CJB wrote:
Have you really checked the registry value "NoDrives" under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
being zero?
Does the Explorer list V's content if you enter V: in its
address line?

Thank you for your response. The reg entry is exactly as you say.

And when I enter V: in WE and also as a DOS CMD it says drive not
found.

If I do File / Open / Browse in say Word or even IE the V: drive is
there with all of my files in the /Documents folder.

BTW this is not the 'drive masking' issue when a network drive and USB
flashdrive are allocated the same drive letter.

This is what the hotfix is about, so you don't need it.

I did raise a ticket with SanDisk about this issue and got a bored
reply about not being able to access my files due to a password issue.
That is the service agent didn't bother to read my inquiry and simply
responded with copied and pasted chunks of generic text.

I you see the files in open dialog then the drive is
obviously working fine. Do you expect Sandisk repairing
your Windows?

Google searching the web it appears that this is a long standing
problem about which MS have done nothing.

I've never heard before about Explorer and command prompt
saying "drive not found" while it works in open dialog.
Can you provide some links?

An open dialog is nothing else than a different view of the
Explorer. The only reason I know for drive letter being shown
in some programs only is that is isn't a global object but
one which exist in the user's context only, e.g. a subst or
network drive. Drive letters of USB drives are global
objects, so this should not happen.
As a workaround you could create a folder somewhere, and
then add this in the Windows Disk Management as a mount
point of your drive. If you see your files now in the explorer
then you can remove the drive letter in the Disk Management
and create a virtual drive letter which points to this folder
by means of the SUBST command, e.g.
SUBST V: C:\SandiskDrive

All of this only became an issue after I rebuilt the laptop after
getting rid of a redirect virus in the rootkit and after the registry
went corrupt and XP would not boot.

So a virus screwed up your Windows and you blame Microsoft
and Sandisk :-/


Uwe