The Quest for a C:\ Drive 1

[mojacker]

I was having a problem switching from DSL service to Cable modem (pc wouldn't recognize the modem) and ultimately found I needed to reload Windows on my machine. It's got a Pentium 4 CPU, 2.8GHz w/ 512 MB RAM and a 120 Gig hard drive running Windows XP Media Center Edition.

To back up my data, I purchased a 200 Gig External hard drive and a 5 port USB hub (4 external, 1 internal) PCI card to plug it into. Windows instantly recognized the card and loaded the drivers. No problem backing up the data.

So I wiped the hard drive clean and reloaded Windows. But after it finished, I found that Windows saw the 4 External USB ports as "removeable drives" and gave them designations of C:\, D:\, E:\ & F:\. Then it assigned G:\ and H:\ to my two DVD drives and finally assigned I:\ to my hard drive.

I'm thinking this can't be an acceptable situation. I removed the hub, deleted the "removeable drives" in device manager, wiped the drive clean and reloaded Windows. The removeable drives are gone. But my hard drive is still called I:\. After investigating, I found the hubs are still in my BIOS and I don't see how to remove them.

A friend thought it was possible to manually change the drive designation (I:\ to C:\) but didn't know how. Does anyone know how to do that? And if not, can anyone tell me how to get this hub out of my BIOS so I can start from scratch again?

Anyone's advise and assistance would be greatly appreciated. This has turned what should be a very easy task into something terribly frustrating. Thanks.

mojacker

 

[rvnguy]

First you can disable USB support in Bios.

Using drive mfg tools or another app you might have 'zero the drive out. Normal format leaves the MBR, zeroing out is akin to bare metal.

Install OS, when done check drive assignment, should be c: now, if ok shut down boot to bios and enable USB save exit should boot and Win should find new hardware etc.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[BaudKarma]

If "wiping the drive clean" just entailed reformatting it, you might try deleting the primary partition on your hard drive and recreating, *then* reformatting the next time you do your Windows install. If that works you wouldn't need the bother of a drive utility.

 

[BaudKarma]

Rethinking a little... there might be a setting buried somewhere in your machines BIOS to reset everything to factory defaults. What kind of computer/motherboard do you have?

 

[firewolfrl]

You have to open the case....Period

You quoted "
But after it finished, I found that Windows saw the 4 External USB ports as "removable drives" and gave them designations of C:\, D:\, E:\ & F:\. "

The USB hub did not do this. It is the card reader built into the front panel of a Media Center type box.


With Windows XP Media center type box. You have to find where the Front panel USB ports plug into the motherboard. and you have to find where the Card reader plugs in. Then unplug the internal card reader from the motherboard... Install windows. Replug them back in.

Make sure no USB plug is plugged into any of the USB ports anywhere on the machine.

This is a common problem with a machine with an installed internal card reader, a USB Printer with a card reader built-in plugged to the USB port, a plugged in USB card reader, any zip drives (USB, Internal, any connection type), external USB hard drives...The list can go on and on.


When I install Windows. I unplug all drives except one CD or DVD drive and the Hard drive I want windows on. and I unplug all USB related Items.

By the way rvnguy BIOS suggestion will work if there is a setting in the BIOS to disable the USB ports. This is not always the case that the setting is available in the BIOS. But, it does have possibilities. I am a tinkerer and like the hands on approach.


good luck

 

[mojacker]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. I did check my BIOS to see if I could fix this an easier way. But it boiled down to the Apacer hardware installed on the front of my case (as firewolfrl suggested). I wiped out the drive again, unplugged all of the devices, reloaded Windows and bingo! I have a C:\ drive.

Thanks so much. Now I've got to get busy on reloading programs and drivers.

Thanks again.