Replaced Hard Drive

[Bill Tobin]

I posted a message a few days agao about replacing the
original hard drive and really appreciated the responses.
Thanks.

Now a related question.

I installed the new drive. Formatted, partitioned and
then copied all files from old drive to new drive (using
the "Tools" software that came with the WD drive). Reset
the cable (both drive were cable selectable) and re-booted
and it came up fine.

Then thinking, I may want to use the old hard drive in
another machine, I removed it from this machine. Tried to
re-boot and it froze at the "starting windows" screen.

Putting the old disk back in, it came up fine. But, as I
have learned now, XP assigned E: (and F:) letters to the
new drive while keeping C: (and D:) to the old drive.
DIsk Management indicates the new drive is 0 (meaning the
boot drive, I think) so I am assuming it is booting from
tht drive.

Is my problem that windows is looking for C: drive when
booting (because for any reason, one of which is the
desktop is there)? Can I go in and change the drive
letters manually (I would guess I would have to chang the
old first to like G: and H:, then the new from E: to C:
and F: to D:) and have the machine boot with out the old
drive installed?

I appreciate the help!

Bill

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Bill,

Whatever drive letter was assigned to the WinXP partition cannot be =
changed without starting all over. However, you may be able to repair =
the boot problem caused by removing the other drive. First, set folder =
options/view to see hidden and system files, then locate ntldr and post =
back with which partition/drive it is located on. Please also open =
boot.ini (it should be in the same location as ntldr) with notepad and =
copy/paste the contents into the reply as well.

--=20
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Bill Tobin" > wrote in message =
...
> I posted a message a few days agao about replacing the=20
> original hard drive and really appreciated the responses. =20
> Thanks.
>=20
> Now a related question.
>=20
> I installed the new drive. Formatted, partitioned and=20
> then copied all files from old drive to new drive (using=20
> the "Tools" software that came with the WD drive). Reset=20
> the cable (both drive were cable selectable) and re-booted=20
> and it came up fine.
>=20
> Then thinking, I may want to use the old hard drive in=20
> another machine, I removed it from this machine. Tried to=20
> re-boot and it froze at the "starting windows" screen.
>=20
> Putting the old disk back in, it came up fine. But, as I=20
> have learned now, XP assigned E: (and F:) letters to the=20
> new drive while keeping C: (and D:) to the old drive. =20
> DIsk Management indicates the new drive is 0 (meaning the=20
> boot drive, I think) so I am assuming it is booting from=20
> tht drive. =20
>=20
> Is my problem that windows is looking for C: drive when=20
> booting (because for any reason, one of which is the=20
> desktop is there)? Can I go in and change the drive=20
> letters manually (I would guess I would have to chang the=20
> old first to like G: and H:, then the new from E: to C:=20
> and F: to D:) and have the machine boot with out the old=20
> drive installed?
>=20
> I appreciate the help!
>=20
> Bill