Want to change Primary SSD drive but keep Drive letter at C:

[robinsongs]

I have Windows 7 installed on an SSD 128 GB drive but I'm upgrading the drive to an SSD 256 GB. But at the same time I want to keep the newly installed drive letter as C: like the old one so I can use "C: only" software.

My present hard drives are:

Primary Windows 7 128GB SSD - labeled C:
ASUS DVD Optical - labeled D:
WD 1TB Internal Storage - labeled E:
Seagate 800GB External Storage - labeled F:

When I tried to reboot with the new drive plugged in, Windows 7 recognized the system image from my internal storage E: drive but in the System Recovery Options menu, the storage's letter suddenly changed to C:...

How do I keep the NEW 256GB installed drive as C:? Is it possible to change the primary drive letter in Windows 7 Disk Management back to C: after a primary SSD drive switch and system image recovery?

 

[richnrockville]

Robinsongs, welcome to the windows 7 forum.

If you install the new ssd in your d slot after restoring your image to the SSD, your bios will normally allow you to
select the boot drive. which you can select as the new SSD.

I would remove the old C drive and place the new ssd in the old C slot. Should be ok.

This way when you boot your machine the bios should automatically boot from your new ssd.
If you have restored your old c image to the new ssd properly.

Bios normally allows you to select boot devices.

Rich

 

[robinsongs]

I'm not sure what you mean by "slots", you mean on the motherboard?

 

[gregrocker]

Win7 will always see its drive letter as C as long as if you're presented with a choice during re-imaging it's set to Automatic or C. But Win7 backup imaging doesn't present that choice during System Image Recovery .

You may have been confused by the view of the drive letters from WinRE at boot which is often different and has no bearing on the booted drive letter.

Win7 always sees itself as C when correctly installed from boot, or reimaged as long as you select C or Auto if presented the choice of drive letter.

It's always best to unplug all but the drives involved during re-imaging, and as suggested by Rich plug your target HD into the first mobo slot seen in Disk Manager as DISK0.