Windows 7: System is creating a non-existing drive after startup

Hello,
I am new to this forum and I hope someone can help me with the following:

A week ago I deleted some files and folders on an old external hard disk, restored one of the folders from the recycle bin as I was not sure about it, and then deleted it once again. Maybe this caused the behavior of the system after that time.


When I start my computer, 3 out of 4 times after finishing the start, there is an additional drive G (or an additional drive H if my external hard disk is connected) and the system is in a loop trying to autorun this not existing drive. In this situation it is almost impossible to do anything on the computer as the autorun flashes over the screen and takes a lot of processing power. Also the non-existing drive is appearing and disappearing like crazy in the display



Computer
> External Disk (G) <------- appears and disappears like crazy



> Local Disk (C)
> RECOVERY (D)
> HP_TOOLS (E)
> DVD RW Drive (F)
>

This is happening more and more often, I am afraid at some time it will be permanent at the start. Until now, it does not happen after I shut down the system with the power button, so while booting it says: windows was not shut down properly, would you like to start normally? - and I respond with Yes.

A final remark: when everything is working fine, there are no problems with connecting and disconnecting of external hard drives, so after a good start, everything stays fine.

Thanks in advance,
Tomon.

Hello tomon and welcome to Seven Forums.

If I'm understanding the problem correctly, sometimes when you start your computer a "phantom" G: drive will show up. I'm guessing that you're seeing this drive because you're either getting a popup autorun dialog box, or you've clicked the Start buton > Computer and it shows up there.

Does the drive also appear in Disk Managment? If yes, is it labeled as active, logical, primary, or something else? If you're not sure you could post a screenshot of your Disk Managment.

How To Access Disk Management in Windows 7

Since you've apparently used the power button to shut down your computer, it's possible that you have damaged or corrupt system files. Run a system file checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two.) If problems are found, run the scan 3 times and reboot the computer in between each scan.

SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

Hello Marsmimar,
thanks for your reaction.
After the startup I see that the error is occurring because of some very fast flashing of probably autorun pop-ups. Then I get steady autorun pop-ups, I can close them but they keep reappearing very fast. Then I check the Start-> Computer and there I see a nervous flashing of the G drive appearing and disappearing.

I ran the Disk Management, see picture, but it does not appear there, you can see the G drive at the left. When I right-click on it, you get what you see in the second picture.

I must say that for the first time, after running Disk Management, the G drive 'relaxed', no more autoruns, so at the moment it is not causing any problems.

I also did the file checker scan several times, booted twice, but it did not find any integrity violations.

That's a good sign that SFC did not find any integrity violations. Your system files should be OK. I'd like to ask you to do something. Please post another screenshot of your Disk Management. But this time, expand it so all of the partitions on Disk 0 are visible. (You accidentally cut it off at the "HP_TO" partition.) We need to see if the G: drive is another partition.



In the screenshot above, put your cursor on the vertical line where the red arrow is. The cursor should change to a double arrow and you can drag the screen to the right to show the rest of the partitions on Disk 0.

I have noticed that your G drive has a funny flag on it (in the left pane of your second picture). Unfortunately the posted picture is too blurry to make it out. Maybe you can have a closer look what that is.

WHS: it is a small blue question mark.

Marsmimar: I made a new screenshot, although it is not the whole screen,
there is nothing more to see than this. I cannot expand the text on the E drive
further, but I assume it only says 'Primary Portion'

Hmm, next time it appears, check in Device Manager > Disk Drives whether it appears. But first enable "Show hidden devices" under the View tab.

Wolfgang, do you think this mystery G: drive might be a card reader?

Hello Whs,
herewith the Disk Drives of the Device Manager, Show hidden devices is enabled.

Marsmimar,
I don't have a cardreader.

Tomon, O.on the spec's for your computer it shows a digital card reader..

Your specs in pdf are located at
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01689926.pdf

Which could be the source of your phantom drive letter.

Rich