[srshet]

I am unable to create partition/assign drive letter for disk drive. Up on checking the registry "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{71A27CDD-812A-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F}"
the subkeys number reached maximum limit i.e 9999.
( http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...7.mspx?mfr=true )

at the same time, if I delete a subkey from then list, I am able to create/mount the volume.
looks like, Windows keeps the subkeys of volumes which is no longer valid ( disks were initially presented to the host and later removed)

is this a microsoft limitation? is there any workaround to remove all the invalid references so that operation succeeds

[jaclaz]

Very interesting find, though I wonder how you managed to get up to 9999.

It seems like those keys are referenced here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\STORAGE\RemovableMedia
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\STORAGE\Volume

The first ones should probably be USB sticks/devices (and thus safe to remove the corresponding entries).

The latter ones appear to be your fixed disk drive(s) including their MBR signature.

I guess you can remove all but the ones corresponding to your actual disk drives signatures.

Making a small batch to list all entries and checking them should be easy.

To check HD MBR signature use this tool:
http://www.sysint.no...ting/MbrFix.htm
http://www.sysint.no...ting/MbrFix.zip

pseudo GUI:
http://home.graffiti...z:graffiti.net/
http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz:graffiti.n...X/mbrfix0.2.zip

You might want to change values in ControSet00x rather than on CurrentControlSet....

And, as always, no guarantee of any kind....


jaclaz