Windows 7: Changing "System" Drive?

Hi,

I'm trying to create a system image with the Windows 7 native utility. For some reason drive E is listed as the system drive, when everything should be on drive C.



I want to change the system drive from E to C because the imaging utility will backup all the data on drive E, and I just want what's on drive C. Is it possible to change the system drive to be drive C?

Thanks!

Can you post a screen shot of Disk Management so we can get a good look at your partition situation?

Here's an image of the drive in question. When I originally installed Windows I thought that I might want to use the 2 other partitions for XP and a Hackintosh OS. Somehow drive E became the system drive instead of drive C.

Let me know what you think, thanks!

Hello BreakAes, welcome to Seven Forums!


see my next post below for important info

Your Windows 7 C: is on an Extended partition / Logical drive and the issue is Windows cannot boot natively from an Extended partition, the Windows System boot files must be stored on a Primary partition to function correctly.

You can use the Partition Wizard boot CD to convert C to a Primary using the outline in Option Two of this tutorial at the link below.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

Then you will need to mark the C: partition Active and do the 3 separate startup repairs, with the restarts to the C: partition to (re)create the "System" boot files to that partition; then you will be able to image just the C: partition.

Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

As good and reliable a program as Partition Wizard is, I would not trust the installed version for the operation you need, use the boot CD as suggested and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

First download the Partition Wizard Bootable Disk (PWBD) ISO file to the desktop, be sure to get the PWBD and not the installed version; scroll down to see the download link for the Bootable CD ISO file at this link below.

Partition Wizard Free Bootable CD

Then use ImgBurn to burn the ISO to a CD, at no greater than 4x speed with a verify; it was designed for use and works best from a CD rather than a DVD; then boot the created CD to make the changes, it doesn't take any input from the user to setup, just relax and let it load.

ImgBurn Free ISO Burning Software

I just noticed the C: is on Disk 1 Hard Disk Drive, that may cause issues getting C: to become "System Active" as Windows always wants to (re)create the System boot files to Disk 0 when startup repairs are done ...


To sort that, connect that HDD to the #1 SATA port of the motherboard and set it as the second boot device after the CD/DVD drive and do the startup repairs, that should work then.