Solved subst - Mapping Filepath as Drive - "Local Disk (C:)" vs "Windows (C:)" - Relabeling Error

micahs · Mar 6, 2024

We are attempting to map a filepath (linked OneDrive folder location) as a local drive via a shortcut in the windows startup folder.

The method described in that link works, and any computer that displays the C: drive as "Local Disk (C:)" will allow the user to rename (relabel) the drive. (e.g.: "Local Disk (R:)" => "Documents (R:)").

However, while this method does successfully map as a drive, computers that show the drive as "Windows (C:)" will not allow users to rename (relabel) the drive. Instead, they receive the error: "The volume label is not valid. Please enter a valid volume label."

How would we go about renaming these mapped drives?
Furthermore, what is the distinction between the "local disk" and "windows" prefix?

Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,

OAT · Mar 6, 2024

micahs said:
We are attempting to map a filepath (linked OneDrive folder location) as a local drive via a shortcut in the windows startup folder.

The method described in that link works, and any computer that displays the C: drive as "Local Disk (C:)" will allow the user to rename (relabel) the drive. (e.g.: "Local Disk (R:)" => "Documents (R:)").

However, while this method does successfully map as a drive, computers that show the drive as "Windows (C:)" will not allow users to rename (relabel) the drive. Instead, they receive the error: "The volume label is not valid. Please enter a valid volume label."

How would we go about renaming these mapped drives?
Furthermore, what is the distinction between the "local disk" and "windows" prefix?

Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,

Hi and welcome,

The subst command is not an actual mapping, it is no more than a shortcut to which a drive letter has been assigned, it has some perks but should not be considered a real drive.
Allowing the user to change the label would render its source problematic to decipher, so users are prevented to do so.

Windows is where the OS resides. -That label can be changed to OS or anything you wish, but not its substituted secondary label.
Local disk can be another partition not containing the OS.

micahs · Mar 6, 2024

OAT said:
Hi and welcome,

The subst command is not an actual mapping, it is no more than a shortcut to which a drive letter has been assigned, it has some perks but should not be considered a real drive.
Allowing the user to change the label would render its source problematic to decipher, so users are prevented to do so.

Windows is where the OS reside.
Local disk can be another partition not containing the OS.

Thank you for the response!

Using the link above, we were able to "map" - or otherwise use the drives as local drives - AND rename the drives successfully - but only on computers where the drive is prefixed with "Local Disk" and not "Windows".

We are trying to achieve the same results with the same method, but are greeted with the error "The volume label is not valid. Please enter a valid volume label." on computers that call local disks, such as the C: drive, "Windows (C:)" instead of "Local Disk (C:)". (or any other drive letter).

I cannot find documentation on why there is even a distinction between "Windows" and "Local Disk" - much less an explanation on why the successful workflow to "map" these drives is unsuccessful on the former.

OAT · Mar 6, 2024

micahs said:
Thank you for the response!

Using the link above, we were able to "map" - or otherwise use the drives as local drives - AND rename the drives successfully - but only on computers where the drive is prefixed with "Local Disk" and not "Windows".

We are trying to achieve the same results with the same method, but are greeted with the error "The volume label is not valid. Please enter a valid volume label." on computers that call local disks, such as the C: drive, "Windows (C:)" instead of "Local Disk (C:)". (or any other drive letter).

I cannot find documentation on why there is even a distinction between "Windows" and "Local Disk" - much less an explanation on why the successful workflow to "map" these drives is unsuccessful on the former.

You can get a clearer answer by going to a command prompt and typing:
label <Subst. Drive> <new Label Name> and read the error. The OS simply does not allow it.

But I must ask: Why not use a share or a network resource using net use since you are obviously on some kind of network?

micahs · Mar 6, 2024

OAT said:
You can get a clearer answer by going to a command prompt and typing:
label <Subst. Drive> <new Label Name> and read the error. The OS simply does not allow it.

I attempted the CMD prompt as admin, and it reports "parameters not compatible". However, on that same machine (which views local disks as "Local Disk" not "Windows"), I was successful in right-clicking the drive and "renaming".

To be clear - the O.S does allow us to add the map drive and rename it. We followed the steps linked in the OP, created a "mapped" drive, and renamed the drive. (e.g. Documents (R:)).

We did this on multiple computers, but were not successful on machines that - by default - label local disks as "Windows" instead of "Local Disk" (e.g. Windows (R:)).

So, the question remains - why am I able to change the name on "local disk", but not "windows" drives - and what is the distinction between the two?
(and now, why can I change it manually but not in CMD?)

But I must ask: Why not use a share or a network resource using net use since you are obviously on some kind of network?

Our company uses sharepoint, which does not allow network mapping. We need a much shorter file path with consistent drive letters to retain integrated linked documents.

Sharepoint has made the "on premises" version of their servers obsolete, so we are having the users map the OneDrive account as a local drive.

pseymour · Mar 6, 2024

The difference between the disks labelled Windows and the ones labelled "Local Disk" is that the former have a drive label set and the latter do not. If you right-click the Windows drives and go to Properties, you will see the label is set to Windows. On the other (Local Disk) disks, there is likely nothing specified.

micahs · Mar 6, 2024

The difference between the disks labelled Windows and the ones labelled "Local Disk" is that the former have a drive label set and the latter do not. If you right-click the Windows drives and go to Properties, you will see the label is set to Windows. On the other (Local Disk) disks, there is likely nothing specified.

This is on the right track! For some reason, it looks like the other computers "label" these volumnes "windows" by default?

Below are snips from the successful renaming of the drive (attempted John, but wasn't able in command prompt - but as you can see, the drive is "renamed" to John - though this name does not appear in the properties).

Comparing with the unsuccessful computer- there is a name "Windows" in the property, and we can't change it.

WHY

pseymour · Mar 6, 2024

Try navigating in the registry to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MountPoints2. You should have a subkey there for the drive letter that you used in subst. In that key, create a REG_SZ value called _LabelFromReg, and set it to what you want the subst drive letter's label to be.

micahs · Mar 6, 2024

Unfortunately, this portion of the registry is empty on both machines:

pseymour · Mar 6, 2024

Well just make a key then. If your drive letter is R, make the key ...CurrentVersion\Explorer\MountPoints2\R. Just like my regedit screenshot, except I was using drive X.

pseymour · Mar 6, 2024

Also this batch file works, to map drive O: to the root of the user's OneDrive, and set the O: drive label to "OneDrive." (Clever label, I know.)

Batch:

@echo off
subst O: "%ONEDRIVE%"
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MountPoints2\O" /v "_LabelFromReg" /t REG_SZ /d "OneDrive"

micahs · Mar 6, 2024

It works!! Both the manual registry update and the batch file - thank you so much!

I would love to understand why the circuitous route for these select computers - the only difference between the machines is Windows Pro vs Windows Home - could that have something to do with this?

pseymour · Mar 6, 2024

I just installed Windows 11 Home and Pro in VMs, and neither one sets the OS drive label to anything. You mentioned this is a corporate environment; maybe something in your IT's imaging process sets the drive label for one OS but not the other?

garlin · Mar 6, 2024

pseymour said:
I just installed Windows 11 Home and Pro in VMs, and neither one sets the OS drive label to anything. You mentioned this is a corporate environment; maybe something in your IT's imaging process sets the drive label for one OS but not the other?

True. WinPE Setup won't create any volume labels for you.

But many IT folks like to follow the Deployment lab scripts provided in Windows Setup docs. Their example add volume labels for illustration, but the OS really doesn't care or need them.

Code:

select disk 0
clean
convert gpt
create partition efi size=100
format quick fs=fat32 label="System"
assign letter="S"
create partition msr size=16
create partition primary
shrink minimum=500
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
assign letter="W"
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="Recovery"
assign letter="R"
set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac"
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001