Volume mount fails after Volume{Class-GUID} exceeds 9999

[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looks like, Windows keeps the subkeys of volumes which is no longer valid ( disks were initially presented to the host and later removed)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/Nedlasting/MbrFix.htm

http://www.sysint.no/Nedlasting/MbrFix.zip

pseudo GUI:

http://home.graffiti.net/jaclaz: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