Change System Drive Letter

[njven]

I swear I have some kind of problem. I had all kinds of problems and finally got them fixed.

When I reinstalled XP, I had a partition with all my files already on it so Windows XP assigned my Windows drive E:. (Also had a DVD Drive) I wanted to change it back to C: like a normal WinXP computer would be. I tried to change it with partition magic but now the new C: drive freezes at the "Windows is Starting Up" screen. It also won't boot in safe mode or last good known config. I made PM Boot Disks, but don't know how to fix this. What do I need to do? The system boots, It won't load the startup screen. . .

I hope I've provided enough details. I'm using Ubuntu right now and can burn a WinPE CD if I have to.

I copied C: and made a clone of it (E:)

DriveMapper (PM) ran and now Windows is running off both drives. LOL

Any quick fixes?

Edited April 23, 2008 by njven

[FAT64]

The drive letter of an installation of Windows is so embedded, I doubt you would be successful in changing the letter.

[JedMeister]

The drive letter of an installation of Windows is so embedded, I doubt you would be successful in changing the letter.

I agree! In theory it can be done, but it'd be so painful you could've simply just reinstalled on the drive you want 3 or 4 times instead! (I know I've tried! - I got as far as getting it to boot to my desktop but still a whole world of pain and instability!)

Backup everything you want to keep and format and reinstall. To make sure you install to C: without any dependencies on a second drive, its best to install with only the HDD that you want to have C: on. Even if you only have one HDD, I'd get everything you want off it and format it. Just delete all partitions from within Windows setup and create the partition you want as C:. Make the other partitions later and you can have all the drive letters exactly as you want them (from within Computer Management).

[jaclaz]

I agree, doable, but definitely tricky.

Just in case:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Change-Boot-Driv...ion-t90495.html

jaclaz

[simba]

In the BIOS you can set the booting order for the HDD in your PC.

Set the HD you want to install on, as the first in the list.

So, the first HD in the rank will be seen as a "C" disk during the installation.

After the installation is completed, the system will properly run on the "C" disk.

You can change the HDD boot ranking to install other systems; each different system will properly run on a "C" disk.

In turn the other disks have different letters .

When running the PC, you need a multi-boot (XP included), to avoid tweaking the BIOS on every boot.

I hope this could help

Simba