I have a sata drive (in an external case) that connects using usb2. This is plugged in intermittently. System is Win 10, 64 bit. Most times, when plugged in for the 1st time it is recognized: assigned a drive letter, etc.
Once the directory of this drive is accessed in File Explorer (FE) & then FE is closed then on subsequent opening the drive is not assigned a drive letter - instead, it has two. Clicking on either one gets a dialog box stating: "Please insert a disk into" with the drive letter displayed.
Somehow, this hard drive has been transformed into an optical drive. Say what? To get it back requires a power off, then start (a restart, with no power off, does not work). Often this must be repeated several times before it takes or the computer must be shut down for an extended period - to allow it to be "forgotten?"
When malfunctioning it does not show up in Device Manager as a disk drive or dvd/cd-rom drive; instead, the two drives show as " Portable Devices". R-clicking & examining Properties identifies both as "usb drive" (one has an icon that resembles an external dvd drive, the other a printer (?).
How can I force the drive to behave? Ideally, I prefer a permanent solution but an each-time workaround would be better than nothing
Once the directory of this drive is accessed in File Explorer (FE) & then FE is closed then on subsequent opening the drive is not assigned a drive letter - instead, it has two. Clicking on either one gets a dialog box stating: "Please insert a disk into" with the drive letter displayed.
Somehow, this hard drive has been transformed into an optical drive. Say what? To get it back requires a power off, then start (a restart, with no power off, does not work). Often this must be repeated several times before it takes or the computer must be shut down for an extended period - to allow it to be "forgotten?"
When malfunctioning it does not show up in Device Manager as a disk drive or dvd/cd-rom drive; instead, the two drives show as " Portable Devices". R-clicking & examining Properties identifies both as "usb drive" (one has an icon that resembles an external dvd drive, the other a printer (?).
How can I force the drive to behave? Ideally, I prefer a permanent solution but an each-time workaround would be better than nothing
