Changing Drive Numbers in XP, Windows 7,8,10

10 Jan 2016

What happen when one gets to the Windows'  Computer Management and wanted to change the drive letter  and one cannot find the available drive letter.   

Why?

The drive letter has been used by other devices.   When we plug in a thumb drive for example,  Windows will assign a drive letter and this letter is saved in the Windows' Registry.

How To Change?

There are always software available to overcome this problem.  The easiest way I found is to amend the drive letter inside the Windows' Registry.

Where in Windows' Registry?

1.   Startup by typing "regedit" in the search box of the start button and run "regedit" as an adminstrator

Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/MountedDevices.  A screen as follows will show up

 2.  Right click the disk letter you found and choose to rename the device to other drive letter.

The PC will only let release the drive letter after one has restarted the PC.