USB drive question

[Tcs]

I have at least two USB devices providing service to/for at least two disk drives. One is an
external drive plugged into one of the USB ports on my Koutech F7210 card reader:

4 types of memory cards = 4 drives being used, through just one (1) USB controller ( I think ).
2 USB ports
2 Firewire ports
1 external SATA port

My basic problem is that when the PC boots up, my card reader uses/creates four (4) disk drives, one
for each of the memory card types the system can deal with. I only have Compact Flash cards. Can
I, and if so, HOW can I, disable three (3) out of the four (4) drives? ( BEFORE or AFTER the disk
drives are created makes no differnece to me. I'd just like to be able to automate this process, if
the capability exists. ) In fact, I want to **STOP** three (3) out of the four (4), so the three
(3) "extras" will disappear.

I've read elsewhere about disabling the external drive capability altogether, say for flash drives
and such. But I don't want to get rid of ALL my USB drives, just "some" of them.

Does anyone know? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

 

[Guest]

The drives are probably listed in device manager, and the Properties of each
drive will have a checkbox to 'disable this device'
start/run, type: devmgmt.msc

 

[Tcs]

While I'm at the office at the moment, and won't know the specific details until I get home later
this afternoon, I went into my PC here...looking at the USB entries. My USB entries show as this:

- -> Universal Serial Bus controllers
-> Generic USB Hub
-> Intel(R) 82801GB USB Universal Host Controller - 27C8
-> Intel(R) 82801GB USB Universal Host Controller - 27C9
-> Intel(R) 82801GB USB Universal Host Controller - 27CA
-> Intel(R) 82801GB USB Universal Host Controller - 27CB
-> Intel(R) 82801GB USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 27CC
-> USB Mass Storage Device
-> USB Root Hub
-> USB Root Hub
-> USB Root Hub
-> USB Root Hub
-> USB Root Hub

I'm assuming that my "USB Mass Storage Device" entry is my 120gb external drive. What's the
difference between a Controller and a hub? I would be inclined to believe that they were the same
thing. But seeing this...makes me think that perhaps the controller is the HW where it all starts,
which sends signals to the hub, which may control one or more ports ??? And how does one determine
which entry goes with which port? Trial and error I would guess...

Is there any command one can use, so that perhaps this may be scripted?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

 

[AJR]

Controller is exactly that "controls/drives" the device - hub, exactly that,
merely a connection point.

 

[Uwe Sieber]

The USB Mass Storage Device is your card reader. If you
deactivate it, then all four slots are gone.
The slots are found under 'Drives' but it might be
difficult do identify them if they all have the same
device name.

I think the best solution is to leave the devices alone
and just remove the drive letters of the unused slots
in the Windows Disk Management (Start -> Run -> diskmgmt.msc).
Right click on the drive -> Change drive letter, Remove.


If installing a software is ok, then you could install
my USB drive letter manager. It can remove the drive
letters an assing one again when a card is insterted.
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html


Greetings from Germany

Uwe

 

[AJR]

The USB mass storage debvice is your USB HD and not the card reader.