Author Topic: Fixed Drive Letters for Removable Drives (Read 28512 times)

anjan_oleti · « **on:** October 14, 2007, 05:27 PM »

Is there a way to assign a Fixed Drive Letter for a removable drive (usb or hard drive), irrespective of the computer with which it is used?

I would like to have some toolbars, macros, etc. to use Fixed Paths, even when used in other computers..

Cheers!

Lashiec · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2007, 05:35 PM »

I don't think so, mostly to avoid hardware conflicts. If you assign "F:" to your USB drive, it would work fine on your computer, for example, but could not do the same in other computers. If I'm correct, drive letters are assigned on boot up, and they follow a criteria for being assigned, like first SATA, then IDE and finally external ones.

But I'll love to be proved wrong, better for you

anjan_oleti · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2007, 05:44 PM »

I would like to assign letters from Z,Y,X... backwards to my removable drives to eliminate/minimize the possibility of conflict

Darwin · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2007, 05:58 PM »

Well, you can do that via the USB drive letter manager, but it wouldn't follow you from computer to computer - only work on the computer it is installed and configured on...

f0dder · « **Reply #4 on:** October 14, 2007, 06:21 PM »

Yeah, there really isn't any way to assign them automatically on other computers. Software designed to run on portable devices (and heck, just about any other software as well) shouldn't use hardcoded paths.

PhilB66 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2007, 06:53 PM »

Bill Castner discussed it in the AUMHA Forums: The Care and Feeding of USB Storage Devices in XP.

edbro · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2007, 09:20 PM »

Yeah, there really isn't any way to assign them automatically on other computers.
-f0dder (October 14, 2007, 06:21 PM)

There is if you use Powerpro. I use the following startup script:

local DrvLtr = select(pprofolder, 3) ; selects the drive letter that Powepro is running from
local string = "T: " ++ DrvLtr ; build string to send to the subst command line
local ed = DrvLtr ++ ?"powerpro\substt.exe" ; renamed subst.exe to fool restrictions on work computer
do(ed, string) ; Assigns USB drive to T:

If you had any other utility running that reported back the drive letter you could use subst.exe from a batch file.

anjan_oleti · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2007, 10:30 PM »

There is if you use Powerpro. I use the following startup script:

local DrvLtr = select(pprofolder, 3) ; selects the drive letter that Powepro is running from
local string = "T: " ++ DrvLtr ; build string to send to the subst command line
local ed = DrvLtr ++ ?"powerpro\substt.exe" ; renamed subst.exe to fool restrictions on work computer
do(ed, string) ; Assigns USB drive to T:

If you had any other utility running that reported back the drive letter you could use subst.exe from a batch file.
-edbro (October 14, 2007, 09:20 PM)

Oh! I do use PowerPro... yet, cannot figure out how to use this startup script $:-\$
Could you explain it in detail please?

And, is PowerPro portable? Would be great, if it is!

edbro · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2007, 07:20 AM »

Powerpro is mostly portable as is. Just copy it over to your usb drive. You will not be able to have shell integration or tray support but most other functions work fine.

Copy my script above into a text file and name it "startup.powerpro". Then from the Scheduler tab of Powerpro Config, have it run that script at startup. My script points to a copy of subst.exe that I renamed to substt.exe because I'm not allowed to run subst.exe on my work computer. Renaming the file fools the restrictions. You probably can just point to the local copy that is already installed in all Windows machines.

Ehtyar · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2007, 07:47 AM »

Very simple way to handle this: G:\myfavapp\app.exe = \myfavapp\app.exe. Problem solved

Ehtyar.

anjan_oleti · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2007, 09:33 PM »

Thanks a lot, edbro!

tomos · « **Reply #11 on:** October 16, 2007, 03:23 AM »

Very simple way to handle this: G:\myfavapp\app.exe = \myfavapp\app.exe. Problem solved
-Ehtyar (October 15, 2007, 07:47 AM)

????? (or was it a joke that went over my head ??

)

Ehtyar · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2007, 06:01 PM »

Just remove the drive spec, windows will interpret it as "from the root of the drive this program is running off". Why didn't you just try it?

Ehtyar.

suleika · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2007, 06:17 PM »

Bill Castner discussed it in the AUMHA Forums: The Care and Feeding of USB Storage Devices in XP.
-PhilB66 (October 14, 2007, 06:53 PM)

Thank you for this reference, PhilB66. I have now set up my various usb sticks and drives to my liking, mounted in NTFS folders.

tomos · « **Reply #14 on:** October 17, 2007, 02:59 AM »

Just remove the drive spec, windows will interpret it as "from the root of the drive this program is running off". Why didn't you just try it?
-Ehtyar (October 16, 2007, 06:01 PM)

hi Ehtyar,
I wasnt trying to be smart (well maybe I was but I didnt mean to offend) -
in fact the opposite is the root problem

(being completely ignorant of how to proceed)

I do want to make my usb stick a fixed drive
~~But while~~ I have no idea what to do iwith "G:\myfavapp\app.exe = \myfavapp\app.exe" -
is it intended for PowerPro as well? I do have PP running... do I make a script with it as edbro suggested?
it probably doesnt suit me cause I use the USB stick for backup -
I dont think I have any programmes on it anymore

[On the other hand if it's as easy as you say I could put a programme on it simply to implement this]

anjan_oleti · « **Reply #15 on:** October 18, 2007, 02:18 AM »

Very simple way to handle this: G:\myfavapp\app.exe = \myfavapp\app.exe. Problem solved

Ehtyar.
-Ehtyar (October 15, 2007, 07:47 AM)

It doesn't work!
I thought it would work with Windows Explorer... but no luck, in my comp atleast
But when command line is used for programs, it definitely does not work!

Ehtyar · « **Reply #16 on:** October 18, 2007, 07:17 AM »

You're right, it doesn't work in explorer. I don't use explorer to launch my portable apps so i never noticed.
I don't use powerpro either, so i cannot speak to your specific problem, but most programs will accept a path without the drive spec and will act as though it is relative the the root of the current drive.

Hope it helps out in the long run, Ehtyar.

anjan_oleti · « **Reply #17 on:** October 19, 2007, 12:56 AM »

Oh! Okay, now I understand what exactly you meant.. sure, it helps! Thanks!

Target · « **Reply #18 on:** November 06, 2007, 01:11 AM »

Bill Castner discussed it in the AUMHA Forums: The Care and Feeding of USB Storage Devices in XP.

great solution, however if you have multiple USB devices in use you don't get any indication of which is which when you try to remove a device, ie I use both a key and and MP3 player. Using the NTFS junction method makes these devices appear identical when I want to remove a device (unless I go the long way round and right click)...

anyone got any suggestions???

Target

Ehtyar · « **Reply #19 on:** November 06, 2007, 04:00 PM »

I wrote myself a tray app a while back that when right clicked displays a list a of all drives on the system with their drive spec and name. It was originally so i could open drives fast on systems where i had to use the start menu. I'm afraid that's the only way I've ever managed what you're talking about.

Ehtyar.

Target · « **Reply #20 on:** November 06, 2007, 05:34 PM »

not sure what you're talking about here - opening/accessing the drives isn't a problem, it's shutting them down I'm having problems with...

the screen shot below shows 2 devices, one is my MP3 player (listed as F) and the other a USB key (just listed as a device)

Screenshot - 07_11_07 , 9_28_32.png

The USB key has been assigned an NTFS junction, while the player hasn't (for this port). Obviously if I assign them both NTFS junctions, then they will both appear identical...

so, how to tell them apart....

Target

Ehtyar · « **Reply #21 on:** November 06, 2007, 07:21 PM »

My reply was ambiguous. To omit the unnecessary details, i have an application that shows me the names of all my drives against the drive letters. Basically, looking at this list allows me to match the name of the drive i want to remove with the letter, then i can use the windows safely remove hardware wizard.

Ehtyar.

Target · « **Reply #22 on:** November 06, 2007, 10:28 PM »

thanks for clarifying this, unfortunately it doesn't help...

Once you've assigned your usb devices to NTFS junctions, they all appear identical in the remove usb storage device popup, ie for each device assigned a junction, you will see the line 'safely remove usb mass storage device'. There is no reference to device names or drive letters (cos there aren't any!!).

If you right click on the tray icon and select safely remove hardware, you get a more detailed dialog box, with the option to drill down (in a tree view) on each device. Using this method you can id which devices are which but at the expense of convenience (and when it's all said and done, that's what these things are supposed to be about)

Target

Ehtyar · « **Reply #23 on:** November 07, 2007, 05:11 AM »

Oh dear I'm sorry i obviously didn't read your original post well enough. In that case I'm afraid i have no other suggestions. Sorry for wasting your time

.

Ehtyar.

Target · « **Reply #24 on:** November 07, 2007, 04:55 PM »

not wasted, so no apology necessary

any and all discussions welcome...

Target