Drives disappeared from My computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
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Guest

Hi, I've been searching but can't find a solution to this: my drives no
longer appear under "My Computer". I can explore to them fine. My primary
drive C, my restore to original configuration partition D, and my external
USB drive (which is partitioned into four) are all missing. I had some
problems when I had the external drive connected via firewire, so I switched
to USB 2.0. The old firewire drive letters remained. In trying to remove
them, I removed all drives, but I'm not sure how (late at night, didn't take
clearnotes). Thanks.
 
Do you have TweakUI installed?

If yes, Open TweakUI
[+] My Computer
Drives

Make sure there's a check mark for the appropriate drives |
Apply | OK

If XP Pro check these settings in Group Policy.

Open Group Policy...
Start | Run | Type: gpedit.msc | OK |

Navigate to >>
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Hide these specified drives in My Computer

[[Removes the icons representing selected drives from My Computer and
Windows Explorer. Also, the drive letters representing the selected drives
do not appear in the standard Open dialog box.

This policy removes the drive icons. Users can still gain access to drive
contents by using other methods, such as by typing the path to a directory
on the drive in the Map Network Drive dialog box, in the Run dialog box, or
in a command window.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoDrives
-----

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Prevent access to drives from My Computer

[[Prevents users from using My Computer to gain access to the content of
selected drives.

If you enable this policy, users cannot view the contents of the selected
drives in My Computer and Windows Explorer. Also, they cannot use the Run
dialog box, the Map Network Drive dialog box, or the Dir command to view the
directories on these drives.

The icons representing the specified drives still appear in My Computer, but
if users double-click the icons, a message appears explaining that a policy
prevents the action.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoViewOnDrive

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
OK. I downloaded and ran tweakUI, and it worked, though I had to have some
faith: tweakui hung up and would not let me click OK after clicking apply.
I tried My Computer anyway and the drives had appeared. One has a bizzare
icon, but I can live with that. I had to kill tweakUI, and then had a
strange, apparent reboot where I didn't have to log back in but the system
turned off and on again- rather confusing, but all seems well now. BTW, I do
have XP HOME on this PC. Thanks!
 
I do have XP Home on this PC. I installed tweakUI and ran it as you
suggested. It hung up and would not let me click OK after clicking apply.
However, when I checked My Computer, the drives had reapeared (one with a
bizzare icon). I actually had to do the whole process twice to get all of my
drives, because I forgot some of the letters. I had to kill tweakUI, and
then my system crashed, but it seems fine now. Thanks!

Wesley Vogel said:
Do you have TweakUI installed?

If yes, Open TweakUI
[+] My Computer
Drives

Make sure there's a check mark for the appropriate drives |
Apply | OK

If XP Pro check these settings in Group Policy.

Open Group Policy...
Start | Run | Type: gpedit.msc | OK |

Navigate to >>
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Hide these specified drives in My Computer

[[Removes the icons representing selected drives from My Computer and
Windows Explorer. Also, the drive letters representing the selected drives
do not appear in the standard Open dialog box.

This policy removes the drive icons. Users can still gain access to drive
contents by using other methods, such as by typing the path to a directory
on the drive in the Map Network Drive dialog box, in the Run dialog box, or
in a command window.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoDrives
-----

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Prevent access to drives from My Computer

[[Prevents users from using My Computer to gain access to the content of
selected drives.

If you enable this policy, users cannot view the contents of the selected
drives in My Computer and Windows Explorer. Also, they cannot use the Run
dialog box, the Map Network Drive dialog box, or the Dir command to view the
directories on these drives.

The icons representing the specified drives still appear in My Computer, but
if users double-click the icons, a message appears explaining that a policy
prevents the action.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoViewOnDrive

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
chemrat said:
Hi, I've been searching but can't find a solution to this: my drives
no longer appear under "My Computer". I can explore to them fine.
My primary drive C, my restore to original configuration partition D,
and my external USB drive (which is partitioned into four) are all
missing. I had some problems when I had the external drive connected
via firewire, so I switched to USB 2.0. The old firewire drive
letters remained. In trying to remove them, I removed all drives,
but I'm not sure how (late at night, didn't take clearnotes). Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

Send the bizarre icon screen shot to me via private email.

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com


chemrat said:
I do have XP Home on this PC. I installed tweakUI and ran it as you
suggested. It hung up and would not let me click OK after clicking apply.
However, when I checked My Computer, the drives had reapeared (one with a
bizzare icon). I actually had to do the whole process twice to get all of
my
drives, because I forgot some of the letters. I had to kill tweakUI, and
then my system crashed, but it seems fine now. Thanks!

Wesley Vogel said:
Do you have TweakUI installed?

If yes, Open TweakUI
[+] My Computer
Drives

Make sure there's a check mark for the appropriate drives |
Apply | OK

If XP Pro check these settings in Group Policy.

Open Group Policy...
Start | Run | Type: gpedit.msc | OK |

Navigate to >>
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Hide these specified drives in My Computer

[[Removes the icons representing selected drives from My Computer and
Windows Explorer. Also, the drive letters representing the selected
drives
do not appear in the standard Open dialog box.

This policy removes the drive icons. Users can still gain access to drive
contents by using other methods, such as by typing the path to a
directory
on the drive in the Map Network Drive dialog box, in the Run dialog box,
or
in a command window.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoDrives
-----

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Prevent access to drives from My Computer

[[Prevents users from using My Computer to gain access to the content of
selected drives.

If you enable this policy, users cannot view the contents of the selected
drives in My Computer and Windows Explorer. Also, they cannot use the Run
dialog box, the Map Network Drive dialog box, or the Dir command to view
the
directories on these drives.

The icons representing the specified drives still appear in My Computer,
but
if users double-click the icons, a message appears explaining that a
policy
prevents the action.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoViewOnDrive

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
chemrat said:
Hi, I've been searching but can't find a solution to this: my drives
no longer appear under "My Computer". I can explore to them fine.
My primary drive C, my restore to original configuration partition D,
and my external USB drive (which is partitioned into four) are all
missing. I had some problems when I had the external drive connected
via firewire, so I switched to USB 2.0. The old firewire drive
letters remained. In trying to remove them, I removed all drives,
but I'm not sure how (late at night, didn't take clearnotes). Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Kelly, thanks. I just sent you an email with a word file that has the screen
shot pasted in. Jim

Kelly said:
Hi,

Send the bizarre icon screen shot to me via private email.

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com


chemrat said:
I do have XP Home on this PC. I installed tweakUI and ran it as you
suggested. It hung up and would not let me click OK after clicking apply.
However, when I checked My Computer, the drives had reapeared (one with a
bizzare icon). I actually had to do the whole process twice to get all of
my
drives, because I forgot some of the letters. I had to kill tweakUI, and
then my system crashed, but it seems fine now. Thanks!

Wesley Vogel said:
Do you have TweakUI installed?

If yes, Open TweakUI
[+] My Computer
Drives

Make sure there's a check mark for the appropriate drives |
Apply | OK

If XP Pro check these settings in Group Policy.

Open Group Policy...
Start | Run | Type: gpedit.msc | OK |

Navigate to >>
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Hide these specified drives in My Computer

[[Removes the icons representing selected drives from My Computer and
Windows Explorer. Also, the drive letters representing the selected
drives
do not appear in the standard Open dialog box.

This policy removes the drive icons. Users can still gain access to drive
contents by using other methods, such as by typing the path to a
directory
on the drive in the Map Network Drive dialog box, in the Run dialog box,
or
in a command window.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoDrives
-----

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\
Windows Explorer\
Prevent access to drives from My Computer

[[Prevents users from using My Computer to gain access to the content of
selected drives.

If you enable this policy, users cannot view the contents of the selected
drives in My Computer and Windows Explorer. Also, they cannot use the Run
dialog box, the Map Network Drive dialog box, or the Dir command to view
the
directories on these drives.

The icons representing the specified drives still appear in My Computer,
but
if users double-click the icons, a message appears explaining that a
policy
prevents the action.]]

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NoViewOnDrive

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In chemrat <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
Hi, I've been searching but can't find a solution to this: my drives
no longer appear under "My Computer". I can explore to them fine.
My primary drive C, my restore to original configuration partition D,
and my external USB drive (which is partitioned into four) are all
missing. I had some problems when I had the external drive connected
via firewire, so I switched to USB 2.0. The old firewire drive
letters remained. In trying to remove them, I removed all drives,
but I'm not sure how (late at night, didn't take clearnotes). Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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