Vista Tutorial - Drive Name Change

**Brink** · **METHOD ONE:**

How to Rename a Drive in Vista

Information

This will show you how to rename a drive to whatever you want it to be displayed as in Vista.

Tip

If your default drive name is missing or was changed and you did not do it with the methods below, then look for a hidden autorun.inf when you open the drive letter in Computer and right click on the autorun.inf file and click on Delete. Next, approve the deletion.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Before and After Hard Disk Drive Rename
NOTE: This is in the Computer (Start menu) window. (METHOD ONE)

EXAMPLE: Before and After DVD Drive Rename
NOTE: You will notice that for Devices with Removable Storage there is no Rename option when you right click on the device. (METHOD TWO)

METHOD ONE:
For Hard Disk Drives

1. Open the Start menu.

2. Click on the Computer button. (See screenshot below)

3. In the Computer window, right click on the drive and click Rename. (See screenshot below)

4. Type in a name you want to be displayed for the drive and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

5. Click on Continue in the Access Denied prompt. (See screenshot below)

6. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

7. When done, close the Computer window.

METHOD TWO:
For Devices with Removable Storage

NOTE

For example, a DVD drive. This will also work for all the other drives with drive letters too.
CREDIT TO: Member: AvatarOfTheShip

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer

5. In the left pane, right click on explorer.exe and click on New and Key.

6. Type DriveIcons and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

7. In the left pane, right click on DriveIcons and click on New and Key.

8. Type the drive letter (EX: E) you want to change the drive name for and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

9. In the left pane, right click on the drive letter (EX: E) and click on New and Key.

10. Type DefaultLabel and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

11. In the right pane, right click on (Default) and click on Modify.

12. To Change the Drive Name -
A) Type in a name (Ex: My DVD) and click OK. (See screenshot below step 13)

B) Go to step 14.

13. To Restore the Default Drive Name -
A) Leave this empty and click OK. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 15.

14. The registry should look similar to this now. (See screenshot below)

15. Repeat steps 9 to 14 if you want to add another drive letter icon to change.

16. Close regedit.

That's it,
Shawn

**Brink** · 02-08-2008

Updated 2-8-2008 to include METHOD TWO for devices with removable storage, like a DVD drive.

Shawn

RexNoctis · 02-10-2008

Very nice!

Ideal for seperating physical and virtual DVD drives!

Thanks!

**Brink** · 02-10-2008

You're welcome RexNoctis, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Thanks to Member:AvatarOfTheShip for providing the tip in Method Two.

Shawn

dennisthemenace · 05-21-2008

I have 2 virtual CD/DVD drives that I use for mounting ISO images. They show up in
windows explorer as
(S: DVD Drive
(T: DVD Drive

I applied the method 2 registry changes to rename to Virtual Drive. The results were
(S: DVD Drive - Virtual Drive
(T: DVD Drive - Virtual Drive

It appended the registry key name to the existing name. Is there any way to completely rename the drives so that it will appear as
(S: Virtual Drive
(T: Virtual Drive

**Brink** · 05-21-2008

Hi Dennis,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Not that I'm aware of. I could only get to add the name to the end too.

Sorry,

Shawn

**OgeGOon** · 11-29-2008

I experience the same problem as dennisthemenace with the DVD drive/virtual drive.
But it works fine for my multi card readers and ReadyBoost USB key.
It does not work for the card reader of my networked printer (I.e.: a mounted drive from a networked location)

O.

**Brink** · 11-29-2008

Hello OgeGOon,

I'm sorry, but it does not work with virtual drives or printers.

Shawn

**Homeuser** · 07-08-2009

My question is:

I changed the names according to the directions in the post. Now I have something that looks like this: DVD RW Drive G: Dell DVD Burner or DVD RW Drive I: Samsung. I want to get rid of the beginning part, DVD RW Drive. Is it possible?

**Brink** · 07-08-2009

Hello Homeuser,

Sorry, but not that I am aware of with removable drives.

02-08-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Drive Name Change Updated 2-8-2008 to include METHOD TWO for devices with removable storage, like a DVD drive. Shawn
My System Specs

02-10-2008
RexNoctis Newbie Join Date: Feb 2008 Vista Ultimate x64 1 posts	Re: Drive Name Change Very nice! Ideal for seperating physical and virtual DVD drives! Thanks!
My System Specs

02-10-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Drive Name Change You're welcome RexNoctis, and welcome to Vista Forums. Thanks to Member:AvatarOfTheShip for providing the tip in Method Two. Shawn
My System Specs

05-21-2008
dennisthemenace Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit 2 posts	Re: Drive Name Change I have 2 virtual CD/DVD drives that I use for mounting ISO images. They show up in windows explorer as (S: DVD Drive (T: DVD Drive I applied the method 2 registry changes to rename to Virtual Drive. The results were (S: DVD Drive - Virtual Drive (T: DVD Drive - Virtual Drive It appended the registry key name to the existing name. Is there any way to completely rename the drives so that it will appear as (S: Virtual Drive (T: Virtual Drive
My System Specs

05-21-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Drive Name Change Hi Dennis, Welcome to Vista Forums. Not that I'm aware of. I could only get to add the name to the end too. Sorry, Shawn
My System Specs

11-29-2008
OgeGOon Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 8 posts	Re: Drive Name Change I experience the same problem as dennisthemenace with the DVD drive/virtual drive. But it works fine for my multi card readers and ReadyBoost USB key. It does not work for the card reader of my networked printer (I.e.: a mounted drive from a networked location) O.
My System Specs

11-29-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Drive Name Change Hello OgeGOon, I'm sorry, but it does not work with virtual drives or printers. Shawn
My System Specs

07-08-2009
Homeuser Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Windows Vista Ultimate x64 31 posts	Renaming DVD/CD ROM Drives My question is: I changed the names according to the directions in the post. Now I have something that looks like this: DVD RW Drive G: Dell DVD Burner or DVD RW Drive I: Samsung. I want to get rid of the beginning part, DVD RW Drive. Is it possible?
My System Specs

07-08-2009
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Drive Name Change Hello Homeuser, Sorry, but not that I am aware of with removable drives.
My System Specs

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