Duplicate Drive Entries In Windows 11 File Explorer

When adding a external backup drive, Windows 11 assigns a drive letter okay, but it makes duplicates with one showing up under the C: drive and one under This PC. (See the bottom of the attached screen shot.) I can't delete one because they are the same. I tested this out by typing XYZ after 2TB on one of the drives and showed up on the other.

Disconnecting the USB cords, shutting down, starting up again, and then reconnecting does not solve the problem. Originally I had the problem with a second 1TB external back up but I've left it unconnected for now. Two back ups each with two drive letters assigned was just too much for me.

Hopefully someone else has encountered this and found the solution. Also, should an external drive be showing up under This PC and not C: ?

Hello David,

Removable drives are shown as separate groups in the navigation pane of File Explorer by default in addition to being shown under the This PC group in the navigation pane.

OS drives and fixed drives (ex: internal drives) will only be shown under This PC, and not separately in the navigation pane.

You can use the method in the tutorial below to no longer show the duplicates.

Brink, thank you very much for such a quick response and with all the detailed information!

I have read through it briefly and printed it out to study. I'll be honest with you, there is a good chance I will not make the changes as I am not at all comfortable working with registries. Maybe I'll change my mind after studying on it, but knowing the duplication is not an error, I can probably live with it.

No worries. The downloadable REG files will do all the work for you. It can always be easily undone if needed.