Installation problem - drive letters

[Barry Watzman]

I have an installation problem with Windows XP. Sorry that, for the
sake of clarity and completeness, this is kind of long.

A system has two 120 gig hard drives. The 1st hard drive has 5
partitions, all FAT32. The second hard drive is a single NTFS
partition. Windows 98SE is already installed on the 1st partition of
the 1st hard drive.

I need to install Windows XP (actually, XP MCE if it matters (I don't
think it does)) on this system as a second OS in a dual boot configuration.

Here's the problem: XP must see the exact same drive letter
configuration as 98, and XP MUST be installed on the 2nd partition of
the 1st hard drive, and XP MUST see that partition as D:.

Unfortunately, however, XP and it's setup software absolutely insist on
assigning D: to the 1st partition of the 2nd hard drive. That is, I
want and must get:

1st drive: C:, D:, E:, F:, G:
2nd drive: H:

but XP is absolutely insisting on:

1st drive: C:, E:, F: G:, H:
2nd drive: D:

Nothing, as far as I have been able to determine, will prevent XP setup
from assigning D: to the 2nd hard drive.

Some additional important comments:

-Setting the 2nd hard drive to "None" in the BIOS does not work. It
keeps the BIOS and 98 from seeing the 2nd drive, but not XP setup.

-There is valuable, live data on all partitions of both drives (except
the partition that I want to install XP on), so blowing away a partition
or even the partition table isn't an option.

-I've tried both WINNT.EXE and WINNT32.EXE. This problem is pervasive,
while I can install on any partition that I like, I can't force the
drive letters to the desired configuration.

-The obvious solution, which would work, is just to disconnect the 2nd
drive, install the system, and reconnect it. Unfortunately, that's
exactly what I'm trying to avoid. This system is "built into" a 6-foot
entertainment console, and if it has to be removed to do this, it's a 6
to 8 hour job to remove it and reinstall it.

[This system actually DID have XP Pro in the desired configuration, but
XP Pro needed to be replaced by XP MCE, so the 2nd partition of the 1st
drive was reformatted and that's where we are now. There is live stuff
on both drives which has "expectations" of what the partitions and drive
letter assignments are, and they were created before the XP Pro
partition was reformatted.]

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Michael Stevens]

I have an installation problem with Windows XP. Sorry that, for the
sake of clarity and completeness, this is kind of long.

A system has two 120 gig hard drives. The 1st hard drive has 5
partitions, all FAT32. The second hard drive is a single NTFS
partition. Windows 98SE is already installed on the 1st partition of
the 1st hard drive.

I need to install Windows XP (actually, XP MCE if it matters (I don't
think it does)) on this system as a second OS in a dual boot
configuration.
Here's the problem: XP must see the exact same drive letter
configuration as 98, and XP MUST be installed on the 2nd partition of
the 1st hard drive, and XP MUST see that partition as D:.

Unfortunately, however, XP and it's setup software absolutely insist
on assigning D: to the 1st partition of the 2nd hard drive. That is,
I want and must get:

1st drive: C:, D:, E:, F:, G:
2nd drive: H:

but XP is absolutely insisting on:

1st drive: C:, E:, F: G:, H:
2nd drive: D:

Nothing, as far as I have been able to determine, will prevent XP
setup from assigning D: to the 2nd hard drive.

Some additional important comments:

-Setting the 2nd hard drive to "None" in the BIOS does not work. It
keeps the BIOS and 98 from seeing the 2nd drive, but not XP setup.

-There is valuable, live data on all partitions of both drives (except
the partition that I want to install XP on), so blowing away a
partition or even the partition table isn't an option.

-I've tried both WINNT.EXE and WINNT32.EXE. This problem is
pervasive, while I can install on any partition that I like, I can't
force the drive letters to the desired configuration.

-The obvious solution, which would work, is just to disconnect the 2nd
drive, install the system, and reconnect it. Unfortunately, that's
exactly what I'm trying to avoid. This system is "built into" a
6-foot entertainment console, and if it has to be removed to do this,
it's a 6 to 8 hour job to remove it and reinstall it.

[This system actually DID have XP Pro in the desired configuration,
but XP Pro needed to be replaced by XP MCE, so the 2nd partition of the
1st drive was reformatted and that's where we are now. There is live
stuff on both drives which has "expectations" of what the partitions and
drive letter assignments are, and they were created before the XP Pro
partition was reformatted.]

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

You must make the second hard drive a logical partition.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Dave Patrick]

No real solution given your constraints but the reason is that the system
partition on drive 0 (where win9x is installed) and the 120 gB partition on
drive 1 are primary partitions hence the reason. This article may also help.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/234048/EN-US/

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I have an installation problem with Windows XP. Sorry that, for the
| sake of clarity and completeness, this is kind of long.
|
| A system has two 120 gig hard drives. The 1st hard drive has 5
| partitions, all FAT32. The second hard drive is a single NTFS
| partition. Windows 98SE is already installed on the 1st partition of
| the 1st hard drive.
|
| I need to install Windows XP (actually, XP MCE if it matters (I don't
| think it does)) on this system as a second OS in a dual boot
configuration.
|
| Here's the problem: XP must see the exact same drive letter
| configuration as 98, and XP MUST be installed on the 2nd partition of
| the 1st hard drive, and XP MUST see that partition as D:.
|
| Unfortunately, however, XP and it's setup software absolutely insist on
| assigning D: to the 1st partition of the 2nd hard drive. That is, I
| want and must get:
|
| 1st drive: C:, D:, E:, F:, G:
| 2nd drive: H:
|
| but XP is absolutely insisting on:
|
| 1st drive: C:, E:, F: G:, H:
| 2nd drive: D:
|
| Nothing, as far as I have been able to determine, will prevent XP setup
| from assigning D: to the 2nd hard drive.
|
| Some additional important comments:
|
| -Setting the 2nd hard drive to "None" in the BIOS does not work. It
| keeps the BIOS and 98 from seeing the 2nd drive, but not XP setup.
|
| -There is valuable, live data on all partitions of both drives (except
| the partition that I want to install XP on), so blowing away a partition
| or even the partition table isn't an option.
|
| -I've tried both WINNT.EXE and WINNT32.EXE. This problem is pervasive,
| while I can install on any partition that I like, I can't force the
| drive letters to the desired configuration.
|
| -The obvious solution, which would work, is just to disconnect the 2nd
| drive, install the system, and reconnect it. Unfortunately, that's
| exactly what I'm trying to avoid. This system is "built into" a 6-foot
| entertainment console, and if it has to be removed to do this, it's a 6
| to 8 hour job to remove it and reinstall it.
|
| [This system actually DID have XP Pro in the desired configuration, but
| XP Pro needed to be replaced by XP MCE, so the 2nd partition of the 1st
| drive was reformatted and that's where we are now. There is live stuff
| on both drives which has "expectations" of what the partitions and drive
| letter assignments are, and they were created before the XP Pro
| partition was reformatted.]
|
| Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
|

 

[Barry Watzman]

Interesting. That drive and partition already has live data on it, so
I'm kind of nervous about trying to change it, but that may be my only
way out without physically removing that drive during installation.
Partition Magic is installed on Windows 98, so that is possibly an
option (a somewhat risky, option, perhaps, but an option).

I will be curious to see if anyone else has any other ideas.


Michael Stevens wrote:

 

[Michael Stevens]

Interesting. That drive and partition already has live data on it, so
I'm kind of nervous about trying to change it, but that may be my only
way out without physically removing that drive during installation.
Partition Magic is installed on Windows 98, so that is possibly an
option (a somewhat risky, option, perhaps, but an option).

I will be curious to see if anyone else has any other ideas.

Download BootIT NG from Terabyte, it comes as a full functioning 30 day demo
and it can change the drive to a logical partition.
BootIT NG from Terabyte
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Randy Harris]

Interesting. That drive and partition already has live data on it, so
I'm kind of nervous about trying to change it, but that may be my only
way out without physically removing that drive during installation.
Partition Magic is installed on Windows 98, so that is possibly an
option (a somewhat risky, option, perhaps, but an option).

I will be curious to see if anyone else has any other ideas.


Michael Stevens wrote:

What Michael says makes sense. The default sequence is (1)first primary
partition on first drive, (2)first primary partition on second drive,
(3..x)logical partitions on first drive, (x+1...?)logical partitions on
second drive.

Have you considered using boot manager software? You could easily set it up
so that both 98 and XP booted up as the C: drive. Whichever wasn't booted
would be hidden. Shareware that's not very expensive. (don't waste your
time with Boot Magic)

I have three systems with 11 different boot partitions (all C:, except for
the Redhat partitions)

My 2 cents

 

[Barry Watzman]

I found a solution.

Following the suggestions in this group, I was going to change the
partition from a primary partition to a logical partition. But when I
went into Partiton Magic (from Windows 98), I noted that it had a
function to "hide" a partition. I hid it, which was sufficient to keep
XP from trying to assign a drive letter to it. Then, after XP was fully
installed, I unhid it and it became drive I: (the CD was H. I then
swapped H: and I: and all is as it should be.

I have an installation problem with Windows XP. Sorry that, for the
sake of clarity and completeness, this is kind of long.

A system has two 120 gig hard drives. The 1st hard drive has 5
partitions, all FAT32. The second hard drive is a single NTFS
partition. Windows 98SE is already installed on the 1st partition of
the 1st hard drive.

I need to install Windows XP (actually, XP MCE if it matters (I don't
think it does)) on this system as a second OS in a dual boot configuration.

Here's the problem: XP must see the exact same drive letter
configuration as 98, and XP MUST be installed on the 2nd partition of
the 1st hard drive, and XP MUST see that partition as D:.

Unfortunately, however, XP and it's setup software absolutely insist on
assigning D: to the 1st partition of the 2nd hard drive. That is, I
want and must get:

1st drive: C:, D:, E:, F:, G:
2nd drive: H:

but XP is absolutely insisting on:

1st drive: C:, E:, F: G:, H:
2nd drive: D:

Nothing, as far as I have been able to determine, will prevent XP setup
from assigning D: to the 2nd hard drive.

Some additional important comments:

-Setting the 2nd hard drive to "None" in the BIOS does not work. It
keeps the BIOS and 98 from seeing the 2nd drive, but not XP setup.

-There is valuable, live data on all partitions of both drives (except
the partition that I want to install XP on), so blowing away a partition
or even the partition table isn't an option.

-I've tried both WINNT.EXE and WINNT32.EXE. This problem is pervasive,
while I can install on any partition that I like, I can't force the
drive letters to the desired configuration.

-The obvious solution, which would work, is just to disconnect the 2nd
drive, install the system, and reconnect it. Unfortunately, that's
exactly what I'm trying to avoid. This system is "built into" a 6-foot
entertainment console, and if it has to be removed to do this, it's a 6
to 8 hour job to remove it and reinstall it.

[This system actually DID have XP Pro in the desired configuration, but
XP Pro needed to be replaced by XP MCE, so the 2nd partition of the 1st
drive was reformatted and that's where we are now. There is live stuff
on both drives which has "expectations" of what the partitions and drive
letter assignments are, and they were created before the XP Pro
partition was reformatted.]

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Michael Stevens]

I found a solution.

Following the suggestions in this group, I was going to change the
partition from a primary partition to a logical partition. But when I
went into Partiton Magic (from Windows 98), I noted that it had a
function to "hide" a partition. I hid it, which was sufficient to
keep XP from trying to assign a drive letter to it. Then, after XP
was fully installed, I unhid it and it became drive I: (the CD was
H. I then swapped H: and I: and all is as it should be.

Great, thanks very much for the feedback.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm