Hard disk replacement/letter assignment

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stephen
  • Start date Start date
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Stephen

I'm using Windows XP Pro and recently upgraded from a 20 to 80 GB hard
drive. In order to copy all my files over, I installed the new one before
removing the old one. I then installed Windows on it to make sure all the
files that are always in use got copied. Things work just fine with the
exception of reinstalling a few third party applications. My problem is
that after removing the old drive to free the drive letter C:, the new drive
became the 'System' drive and DISKPART won't let me change it. The watered
down version of DISKPART in the recovery console won't let you do anything
besides delete partitions. I need a way to assign this new drive the C:.
Even re-assigning the old drive to a different letter and then booting off
of it won't let me change the new drive letter because it is still the
'System' drive, and the old one somehow goes back to C: and is also
unchangeable because it is the 'Boot' drive.
There must be a way to do this without deleting the entire partition and
having to reformat and recopy. Even if I did that, booting off the old
drive would still force me to use something other than C:

Stephen
(e-mail address removed)
 
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.

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

7. 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.

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| I'm using Windows XP Pro and recently upgraded from a 20 to 80 GB hard
| drive. In order to copy all my files over, I installed the new one before
| removing the old one. I then installed Windows on it to make sure all the
| files that are always in use got copied. Things work just fine with the
| exception of reinstalling a few third party applications. My problem is
| that after removing the old drive to free the drive letter C:, the new drive
| became the 'System' drive and DISKPART won't let me change it. The watered
| down version of DISKPART in the recovery console won't let you do anything
| besides delete partitions. I need a way to assign this new drive the C:.
| Even re-assigning the old drive to a different letter and then booting off
| of it won't let me change the new drive letter because it is still the
| 'System' drive, and the old one somehow goes back to C: and is also
| unchangeable because it is the 'Boot' drive.
| There must be a way to do this without deleting the entire partition and
| having to reformat and recopy. Even if I did that, booting off the old
| drive would still force me to use something other than C:
|
| Stephen
| (e-mail address removed)
|
|
 
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