This might help people like me that have two cd/dvd drives in there computers and keep forgetting which one is which. (ok I know it's a age thing he-he)
Now they show up in My Computer or Windows Explorer as: NEC DVD-RW DL (G and SONY CD-RW (H

Hope this helps somebody
Mac-1
........................................................

Before you try this backup your Registry, or make a system restore.

How to Rename a CD or DVD Drive in Windows XP/2000

1. Start > Run > Regedit

2. Go to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons\D\Default Label

Assuming D is the name of your drive letter.

In the left explorer pane.

1: If there is no DriveIcons Key you will have to make one. (hi-light the Explorer key, then right click and select New Key, name it DriveIcons.

1: Assuming D is the letter of your CD/DVD drive.

2: If there is no key named D(or whatever your drive letter is) you will have to make the key, (hi-light the DriveIcons Key and right click and select New Key, name it to whatever your drive letter is) eg: D

3: If you have two drives, you will have to make keys for each drive, eg: D: & F: or whatever the drives letters are. (then follow below.)

4: Then create a key named DefaultLabel, (create one by right-clicking the key for your drive "in this case, D" and selecting New > Key. name it DefaultLabel)

5: If you have two drives you will have to make a key named DefaultLabel for each drive letter, see 3 above.

Now in the right explorer pane

5. Then change the (Default) value to the label you want. to do this right click the (Default) value and select modify, then enter what you want to call your drive. if you have two drives you will have to change both (Default) values for each drive.

I have changed both my (default) values to NEC DVD-RW DL and SONY DVD-RW

done

Sounds like a Windows Tweak from Sara Lane on TSS. Good for people if they want to tweak.

err who is Sara Lane on TSS

i am only trying to help people.

Show called The Screen Savers (TSS) on G4-TechTV. I have no problem with what you are doing.

I thought there was a WAY easier way to do this although I might be thinking of renaming hard drives. I don't know if you can do it with optical drives.

I tried this a while back as i had 4 drives and a few virtual drives which i wanted to name nec, liteon etc etc but there is no such registry key in xp pro (not sure about xp home)

@ Mac-1 btw i am also from north scotland..

Hi again
I will try and attach a picture of My Computer so you can see that it works if you follow my post above.
see attached (My Computer.jpeg)
also see see attached (DriveIcons keys in Regedit.jpeg)

dallshead
Hi, it's a small world. you have to make all the Keys if they are not there. see attached (DriveIcons keys in Regedit.jpeg)

jlindley
Hi. to rename you H/D just right click on them in My Computer and select Rename.

rolling56
Sorry for reacting like that, I suffer from bad anxiety and tend to jump the gun sometimes.

see ya

is that the way the attached files always come out when you attach them. does that mean you have to zip them first to get them to show as a link on the post.

no matter you still see that it works.

This is a useful tip, especially for those with four optical drives per computer which are occasionally swapped or replaced.

Thanks

Mac 1. You are a legend thanks for posting up that awesome information.

for those that say you can not do it with xp didnt read his whole post, you have to create the keys.

Thanks mac 1

this is a great thread. i post here daily and I only found this through google...go figure haha.

my computer is all pretty and organized now

erm... yes... you could do this... or you could do this

1. Start
2. Right click my computer
3. Manage
4. Disk management
5. Right click the drive you want to change the letter of
6. Change drive letter and paths
7. Click change
8. change the letter
9. Click ok

haveacigar, he this was not a tutorial on how to change drive letters. this was about renaming the volume name of optical drives which, as far as I know, windows will not allow you to do (without this registry hack)

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... my mistake....

I named my BenQ 1640 " Speedy" and my BenQ1655 " SpongeBOB

hahaha !!!!

Hi
Now you have to have a post-it stuck to your monitor to remind you what "Speedy" & "SpongeBOB" stand for.

seriously, this is such a simple little thing, but it's one of the most useful registry edits I've ever come across. why the hell wouldn't windows have just included this as a standard feature..oh wait, it makes too much damn sense!

...

Mac-1, thanks...much appreciated!

Thank you for your help worked like a charm!

Well there are a lot of posts here, so I apologize if I missed the easy way to change optical drive names.

There is a small program (900 byte script) at kellys-korner that makes it easy to do. It's item 191 on this page:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

When you run it, it will ask for the drive letter, and then ask for the name.

THANK YOU!

I used the registry patch today - it works perfectly. This has been driving me mad for weeks.

I just joined today to say thanks (and revive a months old thread....) for this tip. In my case this is very necessary.

I have 2 almost identical named DVD burners from the same company. Only difference in their names is the last 2 letters. Using Nero, I always gotta go to My Computer to see which drive Im about to use. And i have to load a blank disc in first.

So a big thank u for this tip.