How do I change the name of a hard drive?
Forum rules
There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
-
- Level 1
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2017 5:55 pm
How do I change the name of a hard drive?
When I click on "Computer", I get a list of hard drives and SSDs. The drive I want to change the name of is called "WDC WD6002FZWX" and so on - long name. I want to call it "Main Hard Drive". How do I change it? (This hard drive is data only - nothing to do with the operating system. My operating system has it's own separate SSD.) I am using Linux Mint Cinnamon Sylvia 18.3.
Many thanks; and thank you for answering my two previous questions (which have nothing to do with this question).
~Cindy!
.
Many thanks; and thank you for answering my two previous questions (which have nothing to do with this question).
~Cindy!
.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
On this place you see always the hard coded name given by the manufacturer; you cannot change it.
-
- Level 1
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2017 5:55 pm
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
You could change the names in Windows to anything you wanted. I am sure you can do the same in Linux. ~Cindy!
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
You could change partition labels with gparted. Right-click the partition you want to change and choose Label.
For latest visit: SpaceEdge
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
The labels will be added on this place, but you cannot replace the hard coded names with them.
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
Linux isn't Windows and you can never assume that.
For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong - H. L. Mencken
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
Not sure via the GUI, but via the terminal, to label a file system (you don't label drives), you can do this in a couple of ways, depending on the file system. For example:
EXT2, EXT3, EXT4
Where DEV is the block device name, such as /dev/sda1, and where LABEL is the new label new to choose. Surround the LABEL in quotes if it has spaces or special characters.
NTFS
The usage for this is as above.
EXFAT
The usage for this is as above.
I imagine Disks (package
EXT2, EXT3, EXT4
Code: Select all
e2label DEV LABEL
NTFS
Code: Select all
ntfslabel DEV LABEL
EXFAT
Code: Select all
exfatlabel DEV LABEL
I imagine Disks (package
gnome-disk-utility
, command gnome-disks
) can do this as well, which is a GUI application. Or, as mentioned, gparted
.I'm also Terminalforlife on GitHub.
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
I think we are talking about two different things here. "WDC WD6002FZWX" isn't a partition label it's a drive - and in this case I mean drive - id.
Like what you would find by running:
EDIT: My opinion - not that anyone has asked for it - if to right click an empty space on the desktop > Desktop Settings > slide the "Computer" icon to off. Then the issue will go away.
If the disk has a partition and you haven't defined it in fstab it will show up on the side panel of nemo. If you don't like the label of the partition itself then use Termy's very detailed post.
Like what you would find by running:
Code: Select all
ls -l /dev/disk/by-id/ | grep sd[a-z]$
If the disk has a partition and you haven't defined it in fstab it will show up on the side panel of nemo. If you don't like the label of the partition itself then use Termy's very detailed post.
Please add a [SOLVED] at the end of your original subject header if your question has been answered and solved.
- shawnhcorey
- Level 4
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:23 am
- Location: The Great White North
- Contact:
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
Neither Windows nor Linux nor any OS can change the name of a device; the name is hard-coded in its firmware. What they do is change the label of the partitions. If there's no label, then Windows displays the volume name, like
There are a number of ways to change the labels, depending on where you want to use a GUI or CLI. All partition-management software will allow you to change the labels and IIRC, there is some that only change the labels.
You can only change the labels if you have root (admin) privileges. When you start the software, it will ask for your password to grant you these privileges.
C:
, and Linux displays the device name.There are a number of ways to change the labels, depending on where you want to use a GUI or CLI. All partition-management software will allow you to change the labels and IIRC, there is some that only change the labels.
You can only change the labels if you have root (admin) privileges. When you start the software, it will ask for your password to grant you these privileges.
Don't stop where the ink does.
Re: How do I change the name of a hard drive?
So to summarise, you can change the name of a disc mount ('the name of the disc' in common parlance), but not how it appears in 'Computer.' I wouldn't worry about the latter - I personally never use it and it's on the cards to either be revamped or completely removed according to the Mint development roadmap.