Changing system drive letters

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  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 ultimate 64bit
       #1

    Changing system drive letters


    Hello all, this is my first post here. I have found many of my answers to other questions here without the need to ask but now I have a problem that I could not find here.

    I had Windows installed to the first partition on my drive (which is C:\) and after a few years now it's gotten full
    of software I don't use anymore and the like. Rather than install Windows over it and starting over, I decided to install to another partition and get everything set up before doing away with the old one.

    I got Windows installed and mostly everything I use installed and working. My plan was to create an image of this copy and clone it back to the original partition. That was my plan until I realized I had screwed up majorly. The second installation of Windows says it's installed to F:\ (I'm not sure why, since I thought each version of Windows installed sees itself as C:\). Maybe because I started the installation from the other copy of Windows instead of booting straight to the install CD.

    Now my question is... Is there any way to make this copy think of the drive it's installed on as C:\ or will I be stuck cloning it to a drive labeled F:\? Thinking about it, it doesn't seem possible considering everything is looking to F:\ instead of C:\ on this installation. I thought I'd ask just for the sake of it, possibly someone could be able to help.

    Here is an image of my drive setup. C:\ is the old copy (where I want F:\ to go)

    https://i.imgur.com/FWD219d.jpg

    I'm sorry if my problem is not coming across, if clarification is needed I can do my best to provide it.
    Last edited by duggernator; 22 Jan 2013 at 09:00. Reason: forgot image.
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  2. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #2

    Since you installed from winithin old win7.... C letter was already used. Next time install from DVD to make it letter C! But it's not a problem at all if it's called F!! Everything works and is pointing to letter F. So don't change that drive letter.

    You want to get rid of old win7 (C)? C has still the boot manager and bootmenu btw!
    Please post disk management screenshot again so I can see the used/free space as well.
    What is on J (Downloads)? Just downloads?
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  3. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 ultimate 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    https://i.imgur.com/b6jZeHr.png

    Is this more helpful? I don't mind the letter being F:\ really, but wouldn't this cause problems with the boot manager and stuff if I remove C:\?

    J:\ is just downloads.

    Thanks for the quick reply!
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  4. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #4

    What`s the difference wether you you did a fresh install on another partition and then cloned it to the original C partition ? You are still starting all over again, and you did not do it the correct way.

    Do it right and do a fresh install on the correct partition.

    You can`t change the drive letter of a system partition like that, it`s not a data partition, which you can change.
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  5. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 ultimate 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I kind of figured changing it was not an option. I don't care if the drive is F, it's just a letter.

    Let me ask a better question. How can I remove the old installation of Windows and make this one the main install without causing problems?
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  6. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #6

    duggernator said:
    https://i.imgur.com/b6jZeHr.png

    Is this more helpful? I don't mind the letter being F:\ really, but wouldn't this cause problems with the boot manager and stuff if I remove C:\?

    J:\ is just downloads.

    Thanks for the quick reply!
    Step 1: Create bootmanager and bootmenu to F: easiest and best way to do it:

    1. Mark F active. Partition - Mark as Active method 1
    2. Boot from system repair disk or win7 install disk.
    3. Perform startup repair. Do it 3 times with reboots in between Startup Repair
    No reboot normally. Post screenshot of disk management again
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  7. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #7

    duggernator said:
    I kind of figured changing it was not an option. I don't care if the drive is F, it's just a letter.

    Let me ask a better question. How can I remove the old installation of Windows and make this one the main install without causing problems?
    That's an other question as the initial one. After doing #6 succesfully.... C isn't needed anymore. You can delete it using disk management. After that you most likely want to make F larger and J smaller.

    You can do that using Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online take the FREE HOME edition. You can resize/move partitions. How to resize Partition for Windows Server 2000/2003/2008 or Windows XP/7/Vista with partition magic manager software? Move/Resize Partition Help.
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  8. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #8

    If you do that, then all the windows files are on the wrong part of the hard drive, making it slower.

    Don`t install windows this way, like I said just do it right and do a fresh install, you could have been done by now. You will kick yourself for not doing it right.
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  9. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #9

    AddRAM said:
    If you do that, then all the windows files are on the wrong part of the hard drive, making it slower.

    Don`t install windows this way, like I said just do it right and do a fresh install, you could have been done by now. You will kick yourself for not doing it right.
    You mean OS partition is not on left side of disk management? Indeed a little bit slower. But I think he doesn't want to loose settings/applications.

    He can put F to left side later if he wants that.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 4
    Windows 7 ultimate 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Indeed I don't want to lose applications and settings, but it's only took me a day or so to get everything back in order.

    If I run the installer from the F:\ installation of Windows and install to where C:\ is, will that installation be C:\? Or would I be better off just booting from the disc and installing over C:\?
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