Restoring a deleted drive in the "local NTFS volumes" list

[richman2]

I accidentally removed the C drive in the local NTFS volumes list ( Tools/Options ) and cannot restore it.

- Whilst there is a button to remove a drive, there isn't one to add a drive.
- "AutomaticaIly include new fixed volumes" is ticked, but it doesn't pick up the C drive when I run the program again.
- I'm using the portable version, and as the ini and db files are kept in the same folder as the program on drive D ( well away from the OS on the C drive ) I assumed deleting this folder and starting with a fresh copy would see the fixed drives re-scanned on the first run, but the C drive is still not being picked up. There must be a setting/file left somewhere in an OS folder/registry, despite it being the portable version ( how else would it know not to include the C drive removed previously ? ).
- I've carried out a force rebuild, but the issue persists.

On the first run, I've ran as administrator, have not installed the everything service and the "Do not index NTFS volumes" is NOT ticked.

Anything I can try ?

[NotNull]

1.
Typically removing your Windows C:-drive from theNTFS volumes list is not possible.
The C:-drive might be flagged as a removable drive in Windows somehow (?!?).
But should be listed nevertheless.

Try enabling Automatically include new removable volumes too and see if that helps
(under Menu:Tools > Options > General)
(don't expect so, tbh, but it is a quick easy test ..)


2.
Could you also post the output of the following CMD command in Command Prompt:

Code: Select all

wmic.exe volume where "driveletter='C:'" get driveletter ,deviceid, drivetype, filesystem  /value

And post the contents of your Everything.ini (size should be around 20 kB)?
(redact personal info where needed)


3.
The following steps will open an independent, clean Everything instance.
It helps deducting if there was something wrong with your original Everything setup.

• In Explorer, browse to the Everything folder on your D:-drive
• type
  CMD
  in the addressbar and press ENTER
• On the CMD prompt, type or paste the following command and press ENTER:

  Code: Select all

  everything.exe -instance TEST

• When prompted, choose to Run as administrator
  (usually not a good idea, but for this test the best option)
• Accept the UAC prompt(s)
• Go to menu:Tools > Options > Indexes > NTFS
  Is your C:-drive listed here?
• If so: Select the C:-drive in the NTFS volumes list.
  Is Include in database checked? If noit: check it
• click OK
• Let Everything index your drives
• Are files/folders on your C:-drives listed?
• Completely exit this TEST instance:
  - right-click the Everything systemtray icon and click Exit

4.
And of course the infamous: "Did you try a reboot?" ...

[richman2]

1, 3 and 4 have not resulted in the C drive being picked up, but option 2 has shown where the issue lies.

Executing the command line you gave produced "no instances available". But the ini file reveals the issue. I can list the whole contents if you really want it, but one line stands out = ntfs_volume_guids="\\\\?\\Volume{0005e9bb-0000-0000-00ee-ae3716000000}","\\\\?\\Volume{80139c93-0000-0000-0000-100000000000}","\\\\?\\Volume{80139c93-0000-0000-0000-a0e9e8000000}"
I presume that means three volumes are un-named ( i.e. shown as ? )

Let me explain what two actions I have recently carried out ( can't remember which was actioned first though ).

- I wanted to increase the C partition by 20 gb ( from 70gb to 90gb ) and had space on the D partition, but as you can see from the screen capture of a partition program I use ( macroit ),

009.png (32 KiB) Viewed 1831 times

there is an unspecified partition inbetween with a size of 602.3mb ( don't know how it got there ). As you can only add space from an adjacent partition, it involved some shuffling - I had to reduce the amount given to the D drive by 20gb, add it to this 602.3mb partition, reduce that by 20gb, then combine the now spare 20gb with the C partition.

- I wanted a fresh install of my OS ( win 10 ), and first tried one loaded on a thumbdrive. That installed ok but the most recent 22H2 update became stuck, and there appeared to be no way to correct it or get past it. As I had taken a copy of a bare installation a few years ago, I decided to just restore that and the 22H2 update then completed with no problems. However, did I restore an old copy from a partition sized 70gb to a partition that's now 20gb larger, and is that what caused the spare 602.3mb space ?

I also can't crate a system restore point

010.png (5.58 KiB) Viewed 1831 times

011.png (3.42 KiB) Viewed 1831 times

as it's searching for the drives but can't find any at all. Not even ones "everything" does actually pick up.

Look at a capture of an examination of that spare 603.2mb -

012.png (78.26 KiB) Viewed 1831 times

note the volume GUID 0005e9bb..., the same as the line in the everything ini file. So the un-named partition ( * ) is what's causing the issues with "everything". Do I allocate a drive letter and see what happens ? Can I give it any spare letter, or do I have to change D to say F, then this spare partition to D ?

Another screen capture

013.png (71.15 KiB) Viewed 1831 times

shows it contains 10 files that take up 74% of 603mb, but only 5mb in use by the system, so I'm assuming it's not a critical systems partition.

[NotNull]

I presume that means three volumes are un-named ( i.e. shown as ? )

That is the way Windows names those internally. I have a (working) volumename \\?\Volume{dd89341a-0000-0000-0040-000000000000} here.
The ntfs_volume_guid= setting contains3 parts.These same 3 parts are in the other ntfs_volume_... settings.
Most relevant here are ntfs_volume_paths= and ntfs_volume_includes=

there is an unspecified partition inbetween with a size of 602.3mb ( don't know how it got there )

Might be the recovery-os partition

Can I give it any spare letter, or do I have to change D to say F, then this spare partition to D ?

Sure, driveletters don't need to be in order, so naming it X: would be fine too (if that driveletter is free on your system)

note the volume GUID 0005e9bb..., the same as the line in the everything ini file.

Not exactly. Look closely ...
Typically volumes on the same disk start with the same pattern, but differ later on.



But your screenshot shows the C:-drive with a reg flag.
Sounds to me there is still something wrong with this volume.
My suggestion would be to concentrate on fixing that first.

Executing the command line you gave produced "no instances available".

That was unexpected ...

wmic.exe volume get * /value

should give results. Maybe that helps in zooming in on the issue.


Good luck!!
.

[richman2]

A red flag ( according to the partition program I'm using ) just means it's an active partition. The system volume ( drive C: ) needs to be an active partition, and one disk can only have one partition marked as active.

I've copied the un-named partition to a flash drive, and can see it's a recovery partition for windows ( windowsRE ).

I've ran the command ( drivewmic.exe volume get * /value ) from folders on both the C and D partitions of my main drive, and the only partitions listed are the recovery partition ( * ) and the D drive. The C drive doesn't show up at all, and I'm assuming it should ?

I saved the ini and db files from an old "everything" run, and thought they might have been created before I removed the C drive listing. I therefore copied these across to my "current" everything folder ( overwriting the ones present ), and not only is the C drive not being shown, but a thumbdrive ( labelled I: ) then stopped being picked up ( it did with the current but now overwritten ini and db files ). I've ticked "include both new fixed and removable volumes", rebuilt the database and rebooted, but I: is not picked up. I then unticked "remove offline storage" so another thumbdrive ( labelled F: ) plugged in should still be listed after being un-plugged. But unplugging resulted in it not showing up either, and despite plugging it back in, rebuilding the database and rebooting, it's still not showing up. I then tried a completely new copy of "everything" with new ini and db files, and the I: and F: drives are still not being picked up ( as well as the still missing C drive ). That means three drives are now not being picked up. The command line wmic.exe still lists both the I: drive and F: drive, but not the C: drive. My partition program lists all drives, including C:, I: and F:.

As these issues increase with various runs of "everything", and it all started when I removed the C drive listing within the "everything" program, the issue has to be with the program itself. To occur with any instance of "everything" wherever it's folder is located, has to mean a setting remains in the registry, or a file is left on the OS drive despite it being the "portable" version. How else would every instance of "everything", new and old, miss these drives ? Are you aware of anything the portable version creates/amends, other than the ini/db files ? I'm now starting to wonder whether it's a bug.

Unless you have any further suggestions, I will try installing the everything service, then a full installation ( not the portable version ), and failing that, restore to a bare installation ( though I'm then having to re-install all my other programs/settings, which I've already gone through once this week ). "Everything" is a far superior search program, so I'm reluctant to give it up.

[NotNull]

I've ran the command ( drivewmic.exe volume get * /value ) from folders on both the C and D partitions of my main drive, and the only partitions listed are the recovery partition ( * ) and the D drive. The C drive doesn't show up at all, and I'm assuming it should ?

Yes, absolutely!!!
You are relying on what your disk partitioning program is telling you. Windows itself reports otherwise (through wmic).

As these issues increase with various runs of "everything", and it all started when I removed the C drive listing within the "everything" program, the issue has to be with the program itself. To occur with any instance of "everything" wherever it's folder is located, has to mean a setting remains in the registry, or a file is left on the OS drive despite it being the "portable" version. How else would every instance of "everything", new and old, miss these drives ? Are you aware of anything the portable version creates/amends, other than the ini/db files ? I'm now starting to wonder whether it's a bug.

Your external I: and F: drives are likely not NTFS-formatted and therefor need to be added manually (OPtions > Inexes > Folders)



Reinstalling Everything will not help. You already tried a virgin installation (test 3) and your C:-drive didn't come up. And that corresponds with the result of Windows' WMIC command.

[richman2]

You were correct, other drives were FAT32 so didn't show on the NTFS list ( added as folders and they do now ).

BUT !!

014.png (3.09 KiB) Viewed 1754 times

Ran sfc /scannow and it picked up errors such as "Warning: Overlap: Directory \??\C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\en-US\ is owned twice or has its security set twice". It corrected these errors and as you can see, drive C has now been picked up by "everything".

Thanks for helping me get to this point.