Windows 10: Printer shows as removable drive

I have an Epsom A810 printer, connected to desktop PC by USB.

The printer has a USB port for loading pictures to the printer from a thumb drive. Thing is, this port makes the printer show up in Disk Management and My PC as a removable drive.

But it is not a drive at all. I can't access the files on the thumb drive through the printer, so it functions as a phantom drive.

Does anyone know of a method to stop Windows from recognizing the printer as a removable drive?

:)

 

USB Drive Appears as "Removable Drive"

Hi. I need some help here.

I am currently using 2 devices at home - an old Dell laptop on Windows XP and a Surface Pro 3 on Windows 10. The thing is my USB thumb drives and external hard disks which I have named them on Windows XP all appears as only "Removable Drive" on Windows 10.

For example, I have a pendrive which I named as Games 8GB. When I plugged it into my SP3, the name appears as "Removable Drive". I can still access my stuff inside the drive though.

I have scanned it and no virus / malware detected. I even use my SP3 to format the thumb drive and trying to rename it, but I could not. Even after countless attempts to rename it, the name is still stuck as removable drive. But when I use my Windows XP
to do it, I am able to rename those drives.

It's not a big issue, but it irks me that all my drives plugged into my SP3 all appear unnamed. Does anyone have a similar issue and any ideas how I can rectify this problem?

Thanks!

 

USB Drive Appears as "Removable Drive"

Hi Benjy,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

It is unfortunate that you are facing this issue. I will be glad to assist you.

Please try the methods below and check if this helps in resolving the issue with the pen drive. This issue might be because the drivers might not be installed or pen drive might have been corrupted.

Method 1: Run hardware and devices troubleshooter.

• Connect the pen drive to laptop.
• Press the ‘Windows + Q’ key on the keyboard.
• Type troubleshooting in the search box and then press
  ENTER.
• Select Troubleshooting.
• Click on view all and select Hardware and devices.
• Click next and follow the on-screen instructions.

Method 2: Check USB pen is working fine on a different computer. You may check after uninstalling and reinstalling the USB drivers if you are able to connect. You may disconnect all USB devices
and then perform the following steps

• Press Windows key + X, Click on Device Manager.
• In Device Manager, double click to expand "Universal
  Serial Bus controllers", right click on the Host Controller, click "Uninstall" and click "OK".
• Check if there is an exclamation mark next to any of the drivers; it indicates issues with the driver installed.
• Repeat the step b to uninstall all items under "Universal
  Serial Bus controllers".

Then, restart your computer and Windows will reinstall all USB controllers automatically.

If you still face the same issue then you may check for the updated USB device drivers using windows update.

If the issue sill persists I would request you to check for chipset driver updates which you can get at the manufacturer website.

Hope this helps. If the issue persists, please get back to us. We are here to assist you.

 

Yes, Windows uses that port as a removable drive. The same thing happen if the printer have a card reader on it.

Try to change drive letter and path... for the printer, give it a lower letter like "P", hope it'll working again.

To stop Windows from recognizing as a removable drive? Can't find any tricks for that.

 

Yes, I always give that "drive" the letter W, even on Windows 7. That doesn't change anything.

 

This is normal, my Epson has a USB and a MS/SD slot and they both show in Disk Management and This PC with 2 Drive letters. It will only show in both places when Printer is on and only will show in This PC because i have it selected in File Explorer options to show Hidden Files, Folders and Drives.

 

Thanks. I keep checking - to see if anyone has come up with a workaround.

 

Your Welcome. Not sure i completely understand then what the problem is, this is normal for it to show up this way, did you check File Explorer options if do not want it to show in This PC ? Do you want it to show in This PC ? Mine show as Drives in This PC with a printer icon only when printer is on, same in Disk Management without an icon of course.

 

Not a problem, just an annoyance.

To me that printer is not a drive and shouldn't be treated as such. Would love to be able to have it ignored (without ticking the box to tell Windows to ignore ALL empty drives).

It doesn't cause any harm and I'm good at ignoring it, but I always want COMPLETE CONTROL! *Wink

 

Only annoyance would be where you can not hide it, in Disk Management. As said mine only shows when Printer is on and it is considered like a drive, USB Drive and Media Drive (MS/SD) , so your Printer has a drive.

I have a card reader that shows 4 in Disk management without anything in them and 4 in This PC because i chose to show Hidden Drives. So you do have control over This PC and truthfully it was always like this with other OS's.

Example, hook a Digital camera up, shows as a drive, some Cell phones do the same.

You can never control everything, even in life *Cool

 

Hey,More power to ya ! *092Good luck !