Changing system drive letters

[duggernator]

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)

http://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.

 

[Kaktussoft]

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?

 

[duggernator]

http://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!

 

[AddRAM]

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.

 

[duggernator]

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?

 

[Kaktussoft]

http://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. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html method 1
2. Boot from system repair disk or win7 install disk.
3. Perform startup repair. Do it 3 times with reboots in between http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

No reboot normally. Post screenshot of disk management again

 

[Kaktussoft]

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.

 

[AddRAM]

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.

 

[Kaktussoft]

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.

 

[duggernator]

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:\?

 

[AddRAM]

Yes, I keep telling you that`s how to do it.

You boot from the dvd, you don`t install from within windows.

By the way, you do have your windows key, correct.

 

[AddRAM]

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.

What`s the point, he is loosing all the settings and apps anyway, he`s redoing the whole system on another partition. I can`t believe you`re even talking about this still. What`s the point of installing a system, then moving it ? It just doesn`t make sense.

 

[Kaktussoft]

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.

What`s the point, he is loosing all the settings and apps anyway, he`s redoing the whole system on another partition. I can`t believe you`re even talking about this still. What`s the point of installing a system, then moving it ? It just doesn`t make sense.

All settings and applications are installed in F already as far as I know.

 

[gregrocker]

The correct way to install Win7 is always to boot the installer. This is the only way it will always see itself as C.

In your case another option is to delete F and use the cool new feature on free Partition Wizard bootable CD
that will extend C (or any other partition) into any other partition's empty space or (in the case of F) a deleted partition. How to extend partition easily with partition magic – Partition Wizard video help.

If you decide instead to reinstall you can use PW to resize the middle data partition over to the left by dragging its borders to where you want them as shown here: Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help.

Then during booted Clean Install Windows 7 delete C and create a new partition in the space you've made for it on the left side of the HD.