Dual Boot: Permanenttly swap drive letters afterward?

[Knack]

Want WinNT4 as the OS for use as a repair tool for WinXP. Don't want two
WinXPs so as to avoid product activation complications, and also to conserve
HDD space.

WinNT4 must be installed first because of its 7.87GB limitation, as the
partition containing WinXP and programs will be far in excess of 10GB.

So the WinNT4 partition will automatically be designated as C: and WinXP
partition will be automatically designated as D:.

However, I want the WinXP OS to be on partition-C because that OS will be
getting 99% of all the software installations.

Can the registry of the WinNT4 OS be edited so as to do a find and replace
of every instance of C: with D:? And vice versa with the WinXP registry? And
if so, will those OSes function normally afterward?

Note: There's such a utility as Registry Tool Kit, which has a find and
replace feature, but I've never heard of such a radical application as what
I have in mind.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

I wouldn't bet on this working. You should probably look into BootIt Next
Generation, www.bootitng.com You can use its "Boot Menu Items" to rearrange
the partitions, logically, while still leaving them in the same location
physically. Once that's done, you can install your operating systems, as
you desire.

 

[Durand]

Check http://www.hyperos2002.com/ for hyperos. It pretty much does what you have
in mind, but it's pricey.

--
Regards,

Durand


| Want WinNT4 as the OS for use as a repair tool for WinXP. Don't want two
| WinXPs so as to avoid product activation complications, and also to conserve
| HDD space.
|
| WinNT4 must be installed first because of its 7.87GB limitation, as the
| partition containing WinXP and programs will be far in excess of 10GB.
|
| So the WinNT4 partition will automatically be designated as C: and WinXP
| partition will be automatically designated as D:.
|
| However, I want the WinXP OS to be on partition-C because that OS will be
| getting 99% of all the software installations.
|
| Can the registry of the WinNT4 OS be edited so as to do a find and replace
| of every instance of C: with D:? And vice versa with the WinXP registry? And
| if so, will those OSes function normally afterward?
|
| Note: There's such a utility as Registry Tool Kit, which has a find and
| replace feature, but I've never heard of such a radical application as what
| I have in mind.
|
|