Can't rename router USB Flash Drive's network shared folder

justsomeguy · 22 Oct 2018

My Windows 7 Network tells me I have two items on my network, listed under the heading, “Computer (2)”:
1. Laptop (my Windows laptop)
2. ARRIS-LGW (my ARRIS wireless router/modem)

When I ‘open’ ARRIS-LGW, I see a network folder icon named, “USBStorage Share” (because I’ve got a SanDisk USB Flash drive inserted into the USB port of my ARRIS wireless router/modem).

When I open “USBStorage Share”, I see a standard folder named, “SanDisk-4C530001140519117564”.

“SanDisk-4C530001140519117564” appears to be some identifier that Windows is retrieving from the SanDisk USB Flash drive.

The problem is, a folder named “SanDisk-4C530001140519117564” is gibberish to network users, who would much prefer it be named “Put Your Files Here”.

Is there some way I can access the Windows function that is retrieving the identifier "SanDisk-4C530001140519117564", and change it so that the resulting folder name generated by Windows Network, can be a much more meaningful, “Put Your Files Here”?

When I try to rename it while logged in as admin (or even as “Administrator”), Windows says “The action can’t be completed because the folder or a file in it is open in another program”.

I asked SanDisk about this, but their tech support claims this is a Windows issue, beyond their support limits.

samuria · 22 Oct 2018

If you right click on it choose properties it should be the volume label which you can change

mrjimphelps · 22 Oct 2018

Can you create another folder at the same level as that folder, and then use the new folder as the shared folder? Also, you can probably right-click on the folder with the long name, choose Properties, then hide it so that no one will see it and try to use it.

justsomeguy · 23 Oct 2018

Good suggestion, Samuria, but I already changed the volume label but Windows Network does not use the volume label. Windows is not looking at my Volume Label when it names the folder. It seems to be accessing some kind of hidden (flash drive) device name (SanDisk) and device ID number (4C530001140519117564) that are embedded into the flash drive.

I don't think the number 4C530001140519117564 is generated by Windows, because it is always the same number (the number survives restarts and Flash drive ejections/remounts). If the number was changing each time, I would be more likely to expect it's generated on the fly by Windows, but it never changes.

justsomeguy · 23 Oct 2018

MrJimPhelps, unfortunately Windows Network presents a dialog stating that "You need permission to perform this action", if I try to create a new folder next to the “SanDisk-4C530001140519117564” folder, or if I try to copy a file into the location where the “SanDisk-4C530001140519117564” folder resides. That thwarting dialog appears regardless of whether I am logged in as a normal user, or an administrative user.

Barman58 · 23 Oct 2018

The ID that is presented to the network of any resource, in this case the space on the USB stick, is set on the sharing device. In this case the router is the "Computer" sharing the USB drive,[as shown as it appears on the network as a computer], therefore you will need to set the share name (and possibly the router device name [not the SSID but the name that the network sees].

If you enter the router internal management interface you should find an area or section to setup the sharing parameters, to whatever you like, obviously there may be restrictions on characters but nothing to severe, you may also need to add the name of the local network "Workgroup" and possibly access passwords, depending on the router

justsomeguy · 23 Oct 2018

Barman68, great post! - but alas, the Arris router internal management interface does not offer any access to share name, router device name, or sharing parameters. And Arris tech support only assists users in navigating and using the router's existing interface features. For anything else, their response is always, "this is beyond the scope of our tech support". But I bet you are right on, with the solution...if only there was a way to implement it!

Barman58 · 23 Oct 2018

Indeed, I have stopped using the routers supplied by my ISP's many years ago - they are modified from the original spec to just allow the minimum possible configuration - am not familiar with the Arris range so cannot judge.

As a comparison my current Netgear Nighthawk allows me to share multiple partitions of a 4TB USB attached to the Router, and lock down access over the network.

There is one possible work around, and that is to flash the router with better firmware that does give a more practical set of options DD WRT router software is available for a number of router groups and may provide a cheap way to improve things rather than an expensive router replacement DD-WRT - Wikipedia

justsomeguy · 25 Oct 2018

Ironically, I went the other way....to ensure that the Wifi Modem/Router would be compatible with Comcast, I intentionally chose from Comcast's list of compatible devices and chose the Arris because I didn't want to spend a lot on a device that Comcast Support could later blame any problems on me "because we don't support that device". Maybe I'll reconsider that decision; the Arris was only around $75 at WalMart...basically a throwaway.

The Arris has another issue that bugs me: in order to allow me to access email via my required pop-server port, i have to set my firewall to its LOWEST setting because the Arris software does not allow users to custom-select whatever ports they want included in their Low, Medium and High firewall settings. You are basically stuck with using only the Arris pre-configured port lists for each category.

Regarding firmware flashing, I looked at the link you provided but, alas, didn't find any firmware listed there for Arris routers.

Long Gone are the days when you could contact tech support and actually get a knowledgeable software engineer or programmer to actually address technical questions...now we only get some well-intentioned phone tech somewhere in Malaysia who struggles with English (God bless 'em!) and is only allowed (or knowledgeable enough) to answer basic, authorized operational questions. In the good old days, we could often get an engineer or programmer who could provide a script or talk us through a software or registry hack to resolve issues like these.

justsomeguy · 10 Jul 2019

Update: it turns out that the bizarre USB network name,
"SanDisk 010189d5392d5e057c3280e72a64c55eb29413578f8ef6bd8b3a2c07bc8cafc."

...is actually the flash drive's serial number. (disclosed by examining it with Mac Disk Utility).

I asked both Arris Support and SanDisk Support how to make the flash drive identify on the
Windows network by its user-preferred volume name instead of its serial number.

Sandisk Support pointed fingers at Arris: "I understand your concern, as such please allow me to
inform you that we have not tested our Flash drives connection over the routers. We have only
tested them with Mac/windows operating environment. It might be possible that the Router is
accessing and displaying the directory file name of the Flash drives. We do not have any expertise
over the interface of the Arris router, so it will be inconvenient for us to comment. We recommend
you to contact your device manufacturer support and check with them."

Arris seemed to blame it on Windows:
"Unfortunately, there is no way to change those names in the ARRIS device itself, is the computer
the one blocking the option to customize it. Try closing all the files and windows you have open
and try to rename those as normal folders. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause."

Curiously, I also have a Mac on my Windows network. The Mac always correctly displays the
router-mounted flash drive by its user-preferred volume name.