Subst
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2008-07-08T19:30:55Z
Ghettoblaster
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{{selfref|Within Wikipedia, '''<code>subst:</code>''' may refer to [[Wikipedia:Template substitution|Template substitution]].}}
{{lowercase|title=subst}}
'''<code>subst</code>''' is a [[command (computing)|command]] on the [[DOS]] [[operating system]] used for substituting paths on physical and logical drives as [[virtual drive]]s. In the past it has been used for revealing hidden drives on security-tense [[personal computer|PC]]s. The command <code>subst<code> is also available in post-[[Windows 2000]] versions of the [[command line interpreter]] [[cmd.exe]].<ref>[http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb491006.aspx Microsoft TechNet Subst article]</ref>
==Usage==
This is the Command Prompt output under [[Windows XP]]:
<pre>
C:\>subst /?
Associates a path with a drive letter.
SUBST [drive1: [drive2:]path]
SUBST drive1: /D
drive1: Specifies a virtual drive to which you want to assign a path.
[drive2:]path Specifies a physical drive and path you want to assign to
a virtual drive.
/D Deletes a substituted (virtual) drive.
Type SUBST with no parameters to display a list of current virtual drives.
</pre>
This means that, for example, to map C:'s root to X: one would use <code>subst X: C:\</code> at the [[command line interface|command line]]. Upon doing this, a new drive called X: would appear under the ''My Computer'' [[Special Folders#Virtual folders|Virtual Folder]] in [[Windows Explorer]].
==Custom label==
A custom label can be assigned to a drive letter created in this way only by way of the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons\M\DefaultLabel
"M" represents the drive letter to assign a custom label to.
To make Windows Explorer show the new label select the drive letter, select "rename" from the drive letter context menu or press F2, delete the existing name/selection and press enter.
==Limitations==
*It is important to note that not all [[Windows process]]es are able to use a drive letter created in this way.{{Fact|date=April 2008}}
*Since (at least) Microsoft Windows XP SP2 Autorun.inf files present in the new drive letter are not being used, AutoRun/AutoPlay does not work on drive letters created in this way.
*Since (at least) Microsoft Windows XP SP2 assigning a custom icon or label to the drive letter created this way via Autorun.inf does not work.
*Since (at least) Microsoft Windows XP SP2 a custom label assigned to the drive letter created this way only appears if the source drive/volume does not have a volume label set (check and set with command line tool "label.exe").
==See also==
*[[Drive letter assignment]]
*[[List of DOS commands]]
*[[Virtual drive]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*http://www.ss64.com/nt/subst.html
{{Windows commands}}
[[Category:DOS on IBM PC compatibles]]
[[Category:Microsoft Windows file system technology]]
[[Category:Windows administration]]
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