change system boot drive letter E to C ?

[skyking]

i installed xp pro on a fresh drive that was written with zeros. the
system had a zip drive and a cdwriter drive as well. after installing the
O.S.
zip drive was C:
the cdwriter was D:
the hard disk was E:
when trying to install certain programs i get error messages cause there is
no C: drive because there is no disk and i really do not use it. i realize
that i should have unplugged the zip now, but is there a way to change
system/boot drive E: to C: without reloading ?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Drive Letters Change Unexpectedly When You Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326683&Product=winxp

You'll have to physically disconnect whatever drive is shown as the current C: drive,
perform a "clean install", then reconnect that drive.

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

Note: If you are unable to activate Windows XP again via the internet,
then select the option to "activate by telephone".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| i installed xp pro on a fresh drive that was written with zeros. the
| system had a zip drive and a cdwriter drive as well. after installing the
| O.S.
| zip drive was C:
| the cdwriter was D:
| the hard disk was E:
| when trying to install certain programs i get error messages cause there is
| no C: drive because there is no disk and i really do not use it. i realize
| that i should have unplugged the zip now, but is there a way to change
| system/boot drive E: to C: without reloading ?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

i installed xp pro on a fresh drive that was written with zeros. the
system had a zip drive and a cdwriter drive as well. after installing the
O.S.
zip drive was C:
the cdwriter was D:
the hard disk was E:
when trying to install certain programs i get error messages cause there is
no C: drive because there is no disk and i really do not use it. i realize
that i should have unplugged the zip now, but is there a way to change
system/boot drive E: to C: without reloading ?

If you installed Windows on drive E: then this is where it must stay.

You may be able to fool those programs that demand the
existence of drive C:, by placing a two-line batch file into
the "All Users" startup folder:

@echo off
subst c: E:\

This will create an artificial drive C:, which is actually your drive E:.

 

[skyking]

do i use the exact sytax? small c and capital E and backslash on the e only
?
thanks Pegasus. i have monitored your responses for 2 to 3 years now, since
win2k and i think you are the best! i am not too hip on preformulated
answers.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

do i use the exact sytax? small c and capital E and backslash on the
e only ?
thanks Pegasus. i have monitored your responses for 2 to 3 years
now, since win2k and i think you are the best! i am not too hip on
preformulated answers.

Repeat problems require repeat solutions..
=)

 

[skyking]

if you have something to say, please elaborate otherwise su

 

[Shenan Stanley]

if you have something to say, please elaborate otherwise su

Let me repeat it for you and explain..

You said:

i am not too hip on preformulated answers.

I said:

Repeat problems require repeat solutions..
=)

Then you decided to try and snap back with an abrasive response.
Interesting for someone asking for help.

To answer your original question, you really need to reinstall the OS from
scratch without whatever external (or internal) removable media caused it to
install on the E:\ drive in the first place. There are many hits on Google
for people with this issue and a few suggestions as to how you could turn
E:\ into C:\, but anyone here with experience will tell you the only sure
way to repair things is to reinstall with the offending device unhooked.
You can refer to this article for a complete explanation of what has
occurred: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326683

For your second question about syntax of the SUBST command - know that
windows command lines are USUALLY not case sensitive. The command line
given to you was:

subst c: E:\

It could have been:

SuBsT c: e:\

You can also type in:

subst /?

and get more information on the command as well as looking in this file (for
you anyway):

e:\WINDOWS\Help\ntcmds.chm

Or this web page:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/ntcmds_o.mspx

As for your command for me to "su" (in your case, I know it is not raising
my security level) - welcome to the wonderful world of the Internet and
Public newsgroups - where your opinion is all you have.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Thanks for the compliment.

The vast majority of all commands issued from the Command
Prompt are case insensitive. Otherwise, you must type the
command exactly as it is. Try it for yourself to see how it works!

 

[skyking]

pegasus answered the question. there was no reason for you to chime in with
your 0 cent worth

 

[Shenan Stanley]

pegasus answered the question. there was no reason for you to chime
in with your 0 cent worth

We could do this all day - why do you wish to have an attitude instead of
being gracious for anyone offering support that you requested?

 

[skyking]

you brought nothing to the table. you are of no help to anyone when you try
to just be a philosopher.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

you brought nothing to the table. you are of no help to anyone when
you try to just be a philosopher.

Sure - my first answer only replied to one of your "philosophic opinions of
no help" (according to you) - however, since you provided up that
philosophy, I (as a volunteer on these newsgroups) volunteered my reasoning
for these "preformulated answers" you so disliked. "Repeated questions."

I assumed as a frequent reader of these newsgroups (for years?) you would
have seen this pattern on your own - also would have seen the question about
"why did my windows install on drive x: instead of drive c:" and then when
someone gave you (directly) a viable "work-around" - you might be able to do
a search on your own for syntax of said command by the time anyone would be
able to respond. When you responded without comment on having found that
answer (or even attempting to find that answer on your own) - I volunteered
happily (despite the rudeness displayed in said response) with a correct
answer to not only your first question but with a complete follow up to the
previous answer and question you had asked about it.

So the whole answer where I pointed you to the reason for your incorrect
drive assignment (including the official link) then also answered your
follow up question about the syntax of the command SUBST as well as giving
you the location(s) of where you could get more information on that and many
other command line commands that may be of service to you in this situation
was nothing?

 

[skyking]

all you have is canned answers. they are of no help. you should read the
original posting before you reply with your canned responses.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

all you have is canned answers. they are of no help. you should
read the original posting before you reply with your canned responses.

How is my answer canned at all?
Point out the canned answer.

You mean my referral to a web page link? Something you should have been
able to find on your own as a frequent monitor of these newsgroups? Or is
there something else I did not post to you and only you?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

all you have is canned answers. they are of no help. you should
read the original posting before you reply with your canned responses.

Perhaps a search for you would have saved you a post...
http://www.petri.co.il/change_system_drive_letter_in_windows_xp.htm
In addition to that - the link I gave to answer you originally with does not
mention re-install:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326683
And a search for your problem on Google even brought this up for me..
http://www.ntcompatible.com/thread27117-1.html

My answer was not canned (especially the originally - nor was the one after)
because I politely pointed out the fact that changing the drive letter is
possible - stating there were dozens of web pages on the matter on how to do
it (that you could find by researching) - but anyone with experience in this
matter would tell you that it would be better to reinstall to permanently
fix your problem.

The subst will work in most cases, but some applications will still know the
difference and some may have issues with the C:\ drive not being the system
drive. The number of registry entries you may have now pointing to the
system drive (e:\ in your case) makes it a BETTER solution to rebuild if you
wish to be insured of the least amount of trouble.

Nothing "canned" about that - it's the proper way to answer your questions..
You asked a specific question with only a few possible solutions..

Option 1 - preferred is to reinstall - whether or not you want it and stated
you did not aside - best solution.
Option 2 - use subst but be aware of the potential issues and that it is
merely a work-around - not a true resolution.
Option 3 - use the methods of searching the registry and ini files to change
your pointers and drive letters
Option 4 - I would suggest ghosting - however, as the problem actually lies
in the registry and the associated ini files and the likes - this would not
work the way you wanted and you would be busily searching the registry and
ini files for weeks to change all e: to c:'s and likely miss some in the
process - meaning doing the same thing as three in the end.

 

[skyking]

COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE

Perhaps a search for you would have saved you a post...
http://www.petri.co.il/change_system_drive_letter_in_windows_xp.htm
In addition to that - the link I gave to answer you originally with does not
mention re-install:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326683
And a search for your problem on Google even brought this up for me..
http://www.ntcompatible.com/thread27117-1.html

My answer was not canned (especially the originally - nor was the one after)
because I politely pointed out the fact that changing the drive letter is
possible - stating there were dozens of web pages on the matter on how to do
it (that you could find by researching) - but anyone with experience in this
matter would tell you that it would be better to reinstall to permanently
fix your problem.

The subst will work in most cases, but some applications will still know the
difference and some may have issues with the C:\ drive not being the system
drive. The number of registry entries you may have now pointing to the
system drive (e:\ in your case) makes it a BETTER solution to rebuild if you
wish to be insured of the least amount of trouble.

Nothing "canned" about that - it's the proper way to answer your questions..
You asked a specific question with only a few possible solutions..

Option 1 - preferred is to reinstall - whether or not you want it and stated
you did not aside - best solution.
Option 2 - use subst but be aware of the potential issues and that it is
merely a work-around - not a true resolution.
Option 3 - use the methods of searching the registry and ini files to change
your pointers and drive letters
Option 4 - I would suggest ghosting - however, as the problem actually lies
in the registry and the associated ini files and the likes - this would not
work the way you wanted and you would be busily searching the registry and
ini files for weeks to change all e: to c:'s and likely miss some in the
process - meaning doing the same thing as three in the end.

--
<- Shenan ->
--
The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
getting into before you jump in with both feet.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE

I would, but as my signature states...