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Map to USB Pen Drive

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by BruceKrymow, 2004/07/07.

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  1. 2004/07/07
    BruceKrymow

    BruceKrymow Inactive Thread Starter

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    Client uses a 512 USB pen drive to back up essential files at the end of each work day. This is facilitated via a batch file. Seeking a means to map a drive to the USB drive so that when it is unplugged, it will show unavailable and show available when plugged in - just like a regular network drive. We want to keep the drive assigned to the same letter, you dig?
     
  2. 2004/07/07
    Paul

    Paul Inactive

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    My understanding is that this is the default behaviour of W2K, XP and W2K3.
    There may be a hack to change it though?

    OT (slightly) Your client is stopping the USB pen from the taskbar before unplugging. I've heard from a few sources, of people "zapping" there drive by pulling it out without first stopping/uninstalling it first. I've been guilty myself by rebooting windows without ejecting it a few times but have been lucky so far. :eek:
     
    Paul,
    #2

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  4. 2004/07/07
    JamesonProd

    JamesonProd Inactive

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    Not sure about Windows being able to report the drive unavailable but you can insert the USB flash drive, go into Computer Management, Removable Storage, Media....and assign it a permanent drive letter. Anytime it is plugged in it will assume that drive letter.
     
  5. 2004/07/08
    BruceKrymow

    BruceKrymow Inactive Thread Starter

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    I understand regarding the manner in which the USB devices are designed to work and know the 'net use' syntax is intended for networked drives.

    My hope is that through discovery and/or ingenuity, perhaps there is a way to trick the system into associating an assigned drive letter to the USB device through Windows itself, using some arcane command line functions in conjunction with the 'net use' syntax, or maybe even an '.INF' file stored on the USB device.......
     
  6. 2004/07/08
    BruceKrymow

    BruceKrymow Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi, Jameson ~

    I do know you may assign drive letters from 'Disk Management', but not permanently for a USB flash drive.

    Per your prescribed method above, there does not seem to be any way to assign a drive letter via the context menu, the menu bar nor the tool bar...

    ...how are you facilitating such an action once you are at 'Media' from 'Computer Management' > 'Removable Storage'? :confused:
     
  7. 2004/07/08
    JamesonProd

    JamesonProd Inactive

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    Sorry......I was doing it from memory. Try this instead......

    Insert the USB Flash drive

    Goto Computer Management, Storage, Disk Management

    Highlight the name of the flash drive, right-click

    Under Properties you can change the name
    Unnder Change Drive Letter and Path you can assign the drive letter


    Following this method....when I insert the device again, it assigns that particular drive letter. Works for me after re-start and when I just pull it out and re-insert it. (XP Pro)

    Good luck.
     
  8. 2004/07/08
    BruceKrymow

    BruceKrymow Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi, Jameson ~

    This is originally how we tried to assign drive letters from 'Disk Management', but this will not work permanently for a USB flash drive.

    If you remove a network drive or introduce a zip, hard, flash drive, etc. via USB, those drive letters are dynamically assigned by Windows. Yes, you may change them, but only for that session until it is pulled and once another device is introduced, moved or removed, the dynamic assignment is requeued.

    I may have, however, discovered a way to permanently assign a USB flash device by mounting a drive via an empty NTFS folder. I have been playing around it Comp Mgmt and learned that each device is assigned a unique ID number based on some unique feature of the device. It sticks and it is sharable. I need to do just a little more testing and trying to move, remove and bump drive letters to see if they will in fact remain static - I will report back with the results. ;)
     
  9. 2004/07/08
    JamesonProd

    JamesonProd Inactive

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    I set my Flash Drive to R: and tried it on three different computers....comes up R: on all......not sure what's up if that can't be done!
     
  10. 2004/07/08
    bluzkat

    bluzkat Inactive

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    usb drive letter assignments

    I have to concur... my usb zip drive is assigned to its own drive letter and always returns to the same drive letter when I reattach it. My cf card reader works the same way, returns to the same drive letter I assigned. Maybe it is something with that particular pen drive :confused:
    Sorry I couldn't offer any solutions.

    B :cool:
     
  11. 2004/08/03
    BruceKrymow

    BruceKrymow Inactive Thread Starter

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    Gentlemen ~

    I am sorry but I thought I posted this already but apparently mistaken. I have found the solution and use it in both professional as well as personal environments.

    Trying to assign drive letters from 'Disk Management' will not work permanently for a USB flash drive unless you are using some accompanying software.

    If you remove a network drive or introduce a zip, hard, flash drive, etc. via USB, those drive letters are dynamically assigned by Windows (only in 2000 & XP). You may change them, but only for that session - until it is pulled and once another device is introduced, moved or removed, the dynamic assignment will be requeued.

    There is a means to permanently assign a USB flash device by mounting a local drive at an empty folder on an NTFS volume using a drive path instead of a drive letter that will stick, is sharable and the folder is given a drive icon by Windows when active.

    There must be at least one drive/partition fomatted NTFS. Here are the steps to proceed:
    1. Disconnect any removeable media devices > restart Windows
    2. Connect your pen drive
    3. Right-click 'My Computer' > 'Manage'
    4. 'Computer Management' > 'Storage' > 'Disk Management'
    5. On the menu bar > 'View' > 'Top' > 'Disk List'
    6. In the right-hand pane, right-click the appropriate drive under 'Disk'
    7. Select 'Change Drive Letter & Paths...' > 'Add' [size=-2]('Change'/'Assign' will NOT work statically for removeable devices)[/size]
    8. 'Mount in the following empty NTFS folder:' should be selected > 'Browse' button
    9. Volumes/partitions that are NTFS & support drive paths will appear here
    10. You may select any, but recommend the root drive which will typically be C:\
    11. Click 'New Folder' > name it 'USB Drive' or similar > 'OK' > 'OK' > exit 'Computer Management'
    12. You will not see anything change in 'Computer Management' since it is a drive path & not a drive
    13. Open 'My Computer' > click 'Local Disk (C:)' or drive you selected above
    14. You will see a folder or a drive called 'USB Drive'
    15. Right-click > 'Properties' > 'Sharing' tab > check 'Share this folder on the network'
    16. Enter share name [size=-2](recommend using the name of the drive folder but w/o spaces for command line net use syntax ease)[/size]
    17. Go to 'Start' > 'Run' > enter cmd > 'OK'
    18. Enter net use X: \\computername\sharename\drivepathname /persistent:yes
      1. 'X' will be a drive letter you choose to represent the pen drive
      2. 'computername' is the name of the computer to which you wish to connect [size=-2](which can be found in 'My Computer' properties)[/size]
      3. 'sharename' is the name of that computer's drive that is being shared [size=-2](which can be found on the 'Sharing' tab of 'Local Disk (C:)' or appropriate drive's properties)[/size]
      4. 'drivepathname' is the name you designated in # 16 above [size=-2]('USB Drive' or other)[/size]
    19. Example: net use P: \\backoffice\bruce\usbdrive /persistent:yes

    Please note that when you reconnect your pen drive, your computer may still assign a new drive letter to it, but you simply disregard it as Windows still recognizes and will associate it with the drive folder you created.

    In 'My Computer' > 'Local Disk (C:)' you will see your statically mounted drive folder 'USB Drive' that will have:
    • a shared drive icon when the device is connected
    • a shared folder icon when the device is disconnected

    If you try to connect from the other computers or your own to this mapped drive folder when the device is not connected, you will be greeted with 'C:\USB Drive refers to a drive that is unavailable...' just like you would a normal unavailable mapped network drive.

    This is a perfect solution to get the essential database & accounting files backed up with unattended '.bat' files & off the premises in the event of an unfortunate occurrence of some disaster.
     
  12. 2004/08/03
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    Excellent fix and thank you for posting it.
     
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