Windows 10: Certain letters assigned to a disk drive are not visible in Windows Explorer

When I assign certain letters to a drive using disk manger, the drive is not visible to This PC. For example, the k: drive is not visible in This PC, but I can access it through the cli. Task manager also sees the drive.Then I reassign the k: drive to t: using disk manager, and it's visible to This PC. If I assign any drive to k:, it is never visible to This PC. I'm gradually losing all my drive letters that This PC can see.

:)

 

Drive letter not visible in Windows Explorer

I have one and only one letter assigned to a drive that is not recognized by the Windows Explorer. It is visible in the Disk Management console.

When I change the letter Explorer displays this drive. When I assign this letter to another drive, it disappears from Explorer.

My conclusion is that not a drive is a culprit but rather some Windows settings. I was not able to find any logical answer that addresses this problem.

Thanks.

 

help. USB drive isn't assigned a drive letter.

Any usb flash drive I plug into my computer isn't assigned a drive letter. The physical drive shows in the "safely remove hardware" but it doesnt show up in disk management. I have tried to populate the volume thru the safely remove hardware properties window and it does pop up in the list but it doesn't stay there. This isn't a format or assign a letter problem. It's more complicated then that. Maybe one of the services needed for usb drive management was disabled? Suggestions needed. btw external usb harddrives work fine.

 

Order of drive letter assignment

I have a desktop system with a C drive (SSD), a D (Raid SATA) , E (SSD).

I also have an Epson WP-4535 connected via a USB port. For whatever reason, Windows assigns the next three drive letters to the printer, I'm not clear why. These assignments don't show up explorer, or the Disk Manager but do appear in the registry. I know
they are assigned to the printer because if I unplug the printer USB cable and boot, then the next available driver letter, in this case, is F.

My problem is that I decided to upgrade my E (SSD) to a M.2, and, as its an old Socket 2011 motherboard, I had to use a PCI adaptor for the M.2 SSD.

I transferred all the data from the old SSD to the new M.2, installed it, and it worked. Except that it was assigned drive letter H. All the programs installed on it, and Windows, expect it to be drive E, meaning applications can't be found or don't run.

You'd think I could assign E to the drive in Disk Manager but I can't as E is not in the list of possible letters I can assign (because it was allocated to the printer, but again the printer assigned letters not visible in the Disk Manager and editing the
registry has no effect).

Does anyone know how I can force a drive letter to always be fixed to a hardware device, or stop the printer taking drive letters?