How do I prevent system volume information files from showing up in my usb flash drive?

Anonymous
2013-10-28T16:13:30+00:00

I recently upgraded to Windows 8.1 once it was made available to me via the app store. I noticed the other day when I had transfered some music to my game console that I had a folder titled "System Volume Information" on the root of my flash drive. I didn't know what it was so I deleted it and went about my business. I did the same thing today and there it was. So I deleted it and plugged it back into my laptop this time only to remove it again and return to the game console to reproduce the issue. Same as before. So I'd like to know step by step how to prevent these folders from being stored in my flash drive. I know these are not harmful files but it is irritating to have them stored on the flash drive. I don't want to have to constantly delete it all the time either. Especially when I know this used to never be an issue before.

I saw this and was able to make the files visable but I was confused about what to do in the command prompt.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2014-01-08T02:25:00+00:00

There is a group policy option to turn off this feature. Enable Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Search \ Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries.

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Anonymous
2014-01-08T11:18:49+00:00

There is a group policy option to turn off this feature. Enable Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Search \ Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries.

Thanks for taking the time to investigate this Eliyas. That fix has worked for me. Just a heads up to anyone else reading this post, AFAIK this will only work in Win 8.1 Pro or Enterprise as other Win 8.1 versions do not have GPEDIT

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-09-05T05:20:46+00:00

    Q: Stop System volume information files on USB Flash drive?

    There is a group policy option to turn off this feature. Enable Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Search \ Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries.

    From <http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-hardware/how-do-i-prevent-system-volume-information-files/815b0046-d631-4419-a43e-44083a3733f5?auth=1>

    C: tried this, it is still set to 'do not allow', yet it still puts system folder on the drive.

    Plug in your flash drive.

    Go to Control Panel>System restore.

    Highlight the Flash drive in the window and click on configure.

    Turn System Protection OFF for the Flash drive

    That should fix it..

    From <http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-hardware/how-do-i-prevent-system-volume-information-files/815b0046-d631-4419-a43e-44083a3733f5?auth=1>

    C: Yeah, USB devices don't show on this, it's no help.

    Don't waste time looking, Windows doesn't enable system restore on flash drives.

    From <http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-hardware/how-do-i-prevent-system-volume-information-files/815b0046-d631-4419-a43e-44083a3733f5?auth=1>

    C:too late.

    Try adding DWORD value DisableRemovableDriveIndexing = 1 in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Policies/Microsoft/Windows/Windows Search" in the registry and restarting the PC

    From <http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-hardware/how-do-i-prevent-system-volume-information-files/815b0046-d631-4419-a43e-44083a3733f5?page=2&auth=1>

    C: This key was already present and set as =1

    I tried to delete and redo it but it wouldn't have it.

    Next was Dos Prompt

    Here is how to erase the info MS writes without asking onto your card...

    Navigate to the ROOT of the SD card (for me this was 'E:')

    E: <enter>

    Type attrib -S -H -R "System Volume Information" <enter>

    You will then need to delete any files in the directory...

    type cd "System Volume Information" <enter>

    type del *.* <enter>

    You can then remove the directory...

    type cd\

    type rd "System Volume Information"

    From <http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-hardware/how-do-i-prevent-system-volume-information-files/815b0046-d631-4419-a43e-44083a3733f5?page=2&auth=1>

    C: None of this worked! Denied! Again and again. Even though i was admin.

    Went into disk management, wiped the disk with new formating. Nope.

    Tried with removing its format - made a raw drive. Nada.

    Tried partitioning in the vague hope it would help, moved the smaller folder over.

    It didn't change a bit or byte.  

    USB flash drives don't need this, we don't want it. Microsoft, Listen.

    'That is what you claim, to listen.' Well, now act on it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-09-10T21:55:55+00:00

    >You can ignore this folder.

    I can indeed, but OneDrive, for example, refuses to sync the disk I want it to because of SVI presense on it.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-09-20T18:45:32+00:00

    Doesn't work - non-existence system methodology

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