F: \ refers to a location that is unavailable

[jaclaz]

At "first sight" I wouldn't think there is a connection with an antivirus kind of software, I was thinking more about Virtual Machine or virtual Cd/Virtual disk kind of software, as an example this is something that has been reported on some machines when using Alcohol 120% or Daemon Tools and a "failed" or "botched" install or however whn some other software related to accessing "foreign" filesystems/disk images/etc., one for all:

http://forums.techguy.org/windows-xp/819552-phantom-drive-letters.html

 

Still the "virtual device is usually found in the Registry or in device manager.

This one is another "queer" one (card slot on wi-fi printer ):

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/173677-bizarre-local-disk-showing-up.html

 

Can you try (as Trip suggested before) to boot into safe mode and check if those "ghost drives" are in there too?

 

You could try running WinObj:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896657.aspx

but I have no idea if it can find anything related or how to interpret what it may find .

 

jaclaz

[sendscan]

Jaclaz,

 

I really thank you very much for your help and the time you spent trying to solve the problem. I really appreciate that.

 

I sent a mail to the Kaspersky support about my problem. They answered me to try to uninstall Kaspersky software which is what I did. And miracle, these "ghost drives" disappeared and when I plug the USB drives, it works perfectly.

Don't ask me the relation between these ghost drives and the antivirus, I have no idea, only that it now works.

But well I'll have to resinstall my Antivirus solution.

That's all I can say. Thanks again !

 

CD

[sendscan]

I've just reinstalled Kaspersky (I cannot surf the web without) and the ghost drives reappeared. Really seems that there's a bug in the antivirus

[jaclaz]

I've just reinstalled Kaspersky (I cannot surf the web without) and the ghost drives reappeared. Really seems that there's a bug in the antivirus

Good to know , it seems that even the good Kaspersky guys have gone the IMHO "downhill" path of making their tool grow up to the point where they don't even know anymore for sure what it does.  

JFYI , recent issues with Avast :

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/173051-kb3000850-big-update-windows-812/page-2

 

jaclaz