I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a backup.

The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the system
partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".

Disk Management will not let me change the letter of this
partition. How can I do this?

Pete



PS: I have *not* separated out my XP system partition from my boot
partition. Everything is in the one XP partition.

--






posted to:
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware

I use a third party software such as Partition Magic 8.
"Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:94C9C6ECA8E4F471AE@130.133.1.4...
> I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a backup.
>
> The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the system
> partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".
>
> Disk Management will not let me change the letter of this
> partition. How can I do this?
>
> Pete
>
>
>
> PS: I have *not* separated out my XP system partition from my boot
> partition. Everything is in the one XP partition.
>
> --
>
>
>
>
>
>
> posted to:
> microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
> microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware

Article 223188 in the Knowledge Base describes "How To: Restore The
System/Boot Drive Letter in Windows."
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;223188

- Robert -

"Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:94C9C6ECA8E4F471AE@130.133.1.4...
>I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a backup.
>
> The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the system
> partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".
>
> Disk Management will not let me change the letter of this
> partition. How can I do this?
>
> Pete
>
>
>
> PS: I have *not* separated out my XP system partition from my boot
> partition. Everything is in the one XP partition.
>
> --
>
>
>
>
>
>
> posted to:
> microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
> microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware

NO NO NO NO NO ... that article only applies to Windows 2000. You CANNOT
change the drive letter of the System drive letter in Windows XP as its hard
coded in certain areas and through Windows Product Activation. You will
have to reinstall Windows XP without as little hardware connected as
possible to try and get the C: back to the correct hard drive.

--
Doug Allen, Windows 2000 MCSE
Microsoft Enterprise Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.



"RobD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:fJ-dnast-_SAC-bdRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Article 223188 in the Knowledge Base describes "How To: Restore The
> System/Boot Drive Letter in Windows."
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;223188
>
> - Robert -
>
> "Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:94C9C6ECA8E4F471AE@130.133.1.4...
> >I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a backup.
> >
> > The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the system
> > partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".
> >
> > Disk Management will not let me change the letter of this
> > partition. How can I do this?
> >
> > Pete
> >
> >
> >
> > PS: I have *not* separated out my XP system partition from my boot
> > partition. Everything is in the one XP partition.
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > posted to:
> > microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
> > microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
>
>

>> "Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>
>> >I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a backup.
>> >
>> > The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the
>> > system partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".
>> >
>> > Disk Management will not let me change the letter of this
>> > partition. How can I do this?
>> >
>> > Pete


> "RobD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>
>> Article 223188 in the Knowledge Base describes "How To:
>> Restore The System/Boot Drive Letter in Windows."
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;223188
>>
>> - Robert -


"Doug Allen [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> NO NO NO NO NO ... that article only applies to Windows 2000.
> You CANNOT change the drive letter of the System drive letter
> in Windows XP as its hard coded in certain areas and through
> Windows Product Activation. You will have to reinstall
> Windows XP without as little hardware connected as possible to
> try and get the C: back to the correct hard drive.
>
> --
> Doug Allen, Windows 2000 MCSE
> Microsoft Enterprise Support


Doug, this web page by Petri (MCSE) does through the steps for XP
and they seem very similar to the steps in MSKB Q223188

http://www.petri.co.il/change_system...windows_xp.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;223188

Do you think it might actaully be ok to do this in XP?

On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 12:16:01 -0400, "Doug Allen [MSFT]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>NO NO NO NO NO ... that article only applies to Windows 2000. You CANNOT
>change the drive letter of the System drive letter in Windows XP as its hard
>coded in certain areas and through Windows Product Activation. You will
>have to reinstall Windows XP without as little hardware connected as
>possible to try and get the C: back to the correct hard drive.

Then how come I've done it on at least three occasions using that same
article? Have you tried it to see if it works?

There is NOTHING hard coded in XP any different from Win2000 with
regard to changing the system or boot drive letter. And what in the
world has activation have to do with it?

Your answer is just plain wrong......

On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 18:14:11 +0100, Peter Rossiter <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>>> "Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>
>>> >I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a backup.
>>> >
>>> > The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the
>>> > system partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".
>>> >
>>> > Disk Management will not let me change the letter of this
>>> > partition. How can I do this?
>>> >
>>> > Pete
>
>
>> "RobD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>
>>> Article 223188 in the Knowledge Base describes "How To:
>>> Restore The System/Boot Drive Letter in Windows."
>>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;223188
>>>
>>> - Robert -
>
>
>"Doug Allen [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>> NO NO NO NO NO ... that article only applies to Windows 2000.
>> You CANNOT change the drive letter of the System drive letter
>> in Windows XP as its hard coded in certain areas and through
>> Windows Product Activation. You will have to reinstall
>> Windows XP without as little hardware connected as possible to
>> try and get the C: back to the correct hard drive.
>>
>> --
>> Doug Allen, Windows 2000 MCSE
>> Microsoft Enterprise Support
>
>
>Doug, this web page by Petri (MCSE) does through the steps for XP
>and they seem very similar to the steps in MSKB Q223188
>
>http://www.petri.co.il/change_system...windows_xp.htm
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;223188
>
>Do you think it might actaully be ok to do this in XP?

It works just fine. I've done it at least three times. There are
some things to watch out for especially if you have installed software
after the drive letter was swapped by XP. In that situation where
you have installed software, it's best to re-install XP and start
over.

CS <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 18:14:11 +0100, Peter Rossiter
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>>> "Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>>
>>>> >I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a
>>>> >backup.
>>>> >
>>>> > The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the
>>>> > system partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".
>>>> >
>>>> > Disk Management will not let me change the letter of this
>>>> > partition. How can I do this?
>>>> >
>>>> > Pete
>>
>>
>>> "RobD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>
>>>> Article 223188 in the Knowledge Base describes "How To:
>>>> Restore The System/Boot Drive Letter in Windows."
>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...=kb;en-us;2231
>>>> 88
>>>>
>>>> - Robert -
>>
>>
>>"Doug Allen [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>
>>> NO NO NO NO NO ... that article only applies to Windows
>>> 2000. You CANNOT change the drive letter of the System drive
>>> letter in Windows XP as its hard coded in certain areas and
>>> through Windows Product Activation. You will have to
>>> reinstall Windows XP without as little hardware connected as
>>> possible to try and get the C: back to the correct hard
>>> drive.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Doug Allen, Windows 2000 MCSE
>>> Microsoft Enterprise Support
>>
>>
>>Doug, this web page by Petri (MCSE) does through the steps for
>>XP and they seem very similar to the steps in MSKB Q223188
>>
>>http://www.petri.co.il/change_system..._in_windows_xp
>>.htm
>>
>>http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;223188
>>
>>Do you think it might actaully be ok to do this in XP?
>
> It works just fine. I've done it at least three times. There
> are some things to watch out for especially if you have
> installed software after the drive letter was swapped by XP.
> In that situation where you have installed software, it's best
> to re-install XP and start over.


WOuld it be ok to reset all the drive letters by celaring the MBR
signature on each hard drive of mine which XP has put there?

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 21:00:43 +0100, Peter Rossiter <(E-Mail Removed)>
>CS <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 18:14:11 +0100, Peter Rossiter
>>>>> "Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message

>>>>> >I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a
>>>>> >backup.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the
>>>>> > system partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".

Yep. XP's not particularly survivable in such circumstances.

>>>> "RobD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message

>>>>> Article 223188 in the Knowledge Base describes "How To:
>>>>> Restore The System/Boot Drive Letter in Windows."
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;223188

>>>"Doug Allen [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>>>> NO NO NO NO NO ... that article only applies to Windows
>>>> 2000. You CANNOT change the drive letter of the System drive
>>>> letter in Windows XP as its hard coded in certain areas and
>>>> through Windows Product Activation.

I see. So yet another price paid by the user for WPA is less
survivability in this context. More robust it is not

>>>Doug, this web page by Petri (MCSE) does through the steps for
>>>XP and they seem very similar to the steps in MSKB Q223188

http://www.petri.co.il/change_system...windows_xp.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;223188

>>>Do you think it might actaully be ok to do this in XP?

>> It works just fine. I've done it at least three times. There
>> are some things to watch out for especially if you have
>> installed software after the drive letter was swapped by XP.
>> In that situation where you have installed software, it's best
>> to re-install XP and start over.

>WOuld it be ok to reset all the drive letters by celaring the MBR
>signature on each hard drive of mine which XP has put there?

Careful with clearing MBR signatures, if that's exactly what you mean.

If you clear the 55AA hex values that terminate the MBR, and then use
FDisk /MBR to restore standard MBR boot code, FDisk will zero out the
partition table, losing all volumes on that HD. You do NOT want that.

If you weren't refering to this MBR boot signature, perhaps you were
referring to the volume serial number, as held in the *Partition* Boot
Record? If so, that may lose a WPA "life" and thus tilt you one step
further towards DoS attack my WPA. Yes, I know the volume serial
number is *not* hardware and will change whenever you convert to NTFS
or format the volume, but nonetheless WPA monitors it as a "life".


>-- Risk Management is the clue that asks:
"Why do I keep open buckets of petrol next to all the
ashtrays in the lounge, when I don't even have a car?"
>----------------------- ------ ---- --- -- - - - -

"cquirke (MVP Win9x)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 21:00:43 +0100, Peter Rossiter
> <(E-Mail Removed)>
>>CS <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 18:14:11 +0100, Peter Rossiter
>>>>>> "Peter Rossiter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>
>>>>>> >I have been copying & restoring my XP partition as a
>>>>>> >backup.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > The result of all the copying back & forth, is that the
>>>>>> > system partition now calls itself "S" instead of "C".
>
> Yep. XP's not particularly survivable in such circumstances.
>
>>>>> "RobD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>
>>>>>> Article 223188 in the Knowledge Base describes "How To:
>>>>>> Restore The System/Boot Drive Letter in Windows."
>>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...id=kb;en-us;22
>>>>>> 3188
>
>>>>"Doug Allen [MSFT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>>>> NO NO NO NO NO ... that article only applies to Windows
>>>>> 2000. You CANNOT change the drive letter of the System
>>>>> drive letter in Windows XP as its hard coded in certain
>>>>> areas and through Windows Product Activation.
>
> I see. So yet another price paid by the user for WPA is less
> survivability in this context. More robust it is not
>
>>>>Doug, this web page by Petri (MCSE) does through the steps
>>>>for XP and they seem very similar to the steps in MSKB
>>>>Q223188
>
> http://www.petri.co.il/change_system..._in_windows_xp
> .htm
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;223188
>
>>>>Do you think it might actaully be ok to do this in XP?
>
>>> It works just fine. I've done it at least three times.
>>> There are some things to watch out for especially if you
>>> have installed software after the drive letter was swapped
>>> by XP. In that situation where you have installed software,
>>> it's best to re-install XP and start over.
>
>>WOuld it be ok to reset all the drive letters by celaring the
>>MBR signature on each hard drive of mine which XP has put
>>there?
>
> Careful with clearing MBR signatures, if that's exactly what
> you mean.
>
> If you clear the 55AA hex values that terminate the MBR, and
> then use FDisk /MBR to restore standard MBR boot code, FDisk
> will zero out the partition table, losing all volumes on that
> HD. You do NOT want that.
>
> If you weren't refering to this MBR boot signature, perhaps
> you were referring to the volume serial number, as held in the
> *Partition* Boot Record? If so, that may lose a WPA "life"
> and thus tilt you one step further towards DoS attack my WPA.
> Yes, I know the volume serial number is *not* hardware and
> will change whenever you convert to NTFS or format the volume,
> but nonetheless WPA monitors it as a "life".

>

Thanks for the info. Yes, I was referring to the MBR boot
signature.

I went and cleared those from my hard drives and all was ok
afterwards.

Seems to me that XP is keeping track of a lot (and perhaps too
much) info about the config in order to try and help.