Changing drive letters

[A-non-i-moose]

Long story, here's the short version.

Computer crashed due to virus infection. Could not clean it, tossed the HD,
installed new HD, installed Win XP SP 2 from original CD, installed Internet
Explorer 7 from upgrade CD, installed all other applications from their
original CD's, seems to work fine -- EXCEPT -- I have three problems, two of
which likely are related.

1. Where do I find Outlook Express? I have Internet Explorer 7 but can't
find OE.

2. This problem probably is connected with #3. When I look at my computer
in Windows Explorer, I find that the internal hard drive, instead of being
drive C is now drive I. My computer has several slots to insert media --
SD, micro SD, CF, and the like -- these are designated C, F, G, and H.
DVD-RW drive is D, CD drive is E, and the hard drive is I.

3. When the computer boots, I get an error message: "No disc found. Insert
disc in drive. (Retry) (Cancel) (Continue)." I hit Continue, the message
pops up again, hit Continue, do this 4-5 times, and the computer boots and
operates. I suspect the boot routine is looking for something on drive C,
does not find it because the drive with all the applications is now drive I;
system gives an error message, I tell it to continue, and it does.

How do I change the drive designation from I to C ??? If I do this, will
it screw up the applications that I installed before I noticed the hard
drive was I instead of C? That is, all my apps are now installed on the
hard drive which is designated I -- if I change that drive to C, will the
computer know where to find my apps?

Thanks.

 

[Michael Jennings]

You could have zero written the hard drive instead of discarding it.

It seems to me that you ought to do the install all over again, but if you
want to change some drive letters first, before trying again, here's how:
Start > Help and Support > Search "Using Disk Management" >
follow instructions, then right click a drive and select the option
"Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

Use CMOS Setup to point BIOS at the hard drive:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/bios3.htm
See what happens when you limit booting to the hard drive only.

Search for OE's executable file, "msimn.exe," which ought to turn up
in Program Files\Outlook Express. Highlight that one in Search and
click File, then click Open Containing Folder. Double click msimn.exe
there. It ought to work to open OE. You can create a shortcut if it does.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You could have zero written the hard drive instead of discarding it.

*** My own thoughts. It's like buying a new car when running
*** out of gas . . .

It seems to me that you ought to do the install all over again, but if you
want to change some drive letters first, before trying again, here's how:
Start > Help and Support > Search "Using Disk Management" >
follow instructions, then right click a drive and select the option
"Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

*** The OP can change the drive letters of all drives other
*** than the system drive. He is stuck with drive I:.

Use CMOS Setup to point BIOS at the hard drive:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/bios3.htm
See what happens when you limit booting to the hard drive only.

Search for OE's executable file, "msimn.exe," which ought to turn up
in Program Files\Outlook Express. Highlight that one in Search and
click File, then click Open Containing Folder. Double click msimn.exe
there. It ought to work to open OE. You can create a shortcut if it does.

*** This would certainly work. On the other hand I think that
*** the OP simply overlooked the OE shortcuts. I have
*** never seen a Windows installation that did not create
*** at least one of them.

 

[Olórin]

Long story, here's the short version.

Computer crashed due to virus infection. Could not clean it, tossed the
HD,
installed new HD, installed Win XP SP 2 from original CD, installed
Internet
Explorer 7 from upgrade CD, installed all other applications from their
original CD's, seems to work fine -- EXCEPT -- I have three problems, two
of
which likely are related.

1. Where do I find Outlook Express? I have Internet Explorer 7 but can't
find OE.

2. This problem probably is connected with #3. When I look at my
computer
in Windows Explorer, I find that the internal hard drive, instead of being
drive C is now drive I. My computer has several slots to insert media --
SD, micro SD, CF, and the like -- these are designated C, F, G, and H.
DVD-RW drive is D, CD drive is E, and the hard drive is I.

3. When the computer boots, I get an error message: "No disc found.
Insert
disc in drive. (Retry) (Cancel) (Continue)." I hit Continue, the
message
pops up again, hit Continue, do this 4-5 times, and the computer boots and
operates. I suspect the boot routine is looking for something on drive C,
does not find it because the drive with all the applications is now drive
I;
system gives an error message, I tell it to continue, and it does.

How do I change the drive designation from I to C ??? If I do this, will
it screw up the applications that I installed before I noticed the hard
drive was I instead of C? That is, all my apps are now installed on the
hard drive which is designated I -- if I change that drive to C, will the
computer know where to find my apps?

Thanks.

See also replies in (at least) the Basics group where you multi-posted to...

http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

 

[Michael Jennings]

*** My own thoughts. It's like buying a new car when running
*** out of gas . . .

*** The OP can change the drive letters of all drives other
*** than the system drive. He is stuck with drive I:.

*** This would certainly work. On the other hand I think that
*** the OP simply overlooked the OE shortcuts. I have
*** never seen a Windows installation that did not create
*** at least one of them.

I considered advising him to flash BIOS, in case the virus got to it.
I suppose he'll buy a computer and learn to live with Vista until Win7.