Windows 10: stop win assigning usb drive letter

How do I stop windows from assigning drive letters to unused USB ports?

:)

 

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.

 

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

maybe your USB drive is trying to assign a drive letter that is already taken.

goto

start > control panel > administrative tools > computer manager > disk manager

find your USB drive and assign is a drive letter

 

USB drive letter assignments

Long-winded background:

I have a USB flash drive that I assigned to drive D: in Disk Management. Occasionally when I'm not thinking, I plug it in when another external drive is connected and already assigned D: by Windows. The flash drive then gets reassigned as E:. I know I
can switch it back to D: in Disk Management, but frankly my original reason for assigning a fixed letter is not such a big deal anymore. Is there a way to "undo" fixed letter assignments? I'd like to just let the drive float again.

TL;DR:

Once you assign a fixed drive letter in Disk Management, is there a way to "undo" and let the drive assignment float again?