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How Do I Mount a Volume to a Folder Path Using Diskpart?

Published in Volume Management 4 mins read

To "mount" in the context of the provided reference means connecting a disk volume (like a partition) so that its contents are accessible through a specific folder path on your existing file system, rather than being assigned a drive letter (like D:, E: etc.). This method uses the Windows built-in command-line tool diskpart.

Here is the exact process to mount a volume to a specific folder path using diskpart, based on the steps provided:

Steps to Mount a Volume to a Folder

This procedure requires administrative privileges as it uses the diskpart utility. Ensure the folder you intend to mount the volume to already exists and is empty.

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Search for "Command Prompt", right-click on it, and select "Run as administrator".
  2. Launch Diskpart: In the Command Prompt window, type diskpart and press Enter. This starts the Diskpart utility.
  3. List Available Volumes: At the DISKPART> prompt, type list volume and press Enter. This command displays a list of all volumes on your computer, including their number, drive letter (if assigned), file system, type, size, and status.
    • Example Output (abbreviated):
        Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
  ----------  ---  -----------  ----   ----------  -------  ---------  --------
  Volume 0     C   System       NTFS   Partition    450 GB  Healthy    Boot
  Volume 1                      NTFS   Partition     15 GB  Healthy
  Volume 2     D   Backup Data  NTFS   Partition    500 GB  Healthy
  4. Select the Volume to Mount: Identify the number of the volume you want to mount from the list you just saw (e.g., Volume 1 in the example above if it's an unassigned partition). Type select volume <volumenumber> (replace <volumenumber> with the actual number) and press Enter. Diskpart will confirm the volume is selected.
    • Example: select volume 1
  5. Assign the Mount Point: Now, assign the volume to the desired folder path. Type assign [mount=<path>] and press Enter. Replace <path> with the full path to the existing, empty folder where you want the volume mounted (e.g., C:\MountPoints\MyData).
    • Example: assign mount=C:\MountPoints\MyData
    • Note: The square brackets [] in the command assign [mount=<path>] indicate the mount=<path> part is optional. Typing assign without specifying a path would simply assign the next available drive letter. However, to mount to a folder, the mount=<path> part is crucial.
  6. Close Command Prompt: Once Diskpart confirms the assignment was successful, you can type exit and press Enter to leave Diskpart, then close the Command Prompt window.

The contents of the selected volume should now be accessible directly through the folder path you specified.

Why Mount a Volume to a Folder?

Mounting a volume to a folder is useful for several reasons:

  • Seamless Integration: Makes the volume appear as a subfolder of another drive, rather than a separate drive letter.
  • Overcome Drive Letter Limits: Useful if you have many volumes and are running out of available drive letters.
  • Organizational Purposes: Can help organize storage by making related data volumes appear within a logical structure of your main drive.

Summary of Key Diskpart Commands

Command Purpose
diskpart Launches the Diskpart utility.
list volume Shows all available disk volumes.
select volume # Selects a specific volume by its number.
assign mount=<path> Mounts the selected volume to a folder path.
exit Exits Diskpart.

Remember to replace <volumenumber> and <path> with your specific volume number and desired folder path. The target folder must exist and be empty before running the assign command.

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