from the start menu after I began using
the external hard drive, so I'm pretty certain there's a connection here).
Thanks for your help....Mr. Ed

PS: The printer appears to be working normally, but I think some features
are not operational due to the installation abort.

Let me repeat the message here: Invalid Drive: E:\

 

[Guest]

Your %temp% variable may be set to E:\. Run regedit.exe
and search for the string "E:\". Where does it occur?


Thanks for the quick reply. I opened up 'regedit' as you suggested but don't know how to search for the string you mentioned. Is there a search companion for the registry similar to the one for files & folders (you know, with the dog)? There are an awful lot of registry items to go through manually. In which HKEY area should I look?

 

[Guest]

Your %temp% variable may be set to E:\. Run regedit.exe
and search for the string "E:\". Where does it occur?


Pegasus, I figured out how to find '%temp%' in the registry. Here's what it looks like:

NAME TYPE DATA

Folder REG_EXPAND_SZ %temp%

Where do I go from here? (I'm logging off & will pick up your answer tomorrow)



Folder

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

it looks like:

NAME TYPE DATA

Folder REG_EXPAND_SZ %temp%

Where do I go from here? (I'm logging off & will pick up your answer tomorrow)

Folder

I actually suggested you should look for the string "E:\", not "%temp%".
Your reply did not tell us anything because even though you found
the %temp% variable (which I fully expected), you did not report
what it is set to. There could also be other occurrences of "E:\".

A am about to go on leave. If you post your reply within 16 hours
from the time of my own reply then I'll try to answer. If you don't then
someone else will probably help you.

 

[Elmo]

Let me repeat the message here: Invalid Drive: E:\

Run regedit, press Home key to get to the top of the list, press F3 to
do a search, type:

E:\

Click "Find Next". After typing into a reply where E:\ was found, press
F3 to continue the search. After all instances are added to the post,
send the post.

 

[Guest]

Run regedit, press Home key to get to the top of the list, press F3 to
do a search, type:

E:\

Click "Find Next". After typing into a reply where E:\ was found, press
F3 to continue the search. After all instances are added to the post,
send the post.

Thanks, Elmo. I did as you suggested. There are 4 entries that show up. Two
of them have to do with a recent hp inkjet printer installation, which makes
sense because during that installation I got the message about the invalid
drive E:\. The 2nd entry on the list has 'E:\' mentioned in it. It reads like
this:

NAME TYPE DATA

000 REG_SZ E:|

Are we getting somewhere?

 

[Guest]

Run regedit, press Home key to get to the top of the list, press F3 to
do a search, type:

E:\

Click "Find Next". After typing into a reply where E:\ was found, press
F3 to continue the search. After all instances are added to the post,
send the post.

ELMO....I pressed F3 again and found something interesting: Under 'NAME' is
'My Pictures', which makes sense since I lost 'My Pictures' from the start
menu after I attached the external HD Next to 'my pictures' under TYPE is
'REG_SZ. Under DATA are the words 'E:\My pictures'. Now we're really getting
somewhere.

 

[Elmo]

ELMO....I pressed F3 again and found something interesting: Under 'NAME' is
'My Pictures', which makes sense since I lost 'My Pictures' from the start
menu after I attached the external HD Next to 'my pictures' under TYPE is
'REG_SZ. Under DATA are the words 'E:\My pictures'. Now we're really getting
somewhere.

You could modify the My Pictures entry to change it to C:\My Pictures
Modify the others too.

Maybe create a restore point before making any changes.

 

[Guest]

You could modify the My Pictures entry to change it to C:\My Pictures
Modify the others too.

Maybe create a restore point before making any changes.

Thanks again, Elmo (and you other guys, too!). What you suggested is just
what I was thinking: change the name of the 'My Pictures' drive from E:\ to
C:\. I'm just very cautious when it comes to the registry because I have NO
experience in working with it. You mentioned creating a restore point. I
would certainly do that. Are you implying that I just erase 'E:\' where it
shows up next to 'My pictures'? Should I export the registry value first or
do you believe that a system restore is all that is necessary should
something go awry? Thanks again...Mr. Ed

 

[Elmo]

Thanks again, Elmo (and you other guys, too!). What you suggested is just
what I was thinking: change the name of the 'My Pictures' drive from E:\ to
C:\. I'm just very cautious when it comes to the registry because I have NO
experience in working with it. You mentioned creating a restore point. I
would certainly do that. Are you implying that I just erase 'E:\' where it
shows up next to 'My pictures'? Should I export the registry value first or
do you believe that a system restore is all that is necessary should
something go awry? Thanks again...Mr. Ed

You can export the entries to the Desktop in case you want to reinsert
them, create a Restore Point in case there's a problem with a restart.
I would modify the reference to E:\My Pictures and make it read
properly, rather than delete the entry.

 

[Guest]

You can export the entries to the Desktop in case you want to reinsert
them, create a Restore Point in case there's a problem with a restart.
I would modify the reference to E:\My Pictures and make it read
properly, rather than delete the entry.

Thanks, Joe, for your help. I'll try your suggestion soon. I may want to do
it in the presence of a knowledgeable friend. I'm really cautious when
dealing with registry issues. Hopefully, these suggestions will work....Mr. Ed