Cannot Change Host Drive Letter in Windows 95

• Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to change a host drive letter in DriveSpace or DriveSpace 3, the host drive may not change. There is no error message, and the change seems to work until after the computer restarts. This occurs after adding a hard disk or repartitioning existing hard disks so that the drive letter originally assigned to the host drive is now a physical drive.

CAUSE

DriveSpace is not correctly modifying the Drvspace.ini or Dblspace.ini file.

RESOLUTION

To correct this behavior, manually update the Drvspace.ini or Dblspace.ini file. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Start an MS-DOS session. At the command prompt, change to the root directory of the host drive (typically drive H).

2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

         attrib -r -s -h *.ini
   

3. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

         dir d*.ini
   

4. Edit either the Dblspace.ini or the Drvspace.ini file located in step 3.

5. Locate the line that reads

         ActivateDrive=<drive>,<cvf information>
   

   where <drive> is the drive letter that requires changing, and <cvf information> is typically C0.

6. Change the <drive> letter in this line to the appropriate letter for the host drive.

7. Save and the close the file.

8. Shut down and restart Windows 95.