Computer Help and Support

Fla Dem

(25,704 posts) Sat Sep 29, 2018, 08:41 AM Sep 2018

I used an external hard drive to save all my work, store nothing on the computer.

For years the port I plug my hard drive into on my laptop has been identified as (F). All of a sudden the other day it started showing as (G). Why would this happen? I didn't do anything different.

8 replies

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I used an external hard drive to save all my work, store nothing on the computer. (Original Post) Fla Dem Sep 2018 OP

Had you recently used a thumb drive? woodsprite Sep 2018 #1

No, stand alone computer. But connected to internet via Comcast. Fla Dem Sep 2018 #4

You can change it back to F in disk management. bitterross Sep 2018 #2

Thanks for the link. Fla Dem Sep 2018 #5

No problem. I do tech support for a living bitterross Sep 2018 #8

Are you running Windows 10? n/t rzemanfl Sep 2018 #3

Yes. Fla Dem Sep 2018 #6

After an update it gave a letter to a partition on my my hard drive, changing the letters on rzemanfl Sep 2018 #7

woodsprite

(12,203 posts)

1. Had you recently used a thumb drive?

Reply to Fla Dem (Original post)

Sat Sep 29, 2018, 08:48 AM

Sep 2018

Are you connected to a network? Sounds like someone mapped another drive. In my over 30 yrs of computer use, I’ve never had one come up with a new mapping on its own, even when a port failed and I needed to use a different one.

Fla Dem

(25,704 posts)

4. No, stand alone computer. But connected to internet via Comcast.

Reply to woodsprite (Reply #1)

Sat Sep 29, 2018, 09:11 AM

Sep 2018

bitterross

(4,066 posts)

2. You can change it back to F in disk management.

Reply to Fla Dem (Original post)

Sat Sep 29, 2018, 08:55 AM

Sep 2018

If you have programs that refer to the F drive and you want to make it the F drive again use the disk management tool

https://support.wdc.com/knowledgebase/answer.aspx?ID=1284&h=1&lang=en

Fla Dem

(25,704 posts)

5. Thanks for the link.

Reply to bitterross (Reply #2)

Sat Sep 29, 2018, 09:13 AM

Sep 2018

bitterross

(4,066 posts)

8. No problem. I do tech support for a living

Reply to Fla Dem (Reply #5)

Sat Sep 29, 2018, 09:38 AM

Sep 2018

I figured you were probably running Win 10 because it sounds like one of Mickey Soft's regular updates may have affected you.

The letters may may have been assigned to removable drives that are not even plugged in. I've seen that happen. As long as nothing else is actually using that drive letter then feel free to change it.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/change-a-drive-letter

rzemanfl

(30,288 posts)

3. Are you running Windows 10? n/t

Reply to Fla Dem (Original post)

Sat Sep 29, 2018, 08:58 AM

Sep 2018

Fla Dem

(25,704 posts)

6. Yes.

Reply to rzemanfl (Reply #3)

Sat Sep 29, 2018, 09:14 AM

Sep 2018

rzemanfl

(30,288 posts)

7. After an update it gave a letter to a partition on my my hard drive, changing the letters on