Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive

    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive

    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive

    How to Pin or Unpin a Drive to Taskbar in Windows 7 and Windows 8
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    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Pin or Unpin a Drive to Taskbar in Windows 7 and Windows 8


       Information
    This tutorial will show you how to pin a drive to the taskbar as a toolbar in Windows 7 and Windows 8.


    EXAMPLE: Pin Drive to Taskbar
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-example.jpg



    OPTION ONE

    To Pin a Drive to the Taskbar as an EXE File


    1. Open Notepad, and click on File (Menu bar) and Save as. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: You will need to leave notepad blank.
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-exe-.jpg
    2. Navigate to your desktop. Under Save as type, change it to All Files (*.*), type in a name you want for this (ex: Drive C.exe) with the .exe file extension at the end, and click on the Save button. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-exe-2.jpg
    3. Close Notepad.

    4. Right click on the saved .exe file on your desktop (ex: Drive C.exe), and click on Pin to Taskbar.

    5. Right click on the pinned .exe icon on the taskbar, right click on the .exe file (ex: Drive C.exe) in the jump list, and click on Properties. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-exe-2.jpg
    6. In the Start in field, make sure it's blank. In the Target field, change it to be the drive letter path (ex: C:\ ) that you want the pinned icon on the taskbar to open. Click on OK. (see screenshots below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-exe-3a.jpgTaskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-exe-3b.jpg
    7. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to have the icon on the taskbar to change to the correct drive icon afterwards. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-exe-4.jpg
    8. You can now drag the drive icon any where you like within the other pinned icons on the taskbar if you like. (see screenshot above)\

    9. You can now delete the .exe file on your desktop (ex: Drive C.exe) if you like.
       Note
    To Unpin Drive from Taskbar:
    1. Right click on the pinned drive icon on the taskbar, and click on Unpin this program from taskbar.



    OPTION TWO

    To Pin a Drive to the Taskbar as a Toolbar


    1. Right click on the Desktop and click on New and Folder, then rename the new folder Drives and press Enter.
    NOTE: You can rename the folder anything you like. I'm just using Drives as an example in this tutorial.

    2. Open the Computer window (Start Menu), then right click on any drive (ex: C: drive) that you want to pin to the taskbar and click on Create shortcut. This will create a shortcut for this drive on your desktop. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: You can create a shortcut for one or more drives if you like to use in step 3 below to pin them all to the taskbar as well.
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-1.jpg
    3. Select and Move all drive shortcuts on the desktop created in step 2 into the Drives folder (step 1).

    4. Now Move the Drives folder to a location (ex: in My Documents folder) that you want to keep it saved at.
    NOTE: The Drives folder must remain at this location for it to continue to work when finished pinning it to the taskbar.

    5. Press and hold the Shift key, right click on the Drives folder (step 4), release Shift, and click on Copy as path.
    NOTE: This path will be used in step 8 below.
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-2.jpg
    6. Unlock the taskbar.

    7. Right click on a empty space on the taskbar and click on Toolbars and New toolbar. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-3.jpg
    8. Right click in the Folder line and click on Paste to copy the path of the Drives folder from step 5, then click on Select Folder. (see screenshots below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-4a.jpg

    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-4b.jpg
    9. On the taskbar, right click on the dotted lines just to the left of the Drives toolbar icon, then uncheck Show Title by clicking on it. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step5.jpg
    10. To Select a Small or Large Pinned Drive Icon
    A) Right click on the dotted lines just to the left of the drive, then click on View and select either Large Icons or Small Icons for the drive(s) on the taskbar. (see screenshots below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-6a.jpgTaskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-6b.jpg
    11. To Keep or Remove Pinned Drive Text
    A) Right click on the dotted lines just to the left of the drive, then click on View and click on Show Text to check (keep) or uncheck (remove) the drive name. (see screenshots below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-7a.jpgTaskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-7b.jpg
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-7c.jpg
    12. To Keep the Pinned Drive on the Right Side of Taskbar
    A) Left click on the dotted lines just to the left of the drive and hold, then drag it to the left and right some to make any adjustments to how you want the drive(s) positioned on the right side of the taskbar. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step8.jpg
    B) Release the left click when done.

    C) Go to step 14.
    13. To Have the Pinned Drive on the Left Side of Taskbar
    A) Left click on the dotted lines just to the left of the drive and hold, then drag it all the way to the left past the other pinned taskbar program icons on the left side of the taskbar and release. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-9.jpg
    B) Left click on the dotted lines just to the left of the pinned taskbar program icons on the now right side and hold, then drag it to the left until next to the drive and release. (see screenshots below)
    NOTE: If you have another pinned toolbar on the left (ex: Recycle Bin) that you would like to keep to the far left instead of the pinned Drive icon, then you can drag the drive icon just to the right of it as well if you like.
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-10.jpg

    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-step-11.jpg
    14. Lock the taskbar.

    15. You now have a pinned drive on the taskbar. (see example screenshot at the top of the tutorial)
       Note
    To Unpin Drive from Taskbar:
    1. Right click on a empty space on the taskbar and click on Toolbars and on Drives (step 1 in OPTION ONE above) to uncheck it and remove it from the taskbar. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive-remove_drives.jpg
    That's it,
    Shawn








  1. Posts : 13,354
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #1

    Thanks Shawn. Good tutorial as usual.
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  2. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Thank you Jonathan. :)
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #3

    Sorry for posting in a old topic, but there is a easier way to pin drives to taskbar. You take a blank notepad and save as "whatever.exe" ( I will just name it "Drive C" to make it easier) I placed the Drive C.exe in the C drive for safe keeping. Make a shortcut and pin that shortcut to the taskbar, right click on it then right click on Drive C click on properties then rename the target line to C:\ and that's it your done. Then just repeat for other drives you may have. Sorry if you have this posted some where. I haven't gone thru the entire site yet.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Hello Wrath, and welcome to Seven Forums.

    Thank you, but the only problem is that the shortcut using that method wouldn't have a "Pin to taskbar" option. You could drag it onto the taskbar to pin it inside the Windows Explorer jump list though.

    You could pin the EXE to the taskbar, right click on it, right click on "Drive C" in the jump list, click Properties, and change target to C:. However, the icon on the taskbar would be default application icon and not a drive icon without a way to change it.

    Am I missing a step or something??
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #5

    The way that I said does have a pin/unpin to/from taskbar, it also uses the default icon from the drive or you can change it to what you want. This way also lets you pin it to the start menu. I have attached a txt file on how its done. I can make a video if you like or I can make some screens. Let me know if you would like that.
    Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Drive Attached Files
    Last edited by Wrath; 05 Mar 2012 at 00:13.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Ah, ok. I got it now.

    There's no need to move the exe to the C: drive or keep it after pinning it to the taskbar unless you just wanted to. I find that after killing and restarting explorer.exe, or log off/log on will give you the proper icon on the taskbar instantly.

    I will add this as another option shortly. Thank you. :)
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 14
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #7

    Your welcome, glad I could help. I also keep it just in case I unpin it then I don't have to make another one even tho its so simple. And yes logging off or restarting explorer gets the icon instantly I forgot to say that so thank you for that.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home premium 64bit
       #8

    Fantastic! Thanks Brink
      My Computer


 

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