Move Windows 7 from G:\ to C:\

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  1. Posts : 23
    Windows 7 Ultimate
       #1

    Move Windows 7 from G:\ to C:\


    I have completed a clean install of Windows 7 to my G:\ Partition and currently dual boot with Windows XP on C:\Partition. I would like to delete XP and have Windows 7 on my C:\ partition and therefore no need for a dual boot. Having gone though all the hard work of a clean install and all my programs now loaded I have made a drive image (Acronis) of my G:\ drive. Can I use this 'image' to 'install' Windows 7 on C:\ and how do I deal with cleaning up G:\ and ensuring successful booting to a single operating system.
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  2. Posts : 2,737
    Windows 7 Enterprise (x64); Windows Server 2008 R2 (x64)
       #2

    This is extremely tricky. Just restoring the image to the so called C drive will not make it C. Windows writes the drive letter into the registry as well as the installed applications. I have changed the drive letter in Windows XP a few times and believe me it was no fun. I don't know if there is a software out there that does this?? What I do know is that you have to make the changes booted in another OS to make the change smooth and successful. I have done it with a LIVE OS (booted in the OS and then make the changes) but most of the time it would get really messy real fast and sometimes crashes the machine. You are better off just leaving the drive letter G. It really does not matter, I had a machine like yours that was K (as typical C drive) and it was K until I retired it. Worked perfectly for 7 years.
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  3. Posts : 1,031
    Windows 7 x64
       #3

    Could you post a picture of your disk management window using the snipping tool? From our standpoint, saying partition C: or G: doesn't give much information about you setup. For instance, are C: and G: on the same hard drive?
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  4. Posts : 1,797
    Windows 7 Ulti. x64
       #4

    rfmn482 said:
    I have completed a clean install of Windows 7 to my G:\ Partition and currently dual boot with Windows XP on C:\Partition. I would like to delete XP and have Windows 7 on my C:\ partition and therefore no need for a dual boot. Having gone though all the hard work of a clean install and all my programs now loaded I have made a drive image (Acronis) of my G:\ drive. Can I use this 'image' to 'install' Windows 7 on C:\ and how do I deal with cleaning up G:\ and ensuring successful booting to a single operating system.
    agree with the snip being needed of your disk management. You say you did a clean install a 7 and it calls itself G when you are booted into it?
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  5.    #5

    You're not going to get to change the Win7 drive letter unless it decides to change itself, but it makes no difference in performance whatsoever (just cosmetic).

    With the Disk management screenshot we can advise you of the exact steps to extract XP and recover the MBR into Win7. Use Snipping tool in Start Menu, attach file with paper clip in reply box.
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  6. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #6

    With cloning you can move it - MBR and all. Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and some others can do it. But it must be a clone, not an image.
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  7.    #7

    whs said:
    With cloning you can move it - MBR and all. Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and some others can do it. But it must be a clone, not an image.
    How can one partition be cloned to another?

    Do you know of any good free or trial cloning software?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 53
    Windows 7 Home Premium
       #8

    gregrocker said:
    whs said:
    With cloning you can move it - MBR and all. Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and some others can do it. But it must be a clone, not an image.
    How can one partition be cloned to another?

    Do you know of any good free or trial cloning software?
    Clonezilla can do this and it's free.
    Clonezilla
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  9. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #9

    I used Ghost - the copy function. I also have Acronis that came with one of my SSDs on a USB stick - but have not used it yet because I did a fresh install. I think there is a free Paragon demo edition: Paragon Drive Backup Personal free download Windows Vista compatible version of Paragon Drive Backup is an easy-to-use software for complete hard disk backup, disk imaging, cloning. The up-to-date hard disk backup image created with it is the best in

    PS: just saw someone post Clonezilla - not sure though whether that can really clone or just image (despite the name).
      My Computer

  10.    #10

    I haven't found any that can copy the MBR like a cloning program can.

    But restoring MBR only requires running Startup Repair from the Win7 DVD, so might as well use the best partitioning software for Win7 which IMO is free Partition Wizard bootable CD, to do the copying, resizing, converting, etc.

    Will try Clonezilla Live CD and Paragon 10 free editions. Thanks!
      My Computer


 
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