Assigning drive letter to the AppStack/s or Writable volume fix few of the known issues. As example, assiging drive letter to Writable Volume fix the issue for Chrome extension. It also fix the issue with Microsoft OneDrive Syncing folder creation issue. The registry tweak VMware provided for the drive letter is not just assiging letters but also for hide those.

The registry setting in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\svdriver\Parameters, the parameter is called “DriveLetterSettings”. It’s a REG_DWORD key. By default this parameter is not present in the mentioned location, hence need to create and assign a value based on Writable Volume and AppStack drive letter requirement.

The values for the parameters are –

 

To get the required result, we are required to add (+) the different values from the table above. In my example, I used (2+4 =) 6, that represents “Do not assign drive letter for AppStack volumes” and “Hide drive letter for writable volumes“. The default value for the parameter is (1+2 =) 3, represent no drive letter for writable volumes or AppStacks. Please visit VMware documentation site for details.

Once I complete the task, I recompose my pool, and… NO, it’s not working (at least not for me).

To make it works, I had to change the Writable Volume’s drive letter attribute from diskpart.

Here are the steps I followed –

• Take a VM without AppVolume Agent installed on it.
• Power down and Edit the VM.
• Add Existing Disk

• Select template_uia_plus_profile.vmdk or your own template from cloudvolumes\writbale_template location.

• Change the device mode to Independent – Persistent. And then Add.

 

• Power up the VM and then Login to windows.
• From command prompt, run –
  • diskpart.exe
  • on diskpart –
    • run list volume command to find-out volume number
    • run select volume (number) command (in my case number is 3)
    • run attributes volume clear NODEFAULTDRIVELETTER command
    • and then exit to exit from diskpart.

• Shutdown VM.
• Remove the newly added template disk.

 

• From AppVolumes, go-to Volumes, Writable tab and execute Rescan command.

 

Assign this new / updated to the users (to make it working for existing users, you will require to delete all assigned Writable volumes and create from this template).

The Writable Volume will get a drive letter (hidden) and OneDrive will work fine.