Change the Drive Letter

Last Updated: December 15, 2006

Change the Drive Letters in Windows XP

I change the default drive letter of most of my drives.  I like my USB flash drive to be the same drive letter on all of the computers at home and at work.  I can use the same batch file on all of the computers to backup the USB flash drive.

I also like the DVD drives to be fixed drive letters so that I can add and subtract internal hard drives without changing the DVD drive letters.  In the old days, some software was poorly written and expecting the CD or DVD drive to be the same drive letter.  An example includes clip art saved on the CD or DVD drive instead of the hard drive.  If the CD or DVD drive letter changed, the software refused to find the clip art.  It also makes it easy if the DVD drive is always drive S: on the computers at home.  I don't have to remember that this computer has one hard drive and therefore the DVD is D: while the other computer has two hard drives and therefore the DVD is E:.

My external hard drive that I use for backups also has a fixed drive letter.  I don't have to worry about a backup failing because the backup software didn't find the external hard drive on the same drive letter it used last time.  This happened when I forgot to unplug a memory card reader.

I recommend using letters in the last third of the alphabet.  I chose drive S: and T: for the two DVD drives, but almost any drive letters would work.  A: and B: are reserved for floppy drives.  C: is reserved for a bootable hard drive.  Everything else is available.

Here's how to change the drive letters.  It requires a reboot after you're done, so don't do this if you are in the middle of something else.  Click on:

• Start
• Programs or All Programs
• Administrative Tools folder
• Computer Management
• Double click on Disk Management (left, bottom)
• Maximize the dialog box size or scroll down the list of drives
• Right click the drive letter
• Change the drive letter
• Reboot when prompted

If you can't see the Administration Tools folder, then make it appear by following the steps below.

Start Menu (Windows XP version): Start, Control Panel, Taskbar and Start Menu icon, Start Menu tab, Customize... button, Advanced tab, scroll to the bottom of the list in the Start Menu Items box and click on the circle next to Display on the All Programs menu, OK, OK.

Classic Start Menu: Start, Control Panel, Taskbar and Start Menu icon, Start Menu tab, Customize... button, add a check mark next to Display Administrative Tools in the Advanced Start menu options box, OK, OK.

Mapping Drive Letters on a Home Network

I like my drive letters for shared network drives to be the same on all of the computers.  I also like to have the drive letter give me a hint on what what files I'll see if I open that drive in My Computer or Windows Explorer.  For example, F: is for Flash drive, I: is for iPod, M: is for Music, P: is for Photos, V: is for Videos, and W: is for Web site.