Forcing a USB drive...
 

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[Closed] Forcing a USB drive to always have the same letter

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Any ideas? I've googled it, but the method that some folk seemed to prefer (creating an autorun.inf that runs a batch file with diskpart) doesn't seem to work.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 11:45 am
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is there not a way of referencing it by the volume name (like you would on mac/linux)?

EDIT: yes [url= http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9065280/reference-a-volume-drive-by-label ]http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9065280/reference-a-volume-drive-by-label[/url]


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 11:46 am
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The reason for this is that I have a Photoshop Elements catalogue on the external drive. It stores the paths to the images using full pathnames (annoyingly) so the drive letter is important.

I wonder if I could map a drive to the volume label though..? Hmm..

EDIT it seems I can map a folder on the normal HD to point to the volume whenever it's inserted. This could work - I would only transfer the photoshop catalogue between computers with PS installed, ie my work and home machines, so I could set up the folder on each machine once only. That could work.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 12:31 pm
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Dont you just right click on the device in Windows Explorer & go "Assign Drive Letter" or something like that ?
My HTC always comes up as "F", my Blackberry always comes up as "G", regardless of what order I plug them in. I'm sure thats what I did...


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 12:44 pm
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Yes but it doesn't preserve that setting.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 12:47 pm
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Had to do this myself recently and did it like this(in windows 7).
From start, right click computer and select 'manage'
In the computer management window select 'storage/disk management'
In the lower window scroll to the usb drive and right click.
Select 'change drive letter and path/change.
Assign new letter and save.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 1:39 pm
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Yes but it doesn't preserve that setting.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 1:52 pm
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Hackishly, you could use SUBST.

Set your library to point to Z:\pathname, then when you plug in the key and it mounts as eg F:, type subst z: f:\ in the Run box.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 1:55 pm
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The method I described works for me but only on the machine you use to assign the letter. I am a serial backerupper and have various usb's and external hard drives and it was getting messy and difficult to manage.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 2:01 pm
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isnt one way of doing it through disk mgmnt console
insert Usb stick and then assign drive letter

another way i think is diskpart list disk etc when making disk bootable it will assign the volume a drive letter

i use x instead of picking c or d though


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 2:26 pm
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Yes I tried using the console - it forgets the letter I assign to it every time.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 2:31 pm
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i use x instead of picking c or d though

Which is why it gets preserved between sessions.


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 2:31 pm
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Habit I got into years ago was calling them W and X. No problems with preservation. All my batch backup scripts work fine every time.
(from Windows NT to Vista anyway).


 
Posted : 22/11/2012 2:35 pm