When trying to install software, my XP computer keeps looking for a drive that doesn't exist. Then..."error".

Question

When trying to install new software lately, I keep getting an error "Invalid Drive E:\" - it doesn't matter what software it is, I always get the error. However, when I attach a drive to the computer (whether it's a thumb drive, my iPod, or an external hard drive), the installation completes regularly. How do I get the computer to stop "looking" for an E:\ drive, which is not normally connected to the computer?

Real answers please. Fluff will be reported. Thanks.

Sorry, I forgot to add some details.

I have NOT made any recent changes to hardware on my computer, aside from plugging in a thumb drive or iPod.

I have a C:\ drive (hard drive), a D:\ drive (CD burner), and that's all. It's a pretty basic computer, and this only started happening recently, but I can't remember what triggered it.

Answer 1

According to your description,there may have some regsitry errors in your PC to cause "drive doesn't exist error".You need to clean you PC.
Every time you install and uninstall software on your computer and surfing online you create junk in the registry.You need to scan and clean your PC with registry cleaner.Good Regisry Cleaner will fix(NOT hide) almost all computer errors(contains drive doesn't error),System Freezes,improve your PC and Internet performance dramatically.
There are some comparison and review of registry cleaners.
http://www.registry-cleaners.info

You can download and scan your PC for free.

Answer 2

Mine does that as well. I played with the slave/master switches on my hard drives and cd rom drives and things seem ok. I'd put them all on the cable selct setting. Also, make sure your bios's settings are correct. Do you have 2 CD rom drives? When installed at the same time, hard drives defualt as C+D, CD rom's as E+F. HD's take letter priority over CD's. If yours is defaulting to E, that means you have a second partition, hard drive, or CD rom drive. If that's not the case, try the jumper, BIOS, and windows settings. If BIOS drive assignments match windows, and the jumpers are OK, you may have a busted CD rom drive. To get to the windows settings, just type in drive letter assignment in help...its some gui settings menu buried in control panel.

Answer 3

Reassign the letter to the drive and make sure that the machine is set for REMOVABLE Storage. It thinks that the thuumb drive is permanent storage so when it's gone, the drive letter becomes a problem. With Removable storage, this is not the case.

Answer 4

Booting from the XP disc might desire to artwork, purely make certain you format the force while you're no longer twin-booting. additionally while you're no longer able as nicely from the XP disc, then interior the BIOS substitute the startup config so as that the CD force boots first. Judging by potential of what you have already finished, you'll be able to might desire to reset the settings interior the BIOS to make certain that issues to artwork exact. be conscious: no longer all MoBos are the comparable. Your MoBo won't have a reset determination