USB flash memory drive letter assignments

[Guest]

I find that, when I plug in a new USB flash drive, it gets the same letter
assignment as an existing network mounted drive and is inaccessible. For
example, if the network drive is H: and there is already a G: (not network
mounted), the USB memory will be assigned H: and be invisible to applications.

The only way I've found to fix this is to go into Disk Management, where I
can see and change the drive letter assignment. If I change the assignment
from H: to T: (for example), then the USB memory is visible as T:. I can now
dismount it and plug it in at a later time and it will still be seen as T:.
However, to avoid problems I have to assign different letters to all my USB
devices. This is not good.

I am using Win x64 (all updates).

Is this expected behavior?

 

[mail]

I find that, when I plug in a new USB flash drive, it gets the same letter
assignment as an existing network mounted drive and is inaccessible. For
example, if the network drive is H: and there is already a G: (not network
mounted), the USB memory will be assigned H: and be invisible to applications.

The only way I've found to fix this is to go into Disk Management, where I
can see and change the drive letter assignment. If I change the assignment
from H: to T: (for example), then the USB memory is visible as T:. I can now
dismount it and plug it in at a later time and it will still be seen as T:.
However, to avoid problems I have to assign different letters to all my USB
devices. This is not good.

I am using Win x64 (all updates).

Is this expected behavior?

Yes, it is. Network shares are specific to the logged on user and
not visible for the mount manager which assigns the letters.
It's a know issue, some call it a bug

For XP-32 I have a solution:
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbdlm_e.html
I don't think that it works under XP-64.

Greetings from Germany

Uwe