anyone help with Xp drive error?

mcek

Hi there. Got a desktop, put in 2nd drive from old machine.
Played around with partitions on 2nd drive, decided to merge 3 back into 1.
Messed up a little, mixing logical and extended, but sorted out in end as one partition.
Problem is: Xp recognises as 3 separate drives, eg, L:, M: and N: even though only one physical drive there . I've removed drive, rebooted, switched off, reconnected, and still insists on the 3. How can I 'dismount' them entirely, start with clean slate before adding again as new?

wonderfullife_2

Hi
Go to Control Panel, Adminstrative Tools, Computer Management, Storage and click on Disk Management, and see what drives/partitions are showing. It sounds like the partitions are still there.

Hope this helps

mcek

hi there.
Sorry, should have mentioned that i looked through the disk management before.
The strange thing is, DM sees only one 2nd drive, as one partition only (L:).
So, the system tools have the right info.

But My Computer (and Total Commander, etc) sees the additional phantom drives assignments (M:, N:).
Is there somewhere I can adjust what MyComputer looks at? Somewhere in the Registry?

wonderfullife_2

Hi
Have you created virtual drives? perhaps with Alcohol 120, or similiar software, if you've used alcohol 120, open program and right click the m, n, drives and unmount.

Hope this helps

mcek

hi again.
no, no virtual drives etc.
i simply mucked up when deciding what to do with 2nd drive partitioning, mixing extended/logical/etc, created partitions then changed my mind, leaving one single partition, L: , as the Disk Manager sees correctly.

whatever segment of Xp deals info to MyComputer and other explorer functions, in TotalCommander, Nero, etc, it includes M: and N:
so are there pointers somewhere that are orphaned?

i havent actually tried using these rogue drive assignment identifiers. suppose i should check they all access the same data. there is no system problem, but this 'false' info is driving me nuts :mad:

will keep on tinkering.