Disk management


  1. Alan A
    Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       New #1

    Disk management


    This is my first post ... so please be gentle with me!!

    System is dual boot to Vista home premium and Windows 7 pro.

    Vista is on E: and Windows 7 is on C:, and both work fine.

    Problem is that I want to use N: for backup (this previously had Vista installed on it) but can't because it is a system disk.

    Question is, how do I make C: the system disk so that I can use N: for backup?

    Any help would be appreciated.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Disk management-disk-management.png  
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  3. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #2

    Why would you not include the Disk Mgmt drive map so we can see where these partitions actually are? Please maximize the window and include everything so we can answer you best.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  4. Alan A
    Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Sorry, is this more use?

    Below this, disks 4, 5, 6, 7 are card readers, 8 is M: an external Simple drive and 2 CD Roms.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Disk management-disk-management2.png  
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  6. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #4

    Apparently your Backup (N) drive was marked Active so that when you installed the OS Dual Boot files were placed on the first Active partition. This can be avoided by placing your OS HD's in the first ports or scrupulously assuring that no prior data drive is ever marked Active.

    To repair this, mark the Win7 HD (C) Active: Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two) then mark Backup (N) Inactive: Partition - Mark as Inactive - Windows 7 Forums

    Now unplug all other HD's, plug Win7 HD into Disk0 port, make sure it is set first HD to boot in BIOS setup, boot into Win7 DVD or System Repair Disk to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until it starts on its own and holds the System Active Boot flags.

    Now there are two ways to proceed. If you want Vista HD to be able to boot independently via the BIOS then do the exact same steps as above for Vista while it is plugged in alone. Then plug back in Win7 HD, set preferred HD as first to boot in BIOS setup, boot other HD using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key at boot.

    Or you can plug back in Vista HD, install EasyBCD to Win7, add Vista to a Windows Boot Menu on the Add OS Entry tab. Vista will then be dependent upon the Win7 HD. EasyBCD (free Download at bottom of page - no name or email required)
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  7. Alan A
    Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    Thanks Gregrocker, everything worked a treat, including EasyBCD in the final part of your solution. Thanks again.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  8. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #6

    Glad to hear it, Alan. Nice work.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

 

  Related Discussions
I have a internal 3.5" HDD WD Black 2 TB and try to hook it up in the PC but it doesnt not appear anymore in My Computer. It was working few weeks ago. When opening Disk Management it says the disk is not initialized and it didnt state how many GB available on the hard disk (unallocated). Disk...
i just go a 3tb drive and it shows the right size in my startup screens and everything but when i get in windows to partition it is only 746GB i have tried switching it from MBR over to GPT and from basic to dynamic but still no change any 1 have any ideas http://i62.tinypic.com/2w6t8p3.png
I am facing problem of unable to shrink c drive in my windows 7 home premium.I have read everyone writing in about not to change the hard disk to dynamic type,but after partitioning one time using disk management now all my partitions are dynamic type & I still have 288gb left in c drive. I need...
Hi, I was going to try dual booting Windows 8 on my laptop following a guide I found, and it said to go onto disk manager and shrink a volume to create another volume. The guide after the shrink only had two disks, and I had 5 disks (A recovery disk, HP tools and a blank one, along with my C disk,...
Hi to all seven forums. I bought a new 1tb hard disk, and I connected it to my pc as slave, and when I creating the partition in windows seven disk management and right click to creates new partition, it had four option. 1. simple volume 2. spanned volume 3. stripped volume 4. mirrored...
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

 © Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 20:11.
Find Us