MS-DOS: Unable to Change Volume Label (71715)



The information in this article applies to:
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.1
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.2
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.21
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3a
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.0
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.01
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0

This article was previously published under Q71715

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to change the volume label with the LABEL command, it remains the same.

CAUSE

The volume label is stored in a directory entry in the root directory. A root directory entry that has the volume label attribute set is regarded as the volume label by MS-DOS. If the volume label entry is in lowercase, MS- DOS will be unable to modify it.

MS-DOS will never write a lowercase volume label to a disk. However, it is possible that a third-party program could write a lowercase volume label.

When MS-DOS displays the volume label, such as in a DIR or LABEL command, it converts it to uppercase. This means that the volume label may appear in uppercase when MS-DOS displays it, but in actuality it could be lowercase.

MS-DOS is unable to correct this problem. A third-party disk editor must be used to change the volume label to uppercase. Only a person familiar with MS-DOS directory structures should attempt to modify the root directory.

The only other alternative to using a disk editor to correct this problem is to reformat the drive. Formatting will erases all the information stored on the drive including the volume label.

Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 11/26/2003
Keywords: KB71715