I just tried some other programs (graphics editors, etc.) and they seem to exhibit the same phenomena, so the problem is probably a system one, not a PD8 one. I sure would like to know how to fix it globally.

There is more that just the drive letter involved here.

The serial number of the drive is different, the sizes of the drives is different.

If the first time you open an old PDS file, use browse to locate the files, re-save the pds, the next time you open that pds, all should work as expected. Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

It looks like the problem was entirely my fault.

After trying to change both the disk label and the volume ID with no good results, I noticed that I had mistakenly copied all files to the root of the new drive instead of one directory level down, in the M:\video sub-dir.

Windows is good about moving files within one drive, and is smart enough to know that a move operation only requires adjusting some pointers, not moving data. So I was able to fix the problem in just a few seconds instead of the 12 hour operation it would have taken to copy the data all over again from scratch to the correct directory.

So at least I learned that neither the volume ID or disk label is important in a disk swap like this. Makes it easier.

Now if only Power Director wouldn't store the drive letter in the PDS files, it would be better yet. Right now, if I copy files from M: to H:, all scripts point to the wrong drive. It's a common way of writing programs, but some are better about it. For example, PageMaker 6.5 stores the drive letter too, but if it can't find a file, then prompts the operator and the op manually fixes the path, PM is smart enough to know that other files it can't find might be fixed in a similar manner and doesn't need to prompt the op. That's pretty sophisticated, but it makes the user eternally grateful when it happens and saves hours of fixups.

Sorry...

Quote: There is more that just the drive letter involved here.

The serial number of the drive is different, the sizes of the drives is different.

I don't think so. See my followup post. The size of the drive is irrelevant to finding a specific file. And the serial number (do you mean Volume ID, label or other?) is apparently irrelevant, too. Most programs don't reference any of those things when opening a file.

If the first time you open an old PDS file, use browse to locate the files, re-save the pds, the next time you open that pds, all should work as expected.

Exactly what I was trying to avoid. That would take many hours for a 2TB drive full of video files. If I had to do that (and I do, if the drive letter is changed), that might involve, in the case of one PDS file I just worked on with 300 JPG images, 300 browse/find/fix operations. Not a fun way to spend a day.

Thank goodness I don't have to do that in this case.

Nevertheless, I appreciate your advice.

I am glad you found the solution.

Wrong Folder, yeah, that would do it.

I have a disk database program that complains about the serial number.

It is a bit of a pain, when you update a multi session DVD or CD. Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.