How to remove a drive that doesn't exist?

[Glorious]

Hey, so I boot up my machine tonight and I have this 'Local Disk (H:)' in the Other section in My Computer. Trying to open it results in an error that says the location is unavailable. I can't find a reference to it in device manager or disk management. How do I get rid of it?

[Eolo]

See if it's this you looking for? http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben...mp;x=21&y=8

[overclocker007]

Atfirst u tell me did u encrypt/lock this drive with any third party software like Folder Lock or something else.

[Favvi]

if you are using windows xp you could try hiding it with TweakUI..

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloa...ppowertoys.mspx

[redeemed]

Try a reboot.

[Steven P. Administrators]

Right click on My Computer in the start menu and select Manage > Disk Manager.. you should see where H:\ is assigned to.

It may be a partition of one of your disks (if you have more than 1) that is unformatted. Unformatted disks are unaccesible but usually you are prompted to format it..

Did you install any virtual disk utilities or do you have an external hard-disk that is connected through USB? External hard-disks usually create a new disk or virtual CD image that stores your encrypted password details to access the external drive.

[Glorious]

  Eolo said:

See if it's this you looking for? http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben...mp;x=21&y=8

No, I can get into Windows fine it's just sat in 'My Computer' like this:

  overclocker007 said:

Atfirst u tell me did u encrypt/lock this drive with any third party software like Folder Lock or something else.

No, I don't have anything like that on the system.

  travis.cd said:

if you are using windows xp you could try hiding it with TweakUI..

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloa...ppowertoys.mspx

If I can't get rid of it I'll take a look, thanks! :)

  redeemed said:

Try a reboot.

A reboot does nothing, the drive is still there.

  Neobond said:

Right click on My Computer in the start menu and select Manage > Disk Manager.. you should see where H:\ is assigned to.

It may be a partition of one of your disks (if you have more than 1) that is unformatted. Unformatted disks are unaccesible but usually you are prompted to format it..

Did you install any virtual disk utilities or do you have an external hard-disk that is connected through USB? External hard-disks usually create a new disk or virtual CD image that stores your encrypted password details to access the external drive.

No, I don't have any virtual disk utilities. I do have a hard drive through USB but the drive is still in My Computer whether that is connected or not :s.

Here is a shot of disk management:

[+primortal Subscriber²]

Can you right-click on it and select disconnect?

  Quote

I do have a hard drive through USB but the drive is still in My Computer whether that is connected or not .

Try "C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll" and see if you can remove the USB drive.

[Colin-uk Veteran]

Do you have any built in or external media card readers such as compact flash or SD? or did you plug one in or install one?

[Glorious]

  primortal said:

Can you right-click on it and select disconnect?

Try "C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll" and see if you can remove the USB drive.

OK, I safely removed the USB drive and reconnected without success. H:\ is still there (or isn't as the case may be).

  Colin-uk said:

Do you have any built in or external media card readers such as compact flash or SD? or did you plug one in or install one?

I do have something like that on my printer, but I have never had a use for it. I also haven't used the printer in a few days, this started yesterday.

[mark429]

I didn't see this suggestion so.... open up windows explorer and then go to tools and see if you have an option to disconnect network drive. It sounds like you have a network drive cached on your pc...

[jwjw1]

  Dave MB said:

OK, I safely removed the USB drive and reconnected without success. H:\ is still there (or isn't as the case may be).

I do have something like that on my printer, but I have never had a use for it. I also haven't used the printer in a few days, this started yesterday.

It might be the 'card' reader in your printer...I know my HP card reader showed up like that..and I right clicked and just added a name 'Photosmart'....might try putting in a SDCard or whatever and see if it becomes active then.