I have a 36 GB SATA and a 80 GB IDE drive and I was wondering how when I re-install windows do I make my SATA drive the main C:\ partition. The IDE drive always wants to be C:\

I goggled and found nothing helpful (other than disconnecting my IDE and reconnecting after install, but thats way too invasive, I install way too much to do this may damage it)

BTW my mobo is a Asus A8N-SLI (in case you know how to set the bios)

Edited January 16, 200818 yr by ricktendo64

I'm not real sure....but maybe you can go into your bio's and make the SATA drive the first boot drive..if you have a floppy maybe set the boot like:

1. Floppy

2. CDROM

3. SATA

4. IDE Drive <--or set it to none and eliminate all together during install.

Nope, in my bios I have these choices for boot order/devices

Removable

Hard Disk

CDRom

Legacy LAN

Dissabled

You cannot control the order of the controllers. The order is determined by the BIOS during POST. You can control the drive letter, but that is all.

The easiest method to ensure proper installation is to disconnect the IDE drive, install windows on the SATA drive and the connect the IDE drive after installation is complete.

Edited January 25, 200818 yr by jcarle

I have the same config of HDD and I disable PATA HDD (40GB) during the installation and re-enable after installation.

I have also not found any right solution

There should be jumpers on the back of each hard drive. You need to set one HDD as a MASTER and the other as a SALVE. I think the master will then automatically be C:\.

SATA drives don't have jumpers.

Hi. I'm not sure by this solution, but that's how I would try it: Be sure the SATA disk is connected to slot number 0. The PATA disk souhld be set as SLAVE and try to connect it to the secondary ide channel.

Is there no way to disable the IDE before install (easier than physically disconnecting it) ?

You may be able to disable the IDE drives in the Bios, but there is no way of telling it that would work unless you tried a reinstall. Even if you managed to change the drive letters, windows would not boot in your existing install because the registry in that install would be pointing to a different drive letter as well as all installed software.

I have the same problem, but in BIOS I can select my main hard disk, so in this way I can solve problem. Which motherboard do you have? If it is Asus, maybe I can help.

Cheers

I have the same problem, but in BIOS I can select my main hard disk, so in this way I can solve problem. Which motherboard do you have? If it is Asus, maybe I can help.

Cheers

its from MSI

You should be using Windows PE to pre-install the SATA drivers. As a next step you can configure your drive letters as you want them using diskpart (command-line utility under WinPE).

Edit: There is actually no need to pre-install the SATA drivers. Just make your IDE drive "D:\" using diskpart. Normally, the SATA disk should then default to C:\.

Edited January 17, 200818 yr by legionaire

I have the same problem, but in BIOS I can select my main hard disk, so in this way I can solve problem. Which motherboard do you have? If it is Asus, maybe I can help.

Cheers

its from MSI

there still should be a 'advanced' setting....setting the boot order is basic...but most people have more than one drive...I have a ASUS M2N-E SLI...and I have 4 drives....3 SATA and 1 IDE ATA 133...but I have a advanced menu where I can arrange the hard drives...move one up or down the list:

I have the same problem, but in BIOS I can select my main hard disk, so in this way I can solve problem. Which motherboard do you have? If it is Asus, maybe I can help.

Cheers

its from MSI

there still should be a 'advanced' setting....setting the boot order is basic...but most people have more than one drive...I have a ASUS M2N-E SLI...and I have 4 drives....3 SATA and 1 IDE ATA 133...but I have a advanced menu where I can arrange the hard drives...move one up or down the list:

That is exactly what I wanted to say, I just needed to look at bios to be sure where option is located.

Cheers