i have started to have issues with my usb flash keys windows install them fine but dose not assign them a drive letter. this issue is only affecting flash memory. my usb hdd installed and are assign a drive letter. so it seems to only affect flash based devices I have tried the usb keys on a number of different pcs and they work fine on them. i have also tried removing the drivers, rebooting but the issue remains the same. I can access them by manually assigning a drive letter via the admin tools. but this this needs to be done ever time and it provides limited access( limits the sizes of files which can be transferred to it) any solutions will be appreciated.

"it provides limited access( limits the sizes of files which can be transferred to it)" Can you explain this in more detail? Have you tried reformatting one of the sticks and then rebooting with it in the system. Does it get assigned a drive letter then? Imagine the power of knowing how to internet search http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Teachin...

Do you have any drive mappings? Try disconnecting them if you do. The flash drive might want one of the mapping's drive letters, but it can't since it's in use.

Ok I have tried formatting and rebooting but it dose not solve the issue. the limited access I was referring to was I can reading anything on the key(s) fine, copy off them to the an other drive fine. the issue is copying to it.example if i create a new folder it pick up a length error. limiting the size to newfold where as it should have been newfolder. I have tried using the key(s) on each of the 7 usb ports with no other usb device connected. the same issue still occurs. as for port issues. the key(s) previous got assigned a new driver letter if the previous one was taken. the usb hdd still get assign a new drive letter if the previous one it had is taken. I think it unusual that it only affect flash based usb devices the problem first occurred when sp3 corrupted the windows install. preventing a safe mode boot to restore windows. so i had to use the dell repair disk to repair windows. this restore window back to old release sp1. from this point on it started the driver letter issues with flash keys.the services pack installed fine with no issues the second time around but the flask key issues remained