XP and drive letter mapping

[robertharvey]

There is a well-known problem with XP where plugging in things like usb
keys is less than succesful, because XP does not include network
mapped drive letters before considering what to call the new device,
and they can be hidden.

The work-around is to use the computer management gadget to remap
address letters, but this has to be done for every device introduced.

The only thing I have found in the knowledge base is
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297694 which
has some rather trite and impractical advice about the choice of drive
letters. It won't work here because they are long-standing and hard
coded into some applications.

Has anyone come up with a better solution? Like perhaps fixing the bug?

 

[Richard Urban]

A bug is something in the code that affects "every" installation.

I have seen a few of these problems and have been able to correct for them.
I have seen hundreds of times more computers that "do not" have this
problem.

The trick is to uninstall that multifunction device (printer with a
gazillion slots for different media, a multi-card reader etc.). Then reboot.
Install your USB device and allow it to be identified. Then go into disk
management and rename it so it is at the end of the alphabet.

Now you can connect, and install the software for, your multiport device or
photo printer. It will be assigned consecutive letters after the hard
drives. They will NOT step on the USB device any longer.

Personally, I have never had an instance where this did not solve the
problem.

But I wouldn't call it a bug. It's a hardware conflict caused by installing
something when your USB device is not plugged in and identified at the time
you connect the new device. The new device pre-empts the previously used USB
port identification for itself.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!