Ingram Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Hello, i recently put in a 6 gb hardrive in my computer (old one so i can store stuff on it when i format computer) anyway i have a 200 gb hard drive in there as well, basically my main one (200gb) was the C:\ before i formated, now its the D:\ drive and my other hard drive is the C:\ drive now, i would like to know if there is away i can change them around so the C:\ drive becomes D:\ Drive and visa versa. OOO Also, while i have your attention, i formatted and now when i boot my computer up it says "Select operating system" then a list with Windows XP Home Edition andWindows XPAnway the "Windows XP" one when you try load that it says there is files missing, i dont realy care cos i want to delete that one all together, and just use the one that works fine. anyone know how to? have i not deleted the partician right when i formated as it was saying that before i formatted, (well saying that the files were missing, and didnt have the 2 options, ok thanks loads for your help guys, greatly apreciate it Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extreme_biker0 Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 (edited) To automatically select osRight click my computergo advanced tabclcik settings button in startup and recoveryselect the one you want to automatically boot and put '0' seconds as the tiome to displayokokSorted Edit:To change disk drive letterGo start-->control panelopen 'administrative tools' (if you cant see it click 'switch to classic view')double click computer managementon the left, click 'disk management'. on the right now opens the disk management console showing you your disks.right click on the one you want to change the letter of and press 'change drive letter and paths...'sorted x2 Edited June 26, 2006 by Extreme_biker0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Have you installed Windows on the 6 Gb drive or something?-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------While we're kinda on the subject:I have a c:\ partition with XP Pro on itI made another d:\ partition for Windows Media CentreCan I just use Partition Magic to recover the 25Gb at the start of the drive that was previously the c:\ drive with XP Pro on it? I'm just a bit scared because I don't want to delete the MBR or something equally daft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extreme_biker0 Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Let me know if you can't do it.By the way you will have to be administrator, as you may have guessed by going into administrative tools.While we're kinda on the subject:I have a c:\ partition with XP Pro on itI made another d:\ partition for Windows Media CentreCan I just use Partition Magic to recover the 25Gb at the start of the drive that was previously the c:\ drive with XP Pro on it? I'm just a bit scared because I don't want to delete the MBR or something equally daft.What's mbr?Do you still have a c:\ drive then? Or you're saying there's no partition set up on the 25gb now?You can use the disk management console described above to put partitioned on unpartitioned disk space if that's the case.Otherwise i've never heard you being able to merge or expand partitions as you describe although i'm not saying it can't be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Let me know if you can't do it.I'd rather have confirmation before I do though, the last time I tried to do something similar I really bolloxed everything up. I had to sort it using a boot CD and FDisk. Apparently I had two logical partitions and no primary partition, and that's why it wouldn't work, but it took ages to sort out, was a real headache. So I'd rather not go through that again By the way you will have to be administrator, as you may have guessed by going into administrative tools.What's mbr?Do you still have a c:\ drive then? Or you're saying there's no partition set up on the 25gb now?You can use the disk management console described above to put partitioned on unpartitioned disk space if that's the case.Otherwise i've never heard you being able to merge or expand partitions as you describe although i'm not saying it can't be done.MBR = Master Boot Record. It's the first 1024bytes (I think) at the start of the drive that tells the computer where all the partitions are. No MBR = No working computer, and that's why I'm scared of just deleting the partition, because it's at the start of the drive.There is still a windows install on the C:\ drive, I can go into it using the menu when I boot up like Ingram is describing. But I'm running a bit short on disk space, so I'd like to free the space up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extreme_biker0 Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 I'd rather have confirmation before I do though, the last time I tried to do something similar I really bolloxed everything up. I had to sort it using a boot CD and FDisk. Apparently I had two logical partitions and no primary partition, and that's why it wouldn't work, but it took ages to sort out, was a real headache. So I'd rather not go through that again I was refering to ingram really saying that!Anyway I understand your concern. However the windows disk management console will not let you modify the partition windows is running on afaik. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 I was refering to ingram really saying that!Anyway I understand your concern. However the windows disk management console will not let you modify the partition windows is running on afaik.Oh I see Yeah, I don't think I can use the disk management stuff. However Partition Magic will let you make changes to the partition you're on - it restarts the computer and does it's thing outside of Windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extreme_biker0 Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Oh I see Yeah, I don't think I can use the disk management stuff. However Partition Magic will let you make changes to the partition you're on - it restarts the computer and does it's thing outside of Windows.Why can't you use that? Do you not have windows xp? It's not hard to use or anything.I have used the DMC loads mate to mess around with my computers second hard disk to make linux partitions etc. As long as you are careful not to right click on your computers operating system drive you are using you will not affect your computer. I very much doubt the program will let you 'break' your MBR or delete it (sorry i know what you mean now!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 Why can't you use that? Do you not have windows xp? It's not hard to use or anything.I have used the DMC loads mate to mess around with my computers second hard disk to make linux partitions etc. As long as you are careful not to right click on your computers operating system drive you are using you will not affect your computer. I very much doubt the program will let you 'break' your MBR or delete it (sorry i know what you mean now!).Yeah I have XP, but it won't let me change anything because the C:\ is the "system drive". D:\ (The one I'm using) is a "boot drive". And I also have E:\ which is an "active drive", all part of the same physical hard drive.So I don't think DMC will help in this case. The only thing I think I can do is to convert my drive into "Dynamic" rather than "Basic" mode, but I don't think that will help at all. I think Partition Magic will work, but like I said I need some confirmation before I just jump straight in head first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomturd Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 No MBR = No working computer, and that's why I'm scared of just deleting the partition, because it's at the start of the drive.True that no MBR = no working computer, but the partition could be spread all over the place physically on the disk. Just because windows/partition magic displays it like that the blocks assigned to that partition could well be scattered inbetween blocks assigned to other partitions.If it was me i'd go for it, but obviously make a backup first.. Oops.. totally forgot about the first post.I think ive tried that change drive letter stuff before, but it said something like 'cannot change drive letter of boot disk' or something. You might have some luck in removing the drives and making sure the one you want to be C: is the master, but it may require reinstalling windows before windows picks up on it. I'm currently having a nightmare with my drive letters, my hard drives are something like C D F and H, with dvd writers and 'virtual' drives mixed in the middle not worth the effort of fixing though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmt_oli Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 havent fully read through the thread, just scanned.if your just trying to boot of origonal drive, and use the 6gb one as backup, makesure the jumpers are set to 'slave' on the 6 gb hd. this will make your life much easier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poopipe Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 It sounds like you might have installed to the small disk by accident - that's probably a bad thing cos if it's 6GB it'll be old and slow as shite. to check, just see which drive the windows folder is on - having 2 OS's in the list makes this difficult so do this...start button > run type cmdtype %systemroot% and press enterit'll say something like this'C:\WINDOWS' is not recognized as an internal or external command,operable program or batch file.this will tell you for sure where windows thinks it's installed - in my case c:\windows.If it says d:\windows then you're fine - you might as well just leave it as it is cos it's running off the big fast disk and drive letters don't mean shit.If it says c:\windows then you want to take the little disk out and reinstall windows (it'll definitely put it on the big disk that way). you can just plug the little back in once windows is installed and everything should be hunky-dory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 True that no MBR = no working computer, but the partition could be spread all over the place physically on the disk. Just because windows/partition magic displays it like that the blocks assigned to that partition could well be scattered inbetween blocks assigned to other partitions.If it was me i'd go for it, but obviously make a backup first.. Yeah exactly. The only problem is that everything fun I have on my computer is on the one hard drive, and it's £250Gb (almost full, too). That's a hell of a lot of DVD-R's whichever way you cut it. I really need to buy an external hard drive to back everything up to. So what I'm saying is that if the MBR screws up and I can't fix it, I'll lose looooads, not just my Windows install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poopipe Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Yeah exactly. The only problem is that everything fun I have on my computer is on the one hard drive, and it's £250Gb (almost full, too). That's a hell of a lot of DVD-R's whichever way you cut it. I really need to buy an external hard drive to back everything up to. So what I'm saying is that if the MBR screws up and I can't fix it, I'll lose looooads, not just my Windows install.you won't necessarily lose your data if the MBR goes tits up - the MBR is only a tiny lttle bit of disk. They can sometimes be repaired and if not you just buy a new disk and use some recovery software to get all your shit back.it's not exactly low risk but theres no need to get all scared of messing around in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 you won't necessarily lose your data if the MBR goes tits up - the MBR is only a tiny lttle bit of disk. They can sometimes be repaired and if not you just buy a new disk and use some recovery software to get all your shit back.it's not exactly low risk but theres no need to get all scared of messing around in thereYeah, I fixed it before without losing any data, but I'd rather not risk it unless I know exactly what I'm doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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