Windows 7 installer sets its own path as C:\ - cannot install to C:\

[Toshiko]

My Windows 7 installation is many years old, and gone through many hardware changes, software installations and uninstallations, and Windows itself has been getting progressively slower, buggier, and prone to odd crashes and hang ups. I decided to try repairing the installation with my original install disc, but found that my DVD drive is no longer functional. Having used the official ISO from Microsoft to create a bootable USB for my netbook worked swimmingly. For my desktop, not so much.

When booting from USB on my desktop, the Windows 7 installer mounts itself as drive C while detecting my existing Windows installation as being drive D when it is actually and most certainly C. I've tried forcing drive paths from within Windows, changing boot order, switching USB ports, all manner of UEFI options pertaining to USB... and it always sets the installer as C, unable to set the Windows install path to C because C is in use by the installer.

I'm a bit too paranoid to try repairing Windows for fear of it totally screwing everything up with the forced drive path change, and using a drive path other than C for a clean install is, at best, undesirable. Would also prefer not to spend money on a DVD drive that I will in all likelihood use exactly once.

Motherboard (which I'd wager is the culprit) is an embarrassingly flashy ASRock P67 Professional.

 

[derekimo]

When booting from USB on my desktop,

That statement contradicts itself.

You don't boot from USB on the desktop.

If you are trying to do a clean install, you shutdown or restart and boot from the USB.

 

[Toshiko]

It's not contradictory, you misunderstood what I meant by 'desktop'. I meant 'desktop' as in 'not a laptop or notebook or tablet, but a full tower with a separate monitor'.

 

[derekimo]

Maybe I did then, what did you mean by mounting?

That doesn't sound like it was booted to me, that sounds like an attempt at a repair or upgrade install especially since you say it was given a letter.

 

[Toshiko]

Okay. When you put the Windows 7 installation DVD in your DVD drive and reboot your computer, assuming the DVD drive has boot priority, it will boot up the Windows 7 installer. The installer will be ostensibly be mounted to a non-C drive path - D, or E, for example.

In my case, I cannot use my original Windows 7 installer because my DVD drive is kaput. I had to re-use a bootable USB image that I previously made for my netbook. On my netbook, the USB image mounts itself as D (which is the expected and sane behavior). On my [full tower desktop PC], the USB image mounts itself as C, and the installer claims it has found an existing Windows installation on drive D rather than its actual installation path of C:\Windows.

 

[derekimo]

Interesting. I don't get any lettered drive path when I boot an installer. Maybe someone else has seen this.

 

[Ztruker]

I've never seen a Windows installer use anything other than X: for itself.

Follow these directions for a clean install: How to Clean Reinstall a Factory OEM Windows 7

If you are trying to do a Repair Install then you need to run setup.exe from the flash drive while booted to the current Windows 7 installation: How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7

 

[Toshiko]

> hdd0 main partition is listed as D:\
> Windows installation is listed as found at D:\Windows
> use menu to attempt to change hdd0 partition to C:\
> get error saying C:\ is in use by GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD (Windows 7 installer)
> cannot change installer drive path because it is the current operating system in use.

Also, I cannot follow the reinstall instructions for reasons I hoped were obvious by this point. Repairing yields the same issue when computer reboots. USB is C:\ and it needs to be literally any other drive path, because my OS drive is C:\ and it should stay that way, lest the whole registry be borked beyond recognition with incorrect filepaths and so forth.

 

[Ztruker]

Post a snapshot of a fullscreen Disk Management Window:

To open Disk Management, press Windows key+r, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter or click GO. Make it full screen. Expand the fields as necessary so everything can be seen.

Vista and Windows 7: How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista - Vista Forums (says it's for Vista but also works with Win 7/8).

Or see here: How to Upload and Post a Screenshot and File in Seven Forums

 

[derekimo]

What you are saying does not coincide with what should be seen when booting an installer, so there is no obvious reason we can see yet.

Can you post one of these,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[Toshiko]

Two screens, for double the assurance. I can take a picture of the installer if I must.

 

[Ztruker]

Pleas make it full screen and expand fields so we can see everything. There is a disk above the first one shown that we can't see.

 

[Toshiko]

... I can promise you, this isn't going to help. I swear nobody is understanding what I'm saying. But sure:

 

[Layback Bear]

Unhook all drives and then hook up the drive you want to install Windows 7 so it reads Drive (0). and only that drive. What drive in you picture are you trying to install Windows 7??

If your ISO is on a usb drive make it first to boot.
Now it only has one place to install Windows 7.

In you picture in your post 13 where exactly are you trying to install Windows 7??

I think what is happening is your install is already seeing Windows 7 on a C partition so it is using another letter.

 

[Toshiko]

Been there. Done that. Didn't even get a t-shirt. This is the result:

> hdd0 main partition is listed as D:\
> Windows installation is listed as found at D:\Windows
> use menu to attempt to change hdd0 partition to C:\
> get error saying C:\ is in use by GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD (Windows 7 installer)
> cannot change installer drive path because it is the current operating system in use.

The disk numbers were altered when I was swapping SATA cables around in an attempt to get my DVD drive to work again (because it was last plugged into a Marvell-controlled SATA port rather than an Intel-controlled SATA port, and that seemed to cause issues in and of itself). With all drives but the 74 GB Raptor (the OS drive) unplugged, the USB is still occupying C:\ and insisting that Windows is installed at D:\Windows. Unplug the USB key and I will boot into Windows, which is clearly installed at C:\Windows.

 

[Layback Bear]

Are you trying to have two installs of Windows 7 on one computer?

Are you trying to do a Clean Install on the same drive you all ready have Window 7 on. Other wise formating and Installing Windows 7 on Drive (2) after a format.

I'm not understanding what you are trying to end up with and the reason you are trying install Windows 7 again.

 

[Toshiko]

... I am trying to repair my installation. My motherboard (I am assuming) is wonky as hell and causes the Windows 7 DVD to occupy my C drive path, bumping my hard disk drive with Windows already installed on it from C to D.

Repairing my Windows installation changes C:\Windows to D:\Windows.

My OS drive is being mounted as D by the Windows 7 DVD.

My Windows installation is being compromised by my motherboard's boot priority making my USB key C. It is making my main hard disk drive with boot sector D rather than C.

Windows 7 is installed on C:\Windows, while my D drive is a (non-functional) DVD drive.

I appreciate you all for trying to help me, but you're not listening to what I'm saying.

 

[derekimo]

We're listening, try not using the word mount because that doesn't fit what you say you are trying to do.

If you are mounting something then your process is questionable.

"My OS drive is being mounted as D by the Windows 7 DVD" <<< How about some detail on that?

 

[Toshiko]

I'll take pictures in the morning. I kind of just want to fall asleep watching Netflix at the moment.

And I'm not sure what else to say other than 'mount' - I'm a tech with a background in data forensics and I deal with Linux all day. I use Windows at home because I like my games to unwind, and Skype (while in its current state undesirable) is decidedly better for me in Windows than Linux.

 

[Layback Bear]

I take you didn't read post #4 by derekimo in post # 2.

That doesn't sound like it was booted to me, that sounds like an attempt at a repair or upgrade install especially since you say it was given a letter.

What you are trying to do is a Repair Install and that is done while you are booted in the Windows 7 you have installed.

From you post #17

... I am trying to repair my installation.

Brink has a tutorial that will guide you. I have used it several times to do Repair Installs.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

You would be wised to unhook all the other drives except the one you have Windows 7 on and put that drive in location Drive (0) on the sata port on the motherboard.