Windows Vista Beta | WinVistaBeta.com - Message | What are all these removable disks in Vista?

December 03, 2008  
Subject: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 9:18:03 AM
From: "Steve Turner" [Email Address Protection]

Please be gentle. I am coming from XP after years. And just learning Vista.
When I bring up "my computer" I have all these removable disks. After my E
drive, which is the internal DVD RW drive, I have 4 other drives all
labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't have any physical drives in
my machine. I have one large HDD which is partitioned with a factory image
and the primary boot drive, C. What I can't fathom is why I have all these
removable drives. It make sense to have one because I have a pocket drive in
the machine. But 3 others?


Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 9:24:45 AM
From: "Chris S." [Email Address Protection]


"Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
news:OL81Btz7IHA.2016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Please be gentle. I am coming from XP after years. And just learning
> Vista. When I bring up "my computer" I have all these removable disks.
> After my E drive, which is the internal DVD RW drive, I have 4 other
> drives all labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't have any
> physical drives in my machine. I have one large HDD which is partitioned
> with a factory image and the primary boot drive, C. What I can't fathom is
> why I have all these removable drives. It make sense to have one because I
> have a pocket drive in the machine. But 3 others?

Do you have a multi-card (camera) reader? Either built-in or external?


Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 9:24:24 AM
From: "Alex Clayton" [Email Address Protection]

"Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
news:OL81Btz7IHA.2016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Please be gentle. I am coming from XP after years. And just learning
> Vista. When I bring up "my computer" I have all these removable disks.
> After my E drive, which is the internal DVD RW drive, I have 4 other
> drives all labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't have any
> physical drives in my machine. I have one large HDD which is partitioned
> with a factory image and the primary boot drive, C. What I can't fathom is
> why I have all these removable drives. It make sense to have one because I
> have a pocket drive in the machine. But 3 others?
>
Do you have other things plugged in by USB port? Mine will show everything
plugged in as a removable drive, jump drives, camera memory card, music
player and such, but they only show if plugged in.
--
To err is human.....
But to blame someone else shows management potential.


Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 9:31:14 AM
From: "John D. Sheridan" [Email Address Protection]

Do you have a memory card reader? 4 drives sounds like one. Even if
there's no card in the slot, it reserves a drive letter. If not, then
double-click on "Safely Remove Hardware" icon, make sure the box next to
"Display Device Components" is checked, and it should tell you what they
are. You would see a USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it. You
should also be able to see it in Device Manager.

This hasn't changed much, if at all, from XP.

John



"Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
news:OL81Btz7IHA.2016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Please be gentle. I am coming from XP after years. And just learning
> Vista. When I bring up "my computer" I have all these removable disks.
> After my E drive, which is the internal DVD RW drive, I have 4 other
> drives all labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't have any
> physical drives in my machine. I have one large HDD which is partitioned
> with a factory image and the primary boot drive, C. What I can't fathom is
> why I have all these removable drives. It make sense to have one because I
> have a pocket drive in the machine. But 3 others?



Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 9:48:46 AM
From: Ringmaster [Email Address Protection]

On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:18:03 -0700, "Steve Turner"
<stevezygote@telus.net> wrote:

>Please be gentle. I am coming from XP after years. And just learning Vista.
>When I bring up "my computer" I have all these removable disks. After my E
>drive, which is the internal DVD RW drive, I have 4 other drives all
>labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't have any physical drives in
>my machine. I have one large HDD which is partitioned with a factory image
>and the primary boot drive, C. What I can't fathom is why I have all these
>removable drives. It make sense to have one because I have a pocket drive in
>the machine. But 3 others?

It's just another Vista bug. I too sometimes go to Windows Explorer
and Vista lists internal drives as external or removable.

Another dumb thing is Vista will not always show details when you look
under computer.

For example I have C, E, F, G and H as internal drives plus many
externals which are usually off. Vista SHOULD show the free space as
gray text under all drives but if you use a longer than expected name
for a drive, like I do for G (Unfinished Video Archive 1) the name you
give it shows but the gray text listing the drive's free space no
longer shows. Ditto for my H drive which also has a longer name.

Vista is filled will little mistakes like this... There is plenty of
room for this detail to show but I guess the beta testers were too
dumb to catch it...or if they did report it Microsoft they left this
obvious blunder unfixed. Either way a sure sign Vista was rushed out
the door without proper testing. Releasing UNTESTED buggy software is
a hallmark of Microsoft as any seasoned Windows user knows.

Some people think I hate Microsoft for pointing out these glaring
errors. No, I point them out because people have a right to know how
messed up Vista is. You paid for it, but it obviously isn't a
finished, not nearly polished ready for release version. That's the
biggest knock on Microsoft and easily documented. They just don't care
how sloppy the "finished" product is and might patch it later, years
later or not.

Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 9:45:59 AM
From: "Steve Turner" [Email Address Protection]

"Alex Clayton" <alexx1400@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:O-udnU6Fd5lk0hbVnZ2dnUVZ_qLinZ2d@nventure.com...
> "Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
> news:OL81Btz7IHA.2016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Please be gentle. I am coming from XP after years. And just learning
>> Vista. When I bring up "my computer" I have all these removable disks.
>> After my E drive, which is the internal DVD RW drive, I have 4 other
>> drives all labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't have any
>> physical drives in my machine. I have one large HDD which is partitioned
>> with a factory image and the primary boot drive, C. What I can't fathom
>> is why I have all these removable drives. It make sense to have one
>> because I have a pocket drive in the machine. But 3 others?
>>
> Do you have other things plugged in by USB port? Mine will show everything
> plugged in as a removable drive, jump drives, camera memory card, music
> player and such, but they only show if plugged in.
> --
> To err is human.....
> But to blame someone else shows management potential.


I have an HP printer and a DVD Ram drive. The DVD Ram drive shows up as
exactly that. Then there are the other three unknowns.



Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 9:48:43 AM
From: "Steve Turner" [Email Address Protection]

"John D. Sheridan" <jdsheridan@b5.org> wrote in message
news:%23uKGI0z7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Do you have a memory card reader? 4 drives sounds like one. Even if
> there's no card in the slot, it reserves a drive letter. If not, then
> double-click on "Safely Remove Hardware" icon, make sure the box next to
> "Display Device Components" is checked, and it should tell you what they
> are. You would see a USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it.
> You should also be able to see it in Device Manager.
>
> This hasn't changed much, if at all, from XP.
>
> John

HA! I have to find the "safetly remove hardware" icon. On my XP machine it
appears in the system tray. I thought it was pretty superfluous. I had
Magic's freeware virtual drive installed. I haven't attempted to do that
with Vista yet.

There is NO USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it that I can see.
But it may well be. Remember, I got thing about 36 hours ago!



Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 11:14:00 AM
From: fb [Email Address Protection]

Ringmaster wrote:
Some people think I hate Microsoft for pointing out these glaring
errors.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not at all. Most in here realized long ago that you have no idea what
you're doing and so you blame your ineptness and incompetence on MS.
You're a weak little pile of useless crap with a big mouth stupid mouth.
Best you get lost...again...and don't bother to come back this time.
You are the main noise in here.
Otherwise, I'll just keep kicking your dumb ass all over this ng, mr
gotemeyer.

Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 11:23:48 AM
From: Kicking Albright [Email Address Protection]

Ringmaster wrote:

<snipped>

I want to know this, Albright. When do you become an authority on
anything anti-fanboy?

Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 12:24:24 PM
From: Ringmaster [Email Address Protection]

On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:14:00 -0700, fb <aliasis@sheep-fukker.ima>
wrote:

>Ringmaster wrote:
>Some people think I hate Microsoft for pointing out these glaring
>errors.
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Not at all. Most in here realized long ago that you have no idea what
>you're doing and so you blame your ineptness and incompetence on MS.

As usual I document Vista flaws, instead of Frank being able to
dispute what I said does happen this bozo launches into another
tirade.

>You're a weak little pile of useless crap with a big mouth stupid mouth.

The true Frank can't be contained. You are nothing but a ignorant,
always cursing, lie spreading buffoon while you pretend to be the
ultimate Windows expert. What you are besides being nuts is the number
one Microsoft apologist.

>Best you get lost...again...and don't bother to come back this time.
>You are the main noise in here.
>Otherwise, I'll just keep kicking your dumb ass all over this ng, mr
>gotemeyer.

You know Frank, they have drugs that might help you control your rage
and your dementia. Or... continue to rant and rave and stroke out from
your elevated blood pressure and constant stress you cause yourself.
Your choice. Are you smart enough to make the correct one?

Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 3:35:56 PM
From: "John D. Sheridan" [Email Address Protection]

"Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
news:etMm$9z7IHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> "John D. Sheridan" <jdsheridan@b5.org> wrote in message
> news:%23uKGI0z7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Do you have a memory card reader? 4 drives sounds like one. Even if
>> there's no card in the slot, it reserves a drive letter. If not, then
>> double-click on "Safely Remove Hardware" icon, make sure the box next to
>> "Display Device Components" is checked, and it should tell you what they
>> are. You would see a USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it.
>> You should also be able to see it in Device Manager.
>>
>> This hasn't changed much, if at all, from XP.
>>
>> John
>
> HA! I have to find the "safetly remove hardware" icon. On my XP machine it
> appears in the system tray. I thought it was pretty superfluous. I had
> Magic's freeware virtual drive installed. I haven't attempted to do that
> with Vista yet.
>
> There is NO USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it that I can
> see. But it may well be. Remember, I got thing about 36 hours ago!

Then how many, if any, USB Mass Storage Devices do see? Also, some printers
with card readers built-in will reserve drive letters for them. You should
also be able to right-click on any of the "extra" drives, choose properties,
then the Hardware tab, and, after eliminating the known drives, figure out
what they are.

John



Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 3:53:07 PM
From: "John D. Sheridan" [Email Address Protection]

"Ringmaster" <bigtop@VistaGeneralCircus.net> wrote in message
news:h5km8497468jjuc5l3u7uoiem4dken5nt6@4ax.com...
> It's just another Vista bug. I too sometimes go to Windows Explorer
> and Vista lists internal drives as external or removable.

I would suggest a system recovery, and soon.

Yours or the PC's, take your pick.

John



Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 4:06:03 PM
From: "Mrs. Ringmaster" [Email Address Protection]

Ringmaster wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:18:03 -0700, "Steve Turner"
> <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote:
>
>> Please be gentle. I am coming from XP after years. And just learning Vista.
>> When I bring up "my computer" I have all these removable disks. After my E
>> drive, which is the internal DVD RW drive, I have 4 other drives all
>> labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't have any physical drives in
>> my machine. I have one large HDD which is partitioned with a factory image
>> and the primary boot drive, C. What I can't fathom is why I have all these
>> removable drives. It make sense to have one because I have a pocket drive in
>> the machine. But 3 others?
>
> It's just another Vista bug. I too sometimes go to Windows Explorer
> and Vista lists internal drives as external or removable.
>
> Another dumb thing is Vista will not always show details when you look
> under computer.
>
> For example I have C, E, F, G and H as internal drives plus many
> externals which are usually off. Vista SHOULD show the free space as
> gray text under all drives but if you use a longer than expected name
> for a drive, like I do for G (Unfinished Video Archive 1) the name you
> give it shows but the gray text listing the drive's free space no
> longer shows. Ditto for my H drive which also has a longer name.
>
> Vista is filled will little mistakes like this... There is plenty of
> room for this detail to show but I guess the beta testers were too
> dumb to catch it...or if they did report it Microsoft they left this
> obvious blunder unfixed. Either way a sure sign Vista was rushed out
> the door without proper testing. Releasing UNTESTED buggy software is
> a hallmark of Microsoft as any seasoned Windows user knows.
>
> Some people think I hate Microsoft for pointing out these glaring
> errors. No, I point them out because people have a right to know how
> messed up Vista is. You paid for it, but it obviously isn't a
> finished, not nearly polished ready for release version. That's the
> biggest knock on Microsoft and easily documented. They just don't care
> how sloppy the "finished" product is and might patch it later, years
> later or not.

Ringmaster's psychiatrist told him several times that his mental health
is far, far worse than any Vista issues. Vista can be fixed but
Ringmaster's brain can only be fixed with a daily enema.

Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 4:36:27 PM
From: Ringmaster [Email Address Protection]

On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:15:45 -0700, fb <aliasis@sheep-fukker.org>
wrote:

>> instead of Frank being able to dispute what I said does happen
>> this bozo launches into another tirade.
>
>I don't dispute the that you don't know what you're doing.

I won't dispute your poor grammar.

Only Frank would write "the that you" and be proud of it.

You're just an idiot Frank. Time you face it.

Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 4:42:34 PM
From: fb [Email Address Protection]

Ringmaster wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:15:45 -0700, fb <aliasis@sheep-fukker.org>
> wrote:
>
>
>>>instead of Frank being able to dispute what I said does happen
>>>this bozo launches into another tirade.
>>
>>I don't dispute the that you don't know what you're doing.
>
>
> I won't dispute your poor grammar.
>
> Only Frank would write "the that you" and be proud of it.
>
> You're just an idiot Frank. Time you face it.


Most intelligent people, (eliminates you) would have recognized it
should have read..."the fact that you"....

But thanks for the heads-up anyway.

Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 4:50:07 PM
From: "Steve Turner" [Email Address Protection]

"John D. Sheridan" <jdsheridan@b5.org> wrote in message
news:%23q416$27IHA.2060@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
> news:etMm$9z7IHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> "John D. Sheridan" <jdsheridan@b5.org> wrote in message
>> news:%23uKGI0z7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> Do you have a memory card reader? 4 drives sounds like one. Even if
>>> there's no card in the slot, it reserves a drive letter. If not, then
>>> double-click on "Safely Remove Hardware" icon, make sure the box next to
>>> "Display Device Components" is checked, and it should tell you what they
>>> are. You would see a USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it.
>>> You should also be able to see it in Device Manager.
>>>
>>> This hasn't changed much, if at all, from XP.
>>>
>>> John
>>
>> HA! I have to find the "safetly remove hardware" icon. On my XP machine
>> it appears in the system tray. I thought it was pretty superfluous. I had
>> Magic's freeware virtual drive installed. I haven't attempted to do that
>> with Vista yet.
>>
>> There is NO USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it that I can
>> see. But it may well be. Remember, I got thing about 36 hours ago!
>
> Then how many, if any, USB Mass Storage Devices do see? Also, some
> printers with card readers built-in will reserve drive letters for them.
> You should also be able to right-click on any of the "extra" drives,
> choose properties, then the Hardware tab, and, after eliminating the known
> drives, figure out what they are.
>
> John

I have only one. My DVD RAM drive. Nothing more. And it shows up as a drive.
It's got a USB connection.


Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 5:25:40 PM
From: "John D. Sheridan" [Email Address Protection]


"Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
news:uTph5y37IHA.3976@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> "John D. Sheridan" <jdsheridan@b5.org> wrote in message
> news:%23q416$27IHA.2060@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> "Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
>> news:etMm$9z7IHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> "John D. Sheridan" <jdsheridan@b5.org> wrote in message
>>> news:%23uKGI0z7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>> Do you have a memory card reader? 4 drives sounds like one. Even if
>>>> there's no card in the slot, it reserves a drive letter. If not, then
>>>> double-click on "Safely Remove Hardware" icon, make sure the box next
>>>> to "Display Device Components" is checked, and it should tell you what
>>>> they are. You would see a USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under
>>>> it. You should also be able to see it in Device Manager.
>>>>
>>>> This hasn't changed much, if at all, from XP.
>>>>
>>>> John
>>>
>>> HA! I have to find the "safetly remove hardware" icon. On my XP machine
>>> it appears in the system tray. I thought it was pretty superfluous. I
>>> had Magic's freeware virtual drive installed. I haven't attempted to do
>>> that with Vista yet.
>>>
>>> There is NO USB Mass Storage Device with 4 devices under it that I can
>>> see. But it may well be. Remember, I got thing about 36 hours ago!
>>
>> Then how many, if any, USB Mass Storage Devices do see? Also, some
>> printers with card readers built-in will reserve drive letters for them.
>> You should also be able to right-click on any of the "extra" drives,
>> choose properties, then the Hardware tab, and, after eliminating the
>> known drives, figure out what they are.
>>
>> John
>
> I have only one. My DVD RAM drive. Nothing more. And it shows up as a
> drive. It's got a USB connection.

I can only suggest that you use the procedure I oulined in my last post or
check Device Manager and see what it says they are.

John



Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 5:26:27 PM
From: "Colin Barnhorst" [Email Address Protection]

"Steve Turner" <stevezygote@telus.net> wrote in message
news:OL81Btz7IHA.2016@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>I have 4 other drives all labelled removable disk (F through I) yet don't
>have any physical drives in my machine.

You probably have a card reader and that will show up as four removable
media drives.


Back
Subject: Re: What are all these removable disks in Vista?
Group: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
Date: 7/26/2008 8:52:39 PM
From: wrat@panix.com (the wharf rat)

In article <g6gcpa$mvc$1@aioe.org>, fb <aliasis@sheep-fukker.ima> wrote:
>Ringmaster wrote:
>> On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:15:45 -0700, fb <aliasis@sheep-fukker.org>
>> wrote:


Do you two have to hijack every thread for your incessant little
flame war? Give us a break, please.


Back