Windows 10: File Explorer is showing 2 different drive letters for the same Hard Drive. How do I delete...

As the question states, one of my Hard Disk drives now has two drive letters.The original is Local drive E:, and the copy is Local drive L:The L: drive does not show in Disk Management.If I delete a file from L:, it is also deleted from E:The two drive letters clearly refer to the same drive.How do I stop Explorer showing the L: drive?

:)

 

2nd and 3rd Hard Drive. Both show 2 drive letters

I recently was required to reinstall Windows 10 after I installed a new SSD as my C: drive. Now, I've got everything up and running I noted the drive letters that were assigned to my second and third hard drives were different than what I use to have and
not the drive letters I preferred. I followed the instructions to change the drive letter and they did not change but rather it added the new drive letter I assigned to the old drive letter. Below, is what File Explorer shows me now. I noted that the I
and J are shown with a colon but D and E do not.

Local Disk (C

Local Disk (D) (I

Local Disk (E) (J

I then went back into Device Manager and chose to "change the drive letter" again but the next window allowed me to remove the extra drive letter so I removed it (J and found that disk no longer appeared in File Explorer at all and became inaccessible.
The drive does continue to show up in Device Manager and Disk Management and continues to show both drive letters.

I have spent several days researching this problem, trying many suggestions listed on Help web pages and nothing has been successful.

 

2nd and 3rd hard drives show two drive Letters

I recently was required to reinstall Windows 10 after I installed a new SSD as my C: drive. Now, I've got everything up and running I noted the drive letters that were assigned to my second and third hard drives were different than what I use to have and
not the drive letters I preferred. I followed the instructions to change the drive letter and they did not change but rather it added the new drive letter I assigned to the old drive letter. Below, is what File Explorer shows me now. I noted that the I
and J are shown with a colon but D and E do not.

Local Disk (C

Local Disk (D) (I

Local Disk (E) (J

I then went back into Device Manager and chose to "change the drive letter" again but the next window allowed me to remove the extra drive letter so I removed it (J and found that disk no longer appeared in File Explorer at all and became inaccessible.
The drive does continue to show up in Device Manager and Disk Management and continues to show both drive letters.

I have spent several days researching this problem, trying many suggestions listed on Help web pages and nothing has been successful.

 

Windows 11 File Explorer not showing external drive

If Windows 11 File Explorer is not showing an external drive that is connected to your device, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check the connection: Make sure that the external drive is properly connected to your device. Try unplugging and replugging the drive, or connecting it to a different USB port.
   
2. Check Disk Management: Open Disk Management by pressing Windows key + X, then selecting Disk Management. Look for the external drive in the list of drives. If it appears but has no drive letter assigned, right-click on it and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths". Assign a drive letter to the external drive, and then check if it appears in File Explorer.
   
3. Update drivers: Make sure that your device's drivers are up to date, particularly the drivers for your USB ports. Use the Device Manager to check for any outdated or malfunctioning drivers, and update or reinstall them as needed.
   
4. Check power supply: If the external drive requires a separate power supply, make sure it is properly connected and functioning.
   
5. Test on another device: Try connecting the external drive to another device to see if it appears in File Explorer. This will help determine if the issue is with the drive itself or your device.
   

By following these steps, you may be able to resolve the issue of Windows 11 File Explorer not showing an external drive.