Unwanted Drive Letter Change


  1. Newmaven
    Posts : 131
    Win 10 Pro x64 Ver 20H2
       New #1

    Unwanted Drive Letter Change


    In addition to my C: drive, I have two HDDs in a drive dock, which I intend to install inside my PC shortly. Originally, these two HDDs were E: and G:. I partitioned G: into F: and G:, which worked -- but the E: drive (which a lot of shortcuts point to) became H:. "This PC" shows a USB drive as E: (and another as S:), although no USB drives are currently in the system.

    I believe there was a USB E: drive briefly, months ago, but the HDD has been the E: drive since then. I know there was an S:. Clicking on either USB drive to open it brings up a prompt to insert a disk.

    How do I change my data HDD from H: back to E: and make it stick?

    OS 21H1, OS Build 19043.1165
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Unwanted Drive Letter Change-drive-re-lettering.jpg  
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  3. idgat
    Posts : 2,152
    Windows 11 Pro (latest update ... forever anal)
       New #2

    I found Windows can be a bit determined when it gets it in it's head that a drive or partition should have a particular letter, and often won't let go.

    Resolved this by wiping drive, deleting partition, and re-partitioning and allocating a defined drive letter (as you appear to have done with the other drive).

    It is possible that the existing E: drive (and S: drive) are SD card slots.

    Start menu > Windows System > Control Panel > top RH corner change to Small icons > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management

    Does E: or S: show up ? Just make sure they're not system partitions which have been allocated a drive letter ((shouldn't happen, but have seen it)

    If so, right click on each > Change drive letter and paths ... > Remove. That will release the drive letter for (re)allocation to another drive


    To manage your drives/partitions, you could also try UeaseUS or AOMEI freeware partition managers - better GUI than Windows Disk Management
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  4. Steve C
    Posts : 7,905
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
       New #3

    You could try a utility like this View / Change / Remove drive letters assignment in your system
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  6. AddRAM
    Posts : 4,594
    Windows 10 Pro
       New #4

    Once you install them in your PC permanently, you should be able to change the letter and it will stick
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  7. Newmaven
    Posts : 131
    Win 10 Pro x64 Ver 20H2
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    I used Drive Management, as recommended above, and it worked like a charm, once I deleted the phantom E:\.

    Thanks, everyone!
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