Microsoft KB Archive/939320

= Error message when you try to assign a drive letter to a hard disk drive in Windows Server 2003: &quot;The path cannot be used for creating a drive path&quot; =

Article ID: 939320

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-Based Systems

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Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry



SYMPTOMS
When you use the Disk Management tool to assign a drive letter to a hard disk drive in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, you receive the following error message:

The path cannot be used for creating a drive path likely because the folder does not exist or is already a drive path to some other volume.

When this problem occurs, the following Error event is logged in the System log: Event source: VDS Basic Provider 1.0

Event category: None

Event ID: 1

Date:

Time:

Type: Error

User: N/A

Computer:

Description: Unexpected failure. Error code: 1@01010018



CAUSE
This problem occurs if the Windows disk filter driver entry is missing from the registry. When the entry is missing, the PartMgr filter driver may not start.



RESOLUTION
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, add the UpperFilters entry to the registry, make sure that the PartMgr driver is configured to start when the computer starts, and then restart the computer. To do this, follow these steps:  Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

 On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Multi-String Value. Type UpperFilters to name the new entry, and then press ENTER. Right-click UpperFilters, and then click Modify. In the Value data box, type PartMgr, and then click OK.</li> Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

</li> In the details pane, examine the value of the Start registry entry. To start PartMgr when the computer starts, this value must be 0x00000000.</li> Exit all programs, and then restart the computer.</li></ol>

Note The following table lists the service startup types that are available in Windows.

Typically, device drivers are set to use a startup type of Boot or System. Typical Windows services are set to use a startup type of Automatic or Manual.

Keywords: kberrmsg kbtshoot kbregistry kbeventlog kbprb kbdiskmemory KB939320

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