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[Phantom] Removable Disk (D:) ?

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by jamepc, 2005/09/29.

  1. 2005/09/29
    jamepc

    jamepc Inactive Thread Starter

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    I recently installed XP Pro on my new Shuttle XPC. In "My Computer" it shows "Removable Disk(C:\)" and "Removable Disk (D:\) "
    I don't have these disks. Why does it show these disks? How do I get rid of them?
    Thanks
     
    jamepc,
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  2. 2005/09/29
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    What drives do you have?
     
    Newt,
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  4. 2005/09/29
    jamepc

    jamepc Inactive Thread Starter

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    I figured it out. I have an 8 in 1 internal card reader with 2 slots. I guess C: and D: are the 2 slots, right?
     
    jamepc,
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  5. 2005/09/30
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Right :D
     
    PeteC,
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  6. 2005/09/30
    jamepc

    jamepc Inactive Thread Starter

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    I think I will reinstall XP with the reader unpluged and plug it in afterwards.
    XP also assigned my optical drive as E and my local hard disk as F. If I reinstall XP without the card reader plugged in (now C & D) will it still assign my optical drive a letter before the hard drive (Optical C and hard drive D)? If so, how would I get it to see the hard drive as C?
    It's an SATA drive and the Optical is on the closest connection to the power supply (if this matters).
    Thanks again
    James
     
    jamepc,
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  7. 2005/09/30
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    If you reformat and reinstall XP with the card reader disconnected your hard drive will be seen as C:\ and your optical drive as D:\ . If you connect the card reader after reinstalling XP it should be assigned the drive letters E:\ and F:\.

    If you want to change the drive letters this can be done through Disk Management (Right click My Computer > Manage > Disk Management), but I would not mess with changing C:\ drive. I am somewhat surprised that your hard drive is currently recognised as F:\ as the card reader is USB - but then that may well depend on the default BIOS settings - maybe boot from USB is enabled - if that setting exists.
     
    PeteC,
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  8. 2005/09/30
    jamepc

    jamepc Inactive Thread Starter

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    I would just reassign the drive letters but I still can't change the hard drive to C (not that it has to be C). If there is a way, I just think reinstalling would be easier since all I installed so far are programs and no data.

    The card reader is connected to a daughter board. Is it usually a USB header they are connected to?

    In regards to drive letter assignment, does the SATA connection or the Optical being connected to the closest connector to the MOBO on the ribbon cable matter?

    Thanks again,
    James
     
    jamepc,
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  9. 2005/09/30
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    There is no safe way of changing the drive letter of the boot volume - in your case F:\ .....

    See How to change drive letter assignments in Windows XP
    I'm not familiar with the Shuttle boards which differ from standard ATX boards as a result of miniaturisation. Card readers are generally USB - could well be that your daughter board is or contains a USB header.
    I doubt it, but I would attach the drive to SATA 1 and the optical (I assume this is SATA too) to SATA 2.
     
    PeteC,
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  10. 2005/09/30
    jamepc

    jamepc Inactive Thread Starter

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    I just had a close look at the daughterboard and it is a USB2 connection for the card reader.

    The SATA headers arn't numbered so I guess it does't play a factor in letter assignment.

    The optical is on the closest connection to the MOBO on a parallel cable, it's not SATA. Does this make a differencr in letter assignment? Should it be on the farthest parallel connection?

    Thanks agin for your help.
     
    jamepc,
    #9
  11. 2005/09/30
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Should make no difference although opticals are generally on the secondary EIDE connection as Master (or Master & Slave if you have 2 optical drives) with the hard drive on the primary EIDE connection. The BIOS and Windows should see the SATA as the primary hard drive and identify the optical drive for what it is whether or not it is on the primary or secondary EIDE controller..
     
    PeteC,
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  12. 2005/10/01
    oshwyn5

    oshwyn5 Inactive

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    You may also want to check your bios boot order.
    I suspect your motherboard/ bios supports booting to a usb device. When this is enabled, it will assign the card slots as C: and D: in some configurations so that you can boot to a version of linux designed for usb smart cards.
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/flashlinux/
    is an example.
     
    oshwyn5,
    #11

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