Question Does Windows 10? XP? DOS? auto write-to/modify a second internal drive when present?

[123post]

Other than the booted/running drive, do Microsoft OSs auto-mount, auto write/modify other internal drives?

A Mac OS will immediately try to mount, then write .Spotlight and .Trashes type hidden files and directories onto a connected drive. Mostly Linux will only auto-mount external drives.

Don't know about Windows. (Doubt DOS would.)

Would like option of using some Windows-only drive utilities or tools, on drives with whatever format or OS (maybe a Mac boot HDD, or a PVR/Tivo linux-ish drive, or another Windows drive, etc.). And to be safest, would prefer nothing be modified by default.

And yes do have vintage machines and HDDs. Including a still sometimes useful (non-networked for safety) Win XP PATA PC. And utilities like a SeaTools DOS bootable CD. (And even a controversial tool - which may not be named - that boots/runs from a 3.5" floppy : - )

 

[SkyNetRising]

If windows can read/write drive connected, then it may do so.
Like putting Recycle bin and System Restore folders on it.

If windows can't read/write the drive, then it will not. For example, if disk is formatted in some linux or macos specific file system.

 

[fzabkar]

Automount and autoplay are enabled in Windows by default, but you can disable them.

 

[123post]

if windows can read/write drive connected, then it may do so . . .Like . . . Recycle bin

Thanks. So the trash can be Mac-like. Wonder if index for all disks is kept on the C: drive or on the drive where the files are stored.

you can disable them

Thanks, a preliminary search showed three ways diskpart-automount, or mountvol, or registry modification. Presumably not available to configure in the GUI.

 

[lordmogul]

On Windows each partition stores the recycle bin independently in a hidden folder $RECYCLE.BIN and other info in System Volume Information in the root directory. That is, if it gets a drive letter assigned, which is usually the case, but not always a given.

Original MS-DOS just assigns letters in order of where the drives are plugged in. Starting from the primary partition on the first physical drive with C:, then the primary partition on the 2nd drive and so on, up to 8 drives. After that following with the other partitions on the first drive , then the same for 2nd next disk and so on.

On NT-based Windows the order can be freely changed, with exceptions of in-use system partitions.

Not sure about the automatic mounting, but for autoplay you can simply disable it in the settings app or control panel. For each type of media individually or in general for everything.