Need To Change Drive Letters

[Howard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Windows Disk Management tools only allows the user to change the drive
letters of non-system, non active & non bootable drives/partitions on a hard
drive

QUESTION: Is there some third party DOS utility/tweak that will allow the
user to change the drive letter of a Windows System, Active or Boot
drive/partition ????

Thanks in advance for your replys

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Scroll down to Troubleshooting here...
How to change drive letter assignments in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307844

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:67A1562F-71F3-49E7-BE67-D75368B0849E@microsoft.com,
Howard <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> Windows Disk Management tools only allows the user to change the drive
> letters of non-system, non active & non bootable drives/partitions on a
> hard drive
>
> QUESTION: Is there some third party DOS utility/tweak that will allow the
> user to change the drive letter of a Windows System, Active or Boot
> drive/partition ????
>
> Thanks in advance for your replys

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

To Wesley:

Nothing helpful here as far I can see

Even the command line Diskpart utility is not capable of changing the drive
letter of a system, boot or page file drive/partition

Look at the following link for a discussion of Diskpart

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300415/

Thanks for your suggestion

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

You do realize that changing the drive letter of the boot drive/partition
will render your system unbootable, don't you?

You cannot change the boot drive with any utility.

Bobby

"Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B36B5B08-0706-4B73-84DA-9CC2F29BA02E@microsoft.com...
> To Wesley:
>
> Nothing helpful here as far I can see
>
> Even the command line Diskpart utility is not capable of changing the
> drive
> letter of a system, boot or page file drive/partition
>
> Look at the following link for a discussion of Diskpart
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300415/
>
> Thanks for your suggestion

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Is there someplace in the Registry that you might be able to change drive
letters so that when the computer reboots it will take on a new assigned
drive letter ???

Just guessing ???

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I have three primary partitions and one extended partition - all three
primary partitions are Windows XP C drive images - all bootable using a
multiboot boot.ini file

Depending on the C drive image and how the C drive image is installed on
each partition - effects whether or not the booted partition takes the
customary drive letter C or some other drive letter when the selected
partition is booted

After several months of working on this - there is only one specific problem
that I have not been able to solve - when I try to restore a C drive image to
a non C drive partition using ghost 9.0 from an image stored on a CD/DVD
disk(s), the restored drive fails to take on the drive letter of C when it is
booted - no problem noted when the restored drive is the actual C drive

No problems noted at all when the restored images are taken from hard drives
- the other two non C drives will take on the drive letter of C when they are
booted

The advantage of having each bootable partition booted with the Drive letter
C is that you only have to have one set of images instead of seperate sets of
images for each bootable drive letter!!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

This doesn't apply to system or boot volumes, disk management will not
change these

"Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:O0R5$UajFHA.320@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Scroll down to Troubleshooting here...
> How to change drive letter assignments in Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307844
>
> --
> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>
> Wes
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>
> In news:67A1562F-71F3-49E7-BE67-D75368B0849E@microsoft.com,
> Howard <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
>> Windows Disk Management tools only allows the user to change the drive
>> letters of non-system, non active & non bootable drives/partitions on a
>> hard drive
>>
>> QUESTION: Is there some third party DOS utility/tweak that will allow
>> the
>> user to change the drive letter of a Windows System, Active or Boot
>> drive/partition ????
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your replys
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Yeah, I missed that. I was thinking active/non active. ;-(

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:%23CB1QdajFHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl,
John E. Carty <jecarty@NOSPAM.hotmail.com> hunted and pecked:
> This doesn't apply to system or boot volumes, disk management will not
> change these
>
> "Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:O0R5$UajFHA.320@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> Scroll down to Troubleshooting here...
>> How to change drive letter assignments in Windows XP
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307844
>>
>> --
>> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>>
>> Wes
>> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>>
>> In news:67A1562F-71F3-49E7-BE67-D75368B0849E@microsoft.com,
>> Howard <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
>>> Windows Disk Management tools only allows the user to change the drive
>>> letters of non-system, non active & non bootable drives/partitions on a
>>> hard drive
>>>
>>> QUESTION: Is there some third party DOS utility/tweak that will allow
>>> the
>>> user to change the drive letter of a Windows System, Active or Boot
>>> drive/partition ????
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance for your replys

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

There is. Read:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223188#top
I advise you not to use the info to change any drive letters, but I am
providing the link simply to answer your question.

"Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news78321C9-9F88-42F4-A438-29D72E86DFE3@microsoft.com...
> Is there someplace in the Registry that you might be able to change drive
> letters so that when the computer reboots it will take on a new assigned
> drive letter ???
>
> Just guessing ???

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Hi,

Simply put, you cannot change the drive letter assigned to the system
partition. The article Colin posts is only for someone who needs to restore
the original drive letter assignment due to some attempt to change the
original through disk management, it is not meant for someone trying to
change it permanently from the original. There is no way that you can
possibly change the tens of thousands of pointers in the registry and system
files. You are stuck with the assigned drive letter, the only way around is
to start with a clean system.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:67A1562F-71F3-49E7-BE67-D75368B0849E@microsoft.com...
> Windows Disk Management tools only allows the user to change the drive
> letters of non-system, non active & non bootable drives/partitions on a
> hard
> drive
>
> QUESTION: Is there some third party DOS utility/tweak that will allow the
> user to change the drive letter of a Windows System, Active or Boot
> drive/partition ????
>
> Thanks in advance for your replys

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

This is the solution that I have been looking for - solves the problem very
easily - I really don't understand why Microsoft doesn't include more fixes
like this when they program Windows to start off with. I know they are
concerned with users who are not very experienced - why can't they simply
include a couple of more warning screens rather than make the user search and
read for hours and days until the user hopefully finds the right fix !!

Microsoft needs to update their article on this fix - certain statements are
incorrect and/or not applicable - the article link follows

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223188#top

Again, many thanks for your helpful reply !!

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> There is. Read:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223188#top
> I advise you not to use the info to change any drive letters, but I am
> providing the link simply to answer your question.
>
> "Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news78321C9-9F88-42F4-A438-29D72E86DFE3@microsoft.com...
> > Is there someplace in the Registry that you might be able to change drive
> > letters so that when the computer reboots it will take on a new assigned
> > drive letter ???
> >
> > Just guessing ???
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

And what about the boot.ini file for each partition?

It is different for each primary partition (1,2 or 3).

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________

"Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:F3797FD3-FCCC-4DA9-B3FB-F97D1E032ECA@microsoft.com...
|I have three primary partitions and one extended partition - all three
| primary partitions are Windows XP C drive images - all bootable using a
| multiboot boot.ini file
|
| Depending on the C drive image and how the C drive image is installed on
| each partition - effects whether or not the booted partition takes the
| customary drive letter C or some other drive letter when the selected
| partition is booted
|
| After several months of working on this - there is only one specific problem
| that I have not been able to solve - when I try to restore a C drive image to
| a non C drive partition using ghost 9.0 from an image stored on a CD/DVD
| disk(s), the restored drive fails to take on the drive letter of C when it is
| booted - no problem noted when the restored drive is the actual C drive
|
| No problems noted at all when the restored images are taken from hard drives
| - the other two non C drives will take on the drive letter of C when they are
| booted
|
| The advantage of having each bootable partition booted with the Drive letter
| C is that you only have to have one set of images instead of seperate sets of
| images for each bootable drive letter!!

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

to mrtee

(1) The boot.ini file can be the same on all three primary partitions or
they can be different
(2) Windows system files are also included on all three primary partitions
(3) The exact boot.ini file which is used during bootup is determined by
which partition you make active
(4) The extended partition with one or more logical partitions are used
for data purposes

You can easily switch boot menus by having different boot menus for each
partition and then selecting your desired boot menu by switching which
partition is the active partition - simply a lot of different options
available - for example - you can semi hide a bootable partition (make it
more difficult for someone else to boot) by simply not including it on one of
the boot menus - they may not know how to change one active partition to
another - hopefully, they won't know how to change a boot.ini file either -
the only clue they will have is if they happen to browse the partition and
see a WINDOWS folder in it and figure out that said partition is probably a
bootable partition !!

"» mrtee «" wrote:

> And what about the boot.ini file for each partition?
>
> It is different for each primary partition (1,2 or 3).
>
> --
> Just my 2¢ worth,
> Jeff
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I know. The article is very clear, provided he reads it. He wasn't
listening to us up to now, and his response didn't sound any more promising.
I suspect he will just have to find out the hard way. I hope not, but....

"Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:O4bM67djFHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> Simply put, you cannot change the drive letter assigned to the system
> partition. The article Colin posts is only for someone who needs to
> restore the original drive letter assignment due to some attempt to change
> the original through disk management, it is not meant for someone trying
> to change it permanently from the original. There is no way that you can
> possibly change the tens of thousands of pointers in the registry and
> system files. You are stuck with the assigned drive letter, the only way
> around is to start with a clean system.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:67A1562F-71F3-49E7-BE67-D75368B0849E@microsoft.com...
>> Windows Disk Management tools only allows the user to change the drive
>> letters of non-system, non active & non bootable drives/partitions on a
>> hard
>> drive
>>
>> QUESTION: Is there some third party DOS utility/tweak that will allow
>> the
>> user to change the drive letter of a Windows System, Active or Boot
>> drive/partition ????
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your replys
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I suspect your assessment is correct - blind to all but what he wants to
see. I knew you only posted the article as it answered the question, Colin,
but wanted to add the warning.

Hope to meet you in Sept.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
news:OrSqlrojFHA.3568@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>I know. The article is very clear, provided he reads it. He wasn't
>listening to us up to now, and his response didn't sound any more
>promising. I suspect he will just have to find out the hard way. I hope
>not, but....
>
> "Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:O4bM67djFHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> Hi,
>>
>> Simply put, you cannot change the drive letter assigned to the system
>> partition. The article Colin posts is only for someone who needs to
>> restore the original drive letter assignment due to some attempt to
>> change the original through disk management, it is not meant for someone
>> trying to change it permanently from the original. There is no way that
>> you can possibly change the tens of thousands of pointers in the registry
>> and system files. You are stuck with the assigned drive letter, the only
>> way around is to start with a clean system.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
>> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>
>> "Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:67A1562F-71F3-49E7-BE67-D75368B0849E@microsoft.com...
>>> Windows Disk Management tools only allows the user to change the drive
>>> letters of non-system, non active & non bootable drives/partitions on a
>>> hard
>>> drive
>>>
>>> QUESTION: Is there some third party DOS utility/tweak that will allow
>>> the
>>> user to change the drive letter of a Windows System, Active or Boot
>>> drive/partition ????
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance for your replys
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Sparda]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

"" wrote:
> There is. Read:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223188#top
> I advise you not to use the info to change any drive letters,
> but I am
> providing the link simply to answer your question.
>
> "Howard" <Howard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news78321C9-9F88-42F4-A438-29D72E86DFE3@microsoft.com...
> > Is there someplace in the Registry that you might be able to
> change drive
> > letters so that when the computer reboots it will take on a
> new assigned
> > drive letter ???
> >
> > Just guessing ???

Here is my toil with windows and systemroot drive letters
http://www.windowsforumz.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=384105&highlight=

You should take time to at least skim it, it contains valuable
information on what you are atempting, but basicly you should NOT
change your systemroot drive letter, for (basicly) this is foolish,
and it will not stop windows from booting, how ever it will stop you
from loging on and all services from running, and you will have to use
the method i used to fix it if you do so choose to change your system
root drive letter, however, if you are using SP2, i canot say if my
method of fixing the problem will work or not, but iv said what i
wanted to say.

--
Posted using the http://www.windowsforumz.com interface, at author's request
Articles individually checked for conformance to usenet standards
Topic URL: http://www.windowsforumz.com/Basics-Change-Drive-Letters-ftopict398623.html
Visit Topic URL to contact author (reg. req'd). Report abuse: http://www.windowsforumz.com/eform.php?p=1316262

 

[Howard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

To Rick & Collen

Gentleman, Gentleman, what we have here is a serious failure to communicate,
Paul Newman would probably say !

I am an eye doctor by profession (practicing for the past 29 yrs) and it
never ceases to amaze me how a party from the second part can compleletly
misstate what the party of the first part has said. Judging from your
responses - I hope nobody came down with an anxiety and needed to go the
hospital !!

Anyway, for the benefit of anyone who might find this post relevant either
now or at some future date, I will take a few minutes and clarify the issues
which were discussed in this post

(1) The original question presented to the forum was basically "Need to
Change A Drive Letter of a System and/or Boot partition"

(2) The reason for this request was because a normally functioning
Windows XP Drive was booting up with a drive letter different than the drive
letter in which it was installed

(3) Again, to reiterate, this request was a request to fix something
that was already broken - it was not a request to change the drive letter of
a normally functioning Windows drive to some other drive letter than what it
was originally install with - I hope we are crystal clear on this point !

(4) Microsoft has acknowledged this problem and has published a fix -
click on the following link for a more detailed discussion of this problem

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223188#top

Many thanks to Collen for providing the info on this link - I
thought I did a good search on this topic but its quite apparent that I
missed this one - don't know how, but I did !!

(5) There are probably several events which might cause this problem to
occur - the exact cause is not important unless its recurrent - whats
important is that you realize what your problem is

(6) Therefore, if you ever happen to boot up your computer some day and
observe a bunch of unexpected error messages and further observe that your
Windows drive letter has changed - click on that link and immediately solve
your problem - hopefully, your problem is not of a recurrent nature

(7) If some reason you want to change the drive letter of a normally
functioning Windows partition to some other drive letter than the originally
installed drive - make sure you make a backup copy of WINDOWS\System32 folder
because you will defintely need it after you change the drive letter - YOU
SIMPLYCANNOT CHANGE THE DRIVE LETTER OF A NORMALLY FUNCTIONING WINDOWS DRIVE
TO SOME DRIVE LETTER OTHER THAN THE DRIVE LETTER FROM WHICH IT WAS ORIGINALLY
INSTALLED - IT SIMPLY WILL NOT WORK !!!

(8) On a final note, I would appreciated a fix to another unsolved
problem which I posted on 7/15/05 under Windows General Discussions forum -
the title is "Copying Bootable CD Disk To DVD Disk - Warning - the fix I am
looking for is a 100 % clone from the very first byte to the very last byte -
nothing else will solve this problem - my opinion of course

Thanks again for your replys !!