Q. How can I change the Volume ID of a disk from a dos command ? I know there's software for that but there's only a HDD on that machine, no floppy, modem or networking. Thanks for any info

Try using LABEL.exe

Type LABEL - It will alow you to change Volume Label. Its upto 11 charactors long.

Thanks guys but I need to cange the volume ID, not label !

The Volume ID is changed by LABEL It is one and the same thing!

volume ids and labels are NOT the same thing. Try this from sysinternals: While WinNT/2K and Windows 9x's built-in Label utility lets you change the labels of disk volumes, it does not provide any means for changing volume ids. This utiltity, Volumeid, allows you to change the ids of FAT and NTFS disks (floppies or hard drives) on both Windows NT/2K and Windows 9x. Usage: volumeid xxxx-xxxx This is a command-line program that you must run from a command-prompt window. Note that changes on NTFS volumes won't be visible until the next reboot. In addition, you should shut down any applications you have running before changing a volume id. NT may become confused and think that the media (disk) has changed after a FAT volume id has changed and pop up messages indicating that you should reinsert the original disk (!). It may then fail the disk requests of applications using those drives. http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/misc.shtml#VolumeId

Shawn gets the lollipop and the others - keep studying guys .. [volumeid] is THE only program that exists in the public realm that will change the volume ID of a HDD...and it does it perfectly. Which is quite handy really -since snoopy nosey-roseys like ICC for example have spyware embedded in their chess club interface client that reads and reports the Vol-ID to their server.. You live u learn.. Label .. ? .. :-) .. not quite