When data storage units are connected to a computer with Windows OS (such as hard drives or pen drives), the system automatically assigns a letter of the alphabet to be able to identify them and have access to it. This nomenclature is universal. Windows 10 allows you to make various changes to your hard drive. As for example, deleting disk partitions or in this case, changing the letter of any drive.
Why change the letter of a hard drive?
Each storage drive in Windows is assigned its own letter . By default or automatically, the main hard drive (where the operating system and important programs are installed) is assigned the letter C.
The rest of the letters of the alphabet are used for other disk or storage units, whether internal or external (like a pendrive).
Now, it is possible that at some point you want to change the letter assigned to the drive in Windows 10, either because you have your own system for identifying the components of your computer or because you may have to make a backup copy of the operating system so that it perform in a specific place.
Steps to change the letter of a hard drive in Windows 10
Due to the reasons stated above, we show you below the steps to change the letter of a hard drive in Windows 10 . The process is essentially the same as that applied since Windows 7, with a few minor changes.
Step 1: Open the window named Computer Management of the operating system
The first thing to do is go to the team administration section of the operating system, for this we can follow several routes.
- Click on the Windows start button and type control panel , then select the option called system and security, then what you must do is access the administrative tools section.
- In this area there are several options, the one that you must select is the one that says team management . This is where we can change the letter of the units that interest us. By pressing it you will be able to access all the available options, which includes a section called disk management , which is the one that interests us.
- Another way to access the computer management window is shorter. To do this, right-click on the Windows icon (located at the bottom left) and then click on disk management (which is in the computer management window).
- The other way to access the computer management window is also short. Right-click the Equipment icon , then select the option
Step 2: Go to the Disk Management option of the Computer Management window
In this step , all the drives in the Windows 10 system are automatically displayed , indicating their letter, distribution, file system and status.
Step 3: Select the drive to which the letter will be changed
Right-click on the drive and select the option to change drive letter and paths .
Step 4: Select the change option in the new window
After the previous step, a new window will open in which you have to click on the change button .
Step 5: Select the new letter you want to assign to the drive
Another window will open where you have to choose from the context menu that displays a new drive letter . Once this is done, all you have to do is press the accept button to validate the changes and finish the operation. Another option you have is to assign more space to any partition , which we explain in another blog.
Considerations before changing the letter of a disk drive
Here are some tips so that you do not have problems when you change the letter of a drive.
- You can choose any letter of the alphabet, except those that are already in use.
- You will have to do the same process in the windows that you have open, until the new configuration is finished.
- Some programs whose operation depends on the drive letter may stop working properly if you change it. In that case, you can repair or delete the partition.
- When you disconnect the disk and reconnect it, the letter assigned to it will be permanent.
With the steps described , you already know how to change the letter of a hard drive in Windows 10 .
