Can't Rename External Hard Drive in Windows 10 Pro

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  1. Posts : 81
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Can't Rename External Hard Drive in Windows 10 Pro


    Hello TenForums! Been a while.

    I've looked up every guide imaginable, including this one, and I can't seem to rename my A: drive on my Windows 10 Pro install, version 1909, OS build 18363.778.

    Can't Rename External Hard Drive in Windows 10 Pro-image.png


    I've tried using the elevated command prompt method, the elevated PowerShell method, the Disk Management method where I change the drive letter and then rename the label, I've tried right clicking it and everything in between.

    Can't Rename External Hard Drive in Windows 10 Pro-image.png


    I possess Full control over the object, and all child object permissions have been replaced.

    I've tried disconnecting it and reconnecting it, restarting my PC.

    The only thing I haven't tried is formatting it - which isn't something I really want to do, seeing as I have ~5TB of storage on there.

    Any idea what I could try?

    Thanks in advance!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 13,848
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #2

    I just did it to this Notebook by right-click of the drive icon in File Explorer, clicked Rename and put in what I wanted. Did get prompted that I needed Admin permission to do it but I was logged in with it anyway.

    It has been awhile since I last saw someone use Drive A and Drive B for internal drives, only my 4-year-old computer's BIOS doesn't have the option of a floppy drive so that should free up A and B for Windows to use. Linux and Mac does things differently.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 81
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Berton said:
    I just did it to this Notebook by right-click of the drive icon in File Explorer, clicked Rename and put in what I wanted. Did get prompted that I needed Admin permission to do it but I was logged in with it anyway.
    Berton said:

    It has been awhile since I last saw someone use Drive A and Drive B for internal drives, only my 4-year-old computer's BIOS doesn't have the option of a floppy drive so that should free up A and B for Windows to use. Linux and Mac does things differently.


    Here's me trying to do that same thing.

      My Computer


  4. Posts : 81
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Update: still not able to rename the drive and have it say Archive (A:) in Windows.

    Should I use Linux or something else to rename the drive?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 13,848
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #5

    Looking at a drive and its Properties shows it probably won't accept the parenthesis and if assigned a drive letter in Disk Management wouldn't need the A, would automatically show when the letter was assigned. I tried renaming a drive and there was no message bout which characters were prohibited, just didn't change what was there. There were certain characters that wouldn't be accepted in the "old" DOS commands and some of those commands are available in the newer Command Prompt. One other thing, are you by chance using the SUBST command on a drive? In Command Prompt type subst /? to get more information.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #6

    davidvkimball said:
    ...I can't seem to rename my A: drive ... ....The only thing I haven't tried is formatting it - which isn't something I really want to do, seeing as I have ~5TB of storage on there.
    Something doesn't look right here. You say you have ~5TB on this drive, but Disk Management in your video shows it to be empty, 100% free space.


    Can't Rename External Hard Drive in Windows 10 Pro-image.png
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 81
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Bree said:
    Something doesn't look right here. You say you have ~5TB on this drive, but Disk Management in your video shows it to be empty, 100% free space.

    Can't Rename External Hard Drive in Windows 10 Pro-image.png
    Whoa, you're right. That's definitely strange. I'm not sure how I could format it without losing my files, though, since it's the largest drive I have...
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #8

    davidvkimball said:
    Whoa, you're right. That's definitely strange. I'm not sure how I could format it without losing my files, though, since it's the largest drive I have...
    Have you formatted it by accident? Or can you still see the files on it? If you can still see the files then there is something very odd going on. I'm not sure what, but it may be a clue to your other problem.


    If you are resigned to reformatting it, then a similar problem was resolved by using Diskpart to do the job, cleaning then reformatting.

    Can't Rename Drive Label in Windows 10
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 81
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Bree said:
    Have you formatted it by accident? Or can you still see the files on it? If you can still see the files then there is something very odd going on. I'm not sure what, but it may be a clue to your other problem.


    If you are resigned to reformatting it, then a similar problem was resolve by using Diskpart to do the job.

    Can't Rename Drive Label in Windows 10
    Thank you! I can access the files on it seemingly as normal. Pretty strange. I'll use this if I gotta.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 81
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Bree said:
    Have you formatted it by accident? Or can you still see the files on it? If you can still see the files then there is something very odd going on. I'm not sure what, but it may be a clue to your other problem.


    If you are resigned to reformatting it, then a similar problem was resolved by using Diskpart to do the job, cleaning then reformatting.

    Can't Rename Drive Label in Windows 10
    Hey Bree,

    Using the steps from this post, I was able to fix it!

    Can't Rename External Hard Drive in Windows 10 Pro-image.png

    Thank you very much!

    Edit: How do I mark this thread as solved?
      My Computer


 

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