Question

Windows XP assign drive letter to portable device permanently

Asked by: JoeFletcher

I have a portable mp3 player I plug in via USB that shows up in My Computer without a driver letter.  I think this is b/c it's treated as a system folder or attached storage or some sort of thing.  I am able to browse to my portable device using Windows Explorer.

I have syncing software called Syncback SE that is able to sync from my hard drive to any drive with a letter.  Right now, Syncback doesn't "see" my portable device.  So, I'd like to see if I can assign my portable device / USB port a drive letter so that Syncback can see it.

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Asked On
2008-03-31 at 15:51:10ID23284242
Tags

CD & MP3 Players

Topics

Home Theater Systems

,

Windows XP Operating System

,

Networking Hardware

Participating Experts
4
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0
Comments
7

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Answers

 

by: flubbsterPosted on 2008-03-31 at 16:59:06ID: 21250162

You can try this:

Insert your device and see that it is recognized. Then, right-click on My Computer and select Manage.

Select Disk Management

If your device shows up i the detected drives list on right side, right-click on it and select Change Drive Letter and Path.

Change Drive Letter to an available drive and path if needed.

 

by: arekkusu82Posted on 2008-03-31 at 19:51:00ID: 21250875

I might add that this will only work with this USB flash drive. You will have to do this, again.

 

by: cool_sathish_333Posted on 2008-04-01 at 04:11:25ID: 21252731

Hello JoeFletcher, This question already resides in the solved database of experts exchange... Take a look at this...

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Storage/Removable_Backup_Media/Q_23163132.html

-$athi$h...

 

by: JoeFletcherPosted on 2008-04-02 at 10:27:08ID: 21265282

I tried the disk management, but it does not show up (see attached). Win XP says it's a Portable Media Player, not a USB Mass Storage Device.  So I'm wondering if there's a way to assign a drive letter to a Portable Media Player.  I can explore the PMP through Windows Explorer, and eventually I get this path, note the lack of drive letter:  My Computer\Joe Mp3\Storage Media\Music

 

by: JoeFletcherPosted on 2008-04-03 at 15:29:04ID: 21277574

Must be a stumper.  Any one?

 

by: JoeFletcherPosted on 2008-04-14 at 07:33:00ID: 21350333

Closing this. I believe the answer is "you can't do that" because I think the portable player's files are managed by a database, not as files on a drive.

 

by: crwsPosted on 2008-09-29 at 08:25:34ID: 22597349

I don't believe this question was answered, so here is the solution:
Right click "My Computer", select properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager. You will see something in the nature of "Portable Media Device" listed in the device tree. Double click or right click your corresponding item. Select Driver -> Update Driver -> Install from List -> Don't Search -> Show compatible hardware. In the selection options should be "USB Mass Storage Device"  (The inf file for this is usbstor.inf). This method will  install your MP3 player with a drive letter, and skip the preconfigured Windows Media assignments...

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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