Windows 7 on 2 Drives

[scatterbrain]

Hello,

First off, sorry if this thread doesn't belong here.

I just recently purchased a new computer that has 2 seperate drives: C (30gb) and D (1tb).

Windows 7 was installed on the C drive as well as all the user created folders and the program files. The D drive was completely empty and it isn't the default drive. I had barely noticed this while trying to transfer all my data from my old PC to this new one, and the system telling there wasn't enough space since it was trying to put it all in the C drive.

I stupidly tried researching how to change the default drive to be the D drive, but to no avail. I then thought it would be a good idea to reinstall Windows and start from square 1. Instead I ended up installing it on my D drive, but not fully. I can't register since the key is already registered through the C drive.

So, I guess my question is, how do I completely delete Windows from D and move my user and program folders from C to D?

I hope what I wrote is understandable.

 

[simpod]

I'm not sure I fully understand but I think I do
If it's one hard drive split into to parts (partitions) You could if you prefer make it one drive by right clicking on "Computer" then "Manage" - go to "Disk Management", delete your D: Drive - right click on the C: drive and click "Extend" and follow through.
Although If you go to "Disk Management" and post a screenshot here for us first we can give you a better idea

 

[Dzomlija]

First, boot into the proper Windows installation (the original installation).

Second, read Method Two of this tutorial "Change OS Name in Windows Boot Manager", and download and install the EasyBCD program referenced there. I haven't used EasyBCD before (because I don't have dual-boot), but you should be able tyo use it to remove the second installation from the boot order.

Once this is accomplished, and you have verified that the "D:" installation is no longer accessible as a boot option (your original install is the only one that boots), it should be safe to format the D: partition to remove it entirely.

Now, click on the start orb, then click on you username. It will open an Explorer window that contains icons for such user folders as "Contacts", "Desktop", "Favorites", "Links", "Saved Games", "Searches", "My Documents", "My Pictures", "My Videos", of which the ones you are interested in are "My Documents", "My Pictures", "My Videos".

Open another Explorer window by pressing <WINDOWS_KEY_>+<E>, then navigate to the D:, and create 3 folders: "Documents", "Pictures" and "Videos", then close this second explorer window.

1. Go back to your user folder, and right-click on "My Documents", then select Properties.
2. Click on the Location tab.
3. Click "Move..."
4. Browse into the "Documents" folder you created on your D:, then click "Select Folder"
5. Click OK
6. Allow the file move operation to continue until completion, AND DO NOT CANCEL IT.
7. Repeat this procedure for you "My Pictures" and "My Videos" folders.

When you have completely relocated your 3 primary user folders, attempt again to import you data from you backups. If all is well, the data will be placed into the appropriate locations on your D:

Marginally off topic: Your whole situation really gets on my nerves, because manufacturers install these enormous hard disks for users, with a pittifully small system drive, and then don't relocate the user folders, which usually ends up with the situation where you have of windows reporting insufficient space, despite having 100's of gigs going unused on another partition. I've saved many customers alot of money (who wanted to buy another hard disk and didn't know how to move their user folders) by doing nothing but redirecting their user folders to where they should have been in the first place.

 

[scatterbrain]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try these out once I get back.

And here's a screen shot:

 

[wallyinnc]

The procedure described by Dzomlija is what you should do to get your user files moved. I just used a little variation that might be helpful. Instead of creating the folders in the target drive then browsing to it, you can just replace the drive letter in the box in the Move tab with the destination drive, click on "Move" and accept to create the new folder. I found that better to keep the same structure in the destination drive.

For example, in my case below, I replaced the C: with M: (therefore having M:\Users\Walter\Downloads as the destination)


You can do this for the folders mentioned plus Contacts, Desktop, Downloads, Favorites, Links, My Music, Saved Games and Searches. If you have many music files you might want to move that folder to the large drive too. The others usually won't take much space anyway (I moved them all as a matter of organization only)