Changing the drive letter of the Boot Drive 2

[alfordjj]

Ok, so I did something stupid and need help to fix it. I installed an SATA drive and copied my old info onto it using Norton Ghost. Then I had to re-load Windows XP using the "repair" option in order for it to see the driver for my SATA drive to boot.

When I moved the data, I had the old drive set up as C:\ and the new SATA set up as D:\. Now when I boot to the new drive, it still sees it as D:\ and nothing works right because all the programs are still pointing to C:\.

So, how can I change the boot drive letter back to C:\??

Thanks!

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=kb;en-us;Q223188

 

[alfordjj]

Thanks! I'll try this out tomorrow.

 

[alfordjj]

Thanks, this really helped.

 

[don26812]

Hello,
I have created a similar yet different problem to one that started this thread. During a complete format/reinstall of Win Pro, my boot drive letter was changed to F: and my Zip disk was assigned C:. Somewhere in this site I learned that this was a known issue with Win XP and zip drives.

As suggested here I used the method discussed in MS Knowledge Base articles 307844 and 326683 to fix the problem. Everything seemed to work ok, but now I have the following situation. My boot drive is assigned to two letters C: and F:. Clicking on My Computer I see both F: and C: as hard disks with the same exact space used/contents. Also, F: stiil seems the one that defaults point to etc.

I am not the world's best reg-editor andomehow got things screwed up following the instructions. What specifically do I need to do to get C: as the sole letter pointing to my boot drive (the only physical hard disk on the system) and reassign F: to my Zip drive.

Tanks in advance.

Don S.

 

[bcastner]

Let say your zip drive is now I:

Use the link given above to the MS KB. You use regedit for both the permissions changes, and the drive letter edits.

1. Right-click \DosDevices\F:, and then click Rename.
2. Rename it to an unused drive letter "\DosDevices\Z:".
This frees up drive letter F.
3. Find the drive letter you want changed. Look for "\DosDevices\I:".
4. Right-click \DosDevices\I:, and then click Rename.
5. Rename it to the appropriate (new) drive letter "\DosDevices\F:".
6. Delete the key "\DosDevices\Z:".

 

[don26812]

Bcastner,

Well, I followed your instructions, except my Zip Drive was drive H. On rebooting my PC, it stops at the light blue Windows screen and goes no further with no error message.

I did back up the System Settings to an ext hard drive using backup as described - I think - in appropriate KB article. Inreading the restore part of that article. It looked like I was going to hacve to do a large amont of typing to restore the registry back before my latest changes, so I thought I better check first to see exactly how to restore the registry. I assumed that I would just boot from the Win XP in essential click on a button that would say restore or some such thing.

I did notice some lines above where I was working in Regedit that had ??? in front of volumes. I ignored those. Is that part of my problem?

Looking for help out of this mess.

Thanks so much.

Don S.

 

[bcastner]

Hit F8 early and often, and select Last Know Good Configuration.

 

[don26812]

bcastner,

Again, thanks for the prompt reply. Pressing F8 did get me to the point to select thec last known good configuration, but the end result was the same. Start up stopped at the bright blue screen with the samll Windows word in the center. No error messages at that point.

I am wondering if I would be better off just doing a total reinstall of XP. It did not take that long. If I remember right, I did the update to SP2 before discovering F: and C: were reversed. This time I would follow the KB article to correct the Zip drive problem before installing SP2.

What do you think?

Don26812

 

[don26812]

bcastner,

I am adding this to close out this thread and to thank you again for your help. I ended up reinstalling Win XP Pro from scratch after disconnecting my Zip drive. I have not loaded SP2 yet, but will shortly. Naturally, I am back to a single hard drive, C:.

I am wondering now if I can reconnect my Zip drive, and have it properly recognized and given a suitable drive letter, or would I end up in the same mess I was before?

I don't really need the Zip drive any more.

Thanks again,

Don S.

 

[bcastner]

You can reconnect the Zip drive after installation of XP. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=304776