diff --git a/cmd/erasure-sets.go b/cmd/erasure-sets.go
index cb356deb7..8242489e7 100644
--- a/cmd/erasure-sets.go
+++ b/cmd/erasure-sets.go
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/dchest/siphash"
-	"github.com/dustin/go-humanize"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/minio/madmin-go/v3"
 	"github.com/minio/minio-go/v7/pkg/set"
@@ -261,7 +260,6 @@ func (s *erasureSets) connectDisks() {
 			}
 
 			disk.SetDiskID(format.Erasure.This)
-			disk.SetDiskLoc(s.poolIndex, setIndex, diskIndex)
 			disk.SetFormatData(formatData)
 			s.erasureDisks[setIndex][diskIndex] = disk
 
@@ -455,20 +453,10 @@ func newErasureSets(ctx context.Context, endpoints PoolEndpoints, storageDisks [
 					if diskID == "" {
 						return
 					}
-					m, n, err := findDiskIndexByDiskID(format, diskID)
-					if err != nil {
-						bootLogIf(ctx, err)
-						return
-					}
-					if m != i || n != j {
-						bootLogIf(ctx, fmt.Errorf("Detected unexpected drive ordering refusing to use the drive - poolID: %s, found drive mounted at (set=%s, drive=%s) expected mount at (set=%s, drive=%s): %s(%s)", humanize.Ordinal(poolIdx+1), humanize.Ordinal(m+1), humanize.Ordinal(n+1), humanize.Ordinal(i+1), humanize.Ordinal(j+1), disk, diskID))
-						s.erasureDisks[i][j] = &unrecognizedDisk{storage: disk}
-						return
-					}
-					disk.SetDiskLoc(s.poolIndex, m, n)
-					s.erasureDisks[m][n] = disk
+					s.erasureDisks[i][j] = disk
 				}(disk, i, j)
 			}
+
 			innerWg.Wait()
 
 			// Initialize erasure objects for a given set.
@@ -1137,8 +1125,6 @@ func (s *erasureSets) HealFormat(ctx context.Context, dryRun bool) (res madmin.H
 
 			if disk := storageDisks[index]; disk != nil {
 				if disk.IsLocal() {
-					disk.SetDiskLoc(s.poolIndex, m, n)
-
 					xldisk, ok := disk.(*xlStorageDiskIDCheck)
 					if ok {
 						_, commonDeletes := calcCommonWritesDeletes(currentDisksInfo[m], (s.setDriveCount+1)/2)
@@ -1155,7 +1141,6 @@ func (s *erasureSets) HealFormat(ctx context.Context, dryRun bool) (res madmin.H
 					if err != nil {
 						continue
 					}
-					disk.SetDiskLoc(s.poolIndex, m, n)
 				}
 
 				s.erasureDisks[m][n] = disk
diff --git a/cmd/naughty-disk_test.go b/cmd/naughty-disk_test.go
index e36ae82ce..f8134690f 100644
--- a/cmd/naughty-disk_test.go
+++ b/cmd/naughty-disk_test.go
@@ -102,8 +102,6 @@ func (d *naughtyDisk) GetDiskLoc() (poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
 	return -1, -1, -1
 }
 
-func (d *naughtyDisk) SetDiskLoc(poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {}
-
 func (d *naughtyDisk) GetDiskID() (string, error) {
 	return d.disk.GetDiskID()
 }
diff --git a/cmd/storage-interface.go b/cmd/storage-interface.go
index 504ef862d..0c80fb603 100644
--- a/cmd/storage-interface.go
+++ b/cmd/storage-interface.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/minio/madmin-go/v3"
-	xioutil "github.com/minio/minio/internal/ioutil"
 )
 
 // StorageAPI interface.
@@ -109,182 +108,5 @@ type StorageAPI interface {
 	// Read all.
 	ReadAll(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string) (buf []byte, err error)
 	GetDiskLoc() (poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) // Retrieve location indexes.
-	SetDiskLoc(poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int)    // Set location indexes.
 	SetFormatData(b []byte)                     // Set formatData cached value
 }
-
-type unrecognizedDisk struct {
-	storage StorageAPI
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) WalkDir(ctx context.Context, opts WalkDirOptions, wr io.Writer) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) String() string {
-	return p.storage.String()
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) IsOnline() bool {
-	return false
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) LastConn() time.Time {
-	return p.storage.LastConn()
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) IsLocal() bool {
-	return p.storage.IsLocal()
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) Endpoint() Endpoint {
-	return p.storage.Endpoint()
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) Hostname() string {
-	return p.storage.Hostname()
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) Healing() *healingTracker {
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) NSScanner(ctx context.Context, cache dataUsageCache, updates chan<- dataUsageEntry, scanMode madmin.HealScanMode, shouldSleep func() bool) (dataUsageCache, error) {
-	return dataUsageCache{}, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) SetFormatData(b []byte) {
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) GetDiskLoc() (poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-	return -1, -1, -1
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) SetDiskLoc(poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) Close() error {
-	return p.storage.Close()
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) GetDiskID() (string, error) {
-	return "", errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) SetDiskID(id string) {
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) DiskInfo(ctx context.Context, _ DiskInfoOptions) (info DiskInfo, err error) {
-	return info, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) MakeVolBulk(ctx context.Context, volumes ...string) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) MakeVol(ctx context.Context, volume string) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ListVols(ctx context.Context) ([]VolInfo, error) {
-	return nil, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) StatVol(ctx context.Context, volume string) (vol VolInfo, err error) {
-	return vol, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) DeleteVol(ctx context.Context, volume string, forceDelete bool) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ListDir(ctx context.Context, origvolume, volume, dirPath string, count int) ([]string, error) {
-	return nil, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ReadFile(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string, offset int64, buf []byte, verifier *BitrotVerifier) (n int64, err error) {
-	return 0, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) AppendFile(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string, buf []byte) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) CreateFile(ctx context.Context, origvolume, volume, path string, size int64, reader io.Reader) error {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ReadFileStream(ctx context.Context, volume, path string, offset, length int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
-	return nil, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) RenameFile(ctx context.Context, srcVolume, srcPath, dstVolume, dstPath string) error {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) RenameData(ctx context.Context, srcVolume, srcPath string, fi FileInfo, dstVolume, dstPath string, opts RenameOptions) (uint64, error) {
-	return 0, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) CheckParts(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string, fi FileInfo) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) Delete(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string, opts DeleteOptions) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-// DeleteVersions deletes slice of versions, it can be same object or multiple objects.
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) DeleteVersions(ctx context.Context, volume string, versions []FileInfoVersions, opts DeleteOptions) (errs []error) {
-	errs = make([]error, len(versions))
-
-	for i := range errs {
-		errs[i] = errDiskNotFound
-	}
-	return errs
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) VerifyFile(ctx context.Context, volume, path string, fi FileInfo) error {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) WriteAll(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string, b []byte) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) DeleteVersion(ctx context.Context, volume, path string, fi FileInfo, forceDelMarker bool, opts DeleteOptions) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) UpdateMetadata(ctx context.Context, volume, path string, fi FileInfo, opts UpdateMetadataOpts) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) WriteMetadata(ctx context.Context, origvolume, volume, path string, fi FileInfo) (err error) {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ReadVersion(ctx context.Context, origvolume, volume, path, versionID string, opts ReadOptions) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
-	return fi, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ReadXL(ctx context.Context, volume, path string, readData bool) (rf RawFileInfo, err error) {
-	return rf, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ReadAll(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string) (buf []byte, err error) {
-	return nil, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) StatInfoFile(ctx context.Context, volume, path string, glob bool) (stat []StatInfo, err error) {
-	return nil, errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) ReadMultiple(ctx context.Context, req ReadMultipleReq, resp chan<- ReadMultipleResp) error {
-	xioutil.SafeClose(resp)
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
-
-func (p *unrecognizedDisk) CleanAbandonedData(ctx context.Context, volume string, path string) error {
-	return errDiskNotFound
-}
diff --git a/cmd/storage-rest-client.go b/cmd/storage-rest-client.go
index b37298b2b..140764292 100644
--- a/cmd/storage-rest-client.go
+++ b/cmd/storage-rest-client.go
@@ -163,21 +163,11 @@ type storageRESTClient struct {
 	formatMutex sync.RWMutex
 
 	diskInfoCache *cachevalue.Cache[DiskInfo]
-
-	// Indexes, will be -1 until assigned a set.
-	poolIndex, setIndex, diskIndex int
 }
 
 // Retrieve location indexes.
 func (client *storageRESTClient) GetDiskLoc() (poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-	return client.poolIndex, client.setIndex, client.diskIndex
-}
-
-// Set location indexes.
-func (client *storageRESTClient) SetDiskLoc(poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-	client.poolIndex = poolIdx
-	client.setIndex = setIdx
-	client.diskIndex = diskIdx
+	return client.endpoint.PoolIdx, client.endpoint.SetIdx, client.endpoint.DiskIdx
 }
 
 // Wrapper to restClient.Call to handle network errors, in case of network error the connection is makred disconnected
diff --git a/cmd/storage-rest-server.go b/cmd/storage-rest-server.go
index bf4ea2824..0cebce74d 100644
--- a/cmd/storage-rest-server.go
+++ b/cmd/storage-rest-server.go
@@ -1198,6 +1198,10 @@ func logFatalErrs(err error, endpoint Endpoint, exit bool) {
 		} else {
 			logger.Fatal(err, "Unable to initialize backend")
 		}
+	case errors.Is(err, errInconsistentDisk):
+		if exit {
+			logger.Fatal(err, "Unable to initialize backend")
+		}
 	default:
 		if !exit {
 			storageLogOnceIf(GlobalContext, fmt.Errorf("Drive %s returned an unexpected error: %w, please investigate - drive will be offline", endpoint, err), "log-fatal-errs")
diff --git a/cmd/xl-storage-disk-id-check.go b/cmd/xl-storage-disk-id-check.go
index 3477635c1..4ded5179b 100644
--- a/cmd/xl-storage-disk-id-check.go
+++ b/cmd/xl-storage-disk-id-check.go
@@ -253,10 +253,6 @@ func (p *xlStorageDiskIDCheck) GetDiskLoc() (poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
 	return p.storage.GetDiskLoc()
 }
 
-func (p *xlStorageDiskIDCheck) SetDiskLoc(poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-	p.storage.SetDiskLoc(poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx)
-}
-
 func (p *xlStorageDiskIDCheck) Close() error {
 	p.diskCancel()
 	return p.storage.Close()
diff --git a/cmd/xl-storage-format-utils.go b/cmd/xl-storage-format-utils.go
index b9b0fab2b..11d67a867 100644
--- a/cmd/xl-storage-format-utils.go
+++ b/cmd/xl-storage-format-utils.go
@@ -141,22 +141,6 @@ func getFileInfo(xlMetaBuf []byte, volume, path, versionID string, data, allPart
 	return fi, nil
 }
 
-// getXLDiskLoc will return the pool/set/disk id if it can be located in the object layer.
-// Will return -1 for unknown values.
-func getXLDiskLoc(diskID string) (poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-	if api := newObjectLayerFn(); api != nil {
-		if globalIsErasureSD {
-			return 0, 0, 0
-		}
-		if ep, ok := api.(*erasureServerPools); ok {
-			if pool, set, disk, err := ep.getPoolAndSet(diskID); err == nil {
-				return pool, set, disk
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return -1, -1, -1
-}
-
 // hashDeterministicString will return a deterministic hash for the map values.
 // Trivial collisions are avoided, but this is by no means a strong hash.
 func hashDeterministicString(m map[string]string) uint64 {
diff --git a/cmd/xl-storage.go b/cmd/xl-storage.go
index f46f2aebc..8366dff35 100644
--- a/cmd/xl-storage.go
+++ b/cmd/xl-storage.go
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	pathutil "path"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -103,9 +102,6 @@ type xlStorage struct {
 
 	diskID string
 
-	// Indexes, will be -1 until assigned a set.
-	poolIndex, setIndex, diskIndex int
-
 	formatFileInfo  os.FileInfo
 	formatFile      string
 	formatLegacy    bool
@@ -196,15 +192,6 @@ func getValidPath(path string) (string, error) {
 	return path, nil
 }
 
-// Initialize a new storage disk.
-func newLocalXLStorage(path string) (*xlStorage, error) {
-	u := url.URL{Path: path}
-	return newXLStorage(Endpoint{
-		URL:     &u,
-		IsLocal: true,
-	}, true)
-}
-
 // Make Erasure backend meta volumes.
 func makeFormatErasureMetaVolumes(disk StorageAPI) error {
 	if disk == nil {
@@ -231,9 +218,6 @@ func newXLStorage(ep Endpoint, cleanUp bool) (s *xlStorage, err error) {
 		endpoint:       ep,
 		globalSync:     globalFSOSync,
 		diskInfoCache:  cachevalue.New[DiskInfo](),
-		poolIndex:      -1,
-		setIndex:       -1,
-		diskIndex:      -1,
 		immediatePurge: make(chan string, immediatePurgeQueue),
 	}
 
@@ -315,7 +299,19 @@ func newXLStorage(ep Endpoint, cleanUp bool) (s *xlStorage, err error) {
 		if err = json.Unmarshal(s.formatData, &format); err != nil {
 			return s, errCorruptedFormat
 		}
-		s.diskID = format.Erasure.This
+		m, n, err := findDiskIndexByDiskID(format, format.Erasure.This)
+		if err != nil {
+			return s, err
+		}
+		diskID := format.Erasure.This
+		if m != ep.SetIdx || n != ep.DiskIdx {
+			storageLogOnceIf(context.Background(),
+				fmt.Errorf("unexpected drive ordering on pool: %s: found drive at (set=%s, drive=%s), expected at (set=%s, drive=%s): %s(%s): %w",
+					humanize.Ordinal(ep.PoolIdx+1), humanize.Ordinal(m+1), humanize.Ordinal(n+1), humanize.Ordinal(ep.SetIdx+1), humanize.Ordinal(ep.DiskIdx+1),
+					s, s.diskID, errInconsistentDisk), "drive-order-format-json")
+			return s, errInconsistentDisk
+		}
+		s.diskID = diskID
 		s.formatLastCheck = time.Now()
 		s.formatLegacy = format.Erasure.DistributionAlgo == formatErasureVersionV2DistributionAlgoV1
 	}
@@ -408,11 +404,7 @@ func (s *xlStorage) IsLocal() bool {
 
 // Retrieve location indexes.
 func (s *xlStorage) GetDiskLoc() (poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-	// If unset, see if we can locate it.
-	if s.poolIndex < 0 || s.setIndex < 0 || s.diskIndex < 0 {
-		return getXLDiskLoc(s.diskID)
-	}
-	return s.poolIndex, s.setIndex, s.diskIndex
+	return s.endpoint.PoolIdx, s.endpoint.SetIdx, s.endpoint.DiskIdx
 }
 
 func (s *xlStorage) SetFormatData(b []byte) {
@@ -421,13 +413,6 @@ func (s *xlStorage) SetFormatData(b []byte) {
 	s.formatData = b
 }
 
-// Set location indexes.
-func (s *xlStorage) SetDiskLoc(poolIdx, setIdx, diskIdx int) {
-	s.poolIndex = poolIdx
-	s.setIndex = setIdx
-	s.diskIndex = diskIdx
-}
-
 func (s *xlStorage) Healing() *healingTracker {
 	healingFile := pathJoin(s.drivePath, minioMetaBucket,
 		bucketMetaPrefix, healingTrackerFilename)
@@ -873,14 +858,28 @@ func (s *xlStorage) GetDiskID() (string, error) {
 		return "", errCorruptedFormat
 	}
 
+	m, n, err := findDiskIndexByDiskID(format, format.Erasure.This)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	diskID = format.Erasure.This
+	ep := s.endpoint
+	if m != ep.SetIdx || n != ep.DiskIdx {
+		storageLogOnceIf(GlobalContext,
+			fmt.Errorf("unexpected drive ordering on pool: %s: found drive at (set=%s, drive=%s), expected at (set=%s, drive=%s): %s(%s): %w",
+				humanize.Ordinal(ep.PoolIdx+1), humanize.Ordinal(m+1), humanize.Ordinal(n+1), humanize.Ordinal(ep.SetIdx+1), humanize.Ordinal(ep.DiskIdx+1),
+				s, s.diskID, errInconsistentDisk), "drive-order-format-json")
+		return "", errInconsistentDisk
+	}
 	s.Lock()
-	defer s.Unlock()
-	s.formatData = b
-	s.diskID = format.Erasure.This
+	s.diskID = diskID
 	s.formatLegacy = format.Erasure.DistributionAlgo == formatErasureVersionV2DistributionAlgoV1
 	s.formatFileInfo = fi
+	s.formatData = b
 	s.formatLastCheck = time.Now()
-	return s.diskID, nil
+	s.Unlock()
+	return diskID, nil
 }
 
 // Make a volume entry.
diff --git a/cmd/xl-storage_test.go b/cmd/xl-storage_test.go
index ec6b89257..1e680208a 100644
--- a/cmd/xl-storage_test.go
+++ b/cmd/xl-storage_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	slashpath "path"
 	"runtime"
@@ -114,13 +115,29 @@ func TestIsValidVolname(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func newLocalXLStorage(path string) (*xlStorage, error) {
+	return newLocalXLStorageWithDiskIdx(path, 0)
+}
+
+// Initialize a new storage disk.
+func newLocalXLStorageWithDiskIdx(path string, diskIdx int) (*xlStorage, error) {
+	u := url.URL{Path: path}
+	return newXLStorage(Endpoint{
+		URL:     &u,
+		IsLocal: true,
+		PoolIdx: 0,
+		SetIdx:  0,
+		DiskIdx: diskIdx,
+	}, true)
+}
+
 // creates a temp dir and sets up xlStorage layer.
 // returns xlStorage layer, temp dir path to be used for the purpose of tests.
 func newXLStorageTestSetup(tb testing.TB) (*xlStorageDiskIDCheck, string, error) {
 	diskPath := tb.TempDir()
 
 	// Initialize a new xlStorage layer.
-	storage, err := newLocalXLStorage(diskPath)
+	storage, err := newLocalXLStorageWithDiskIdx(diskPath, 3)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}