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From: Mike Rofone on 15 Jul 2010 08:40
On one PC at work I can't use my thumbdrive. It somehow wants to assign to
itself Drive F. However, Drive F is a networked drive.

I can disconnect that drive via Explorer, then pop the thumbdrive in. It's then
accepted and seen as Drive F.

It only does this on one PC. All other PCs that I use at work will see it as
Drive G which isn't mapped to any network resources.

By coincidence the thumbdrive used to use Drive E at home. One day when I popped
it in it started to use Drive F. I don't know what changed it.

PC at home runs Windows 7 64bit.

PCs at work run Windows XP Pro SP3.

Question is, how do I get it reassigned to Drive E on this particular computer?

IT people aren't keen on helping as they don't like us using thumbdrives on work
computers. But many of us have a genuine work need to do so, so it's tolerated.

Other sites, however, have all PCs' USB ports locked out, other than what's used
for approved devices such as scanners or printers.

If a person there has a work related need to access a thumbdrive or camera's
memory stick, then he has to ring the IT dept. They'll then remotely unlock the
PC's USB port so he can then insert his drive, do what he has to do, disconnect
it, call IT to let them know that he's finished, and they'll lock it down again.

Obviously we don't want to go down that path here. But it could happen.
From: fly on the wall on 15 Jul 2010 22:36
On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:40:58 +1000, Mike Rofone
<mike_rofone(a)mic.org.nz> wrote:

>On one PC at work I can't use my thumbdrive. It somehow wants to assign to
>itself Drive F. However, Drive F is a networked drive.
(snip rest)

Most IT depts with brains assign a much later letter (S etc) for
networked/server drives, to avoid the potential for clashes in the
event a particular workstation needs something added.

(unless their intent was to preclude any such addons).
From: Doug Jewell on 16 Jul 2010 04:58
fly on the wall wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:40:58 +1000, Mike Rofone
> <mike_rofone(a)mic.org.nz> wrote:
>
>> On one PC at work I can't use my thumbdrive. It somehow wants to assign to
>> itself Drive F. However, Drive F is a networked drive.
> (snip rest)
>
> Most IT depts with brains assign a much later letter (S etc) for
> networked/server drives, to avoid the potential for clashes in the
> event a particular workstation needs something added.
>
> (unless their intent was to preclude any such addons).
Novell Netware used to require F: to be networked to the
location of the Primary netware share to access the netware
config and system tools. It's been a long time since I did
Novell work, so I forget the actual terminology for it, but
F: was hardcoded in and couldn't be changed. Because of
this historic requirement, many installations still set F:
as a network drive, even if the NOS in use doesn't require it.


--
What is the difference between a duck?
From: John Tserkezis on 16 Jul 2010 06:20
fly on the wall wrote:

>> On one PC at work I can't use my thumbdrive. It somehow wants to assign to
>> itself Drive F. However, Drive F is a networked drive.
> (snip rest)

> Most IT depts with brains assign a much later letter (S etc) for
> networked/server drives, to avoid the potential for clashes in the
> event a particular workstation needs something added.

We're stuck with assigning a mass of network drives. In an attempt
to bring some standardisation to which departments get what letters to
do their work, we've had to double up in some cases. We've just plain
run out of alphabet.
However, since each particular user won't use _all_ the letters, they
may very well use the one that windows assigned as a network drive.

I see this is a windows fault plain and simple. If *I* can see which
drives are available then so can the bloody operating system that
assigns the letters. So there.

Easy fix though, and it'll remember that flashdrive from then on
anyway, so things could be worse.

> (unless their intent was to preclude any such addons).

It's one way, but not a very good way. It's difficult to manage, and
very easy for the user to work around.

See <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823732> for one of the better ways
of preventing use of USB storage devices.
From: Mike Rofone on 16 Jul 2010 11:58
fly on the wall wrote...

> Most IT depts with brains assign a much later letter (S etc) for
> networked/server drives, to avoid the potential for clashes in the
> event a particular workstation needs something added.
>
> (unless their intent was to preclude any such addons).

Dunno what the IT policy is in this regard. But suffice it to say, allowing us
to use our thumbdrives is a low priority and in some sites it's banned.

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