NiK_0_0

I just recieved a new harddrive, Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 500GB, using the SATA interface. So, with my old 250GB still plugged into my SATA0 port of my computer, I plugged my 500GB in, installed Windows XP on it and moved most of my files from the old 250GB onto the 500GB. Now my plan was to just go ahead and reformat the harddrive, but there are a few problems I need to sort out.

First off, my new drive is listed as F:\, and my old drive (both partitions of it) and listed as C:\ and D:\. Im not quite sure how to fix this situation, but I may try switching the SATA plugins around (switching SATA0 and SATA1)

Also, if I try to boot my computer off the 2nd (new) Hard drive, it says that no boot device is located, blah blah, system device or something. However, if I boot off my old hard drive, it then gives me the option to boot from my two installations of Windows XP Pro. From that, I guess that the MBR is written on my main drive, and the other drive is only seen as bootable after looking at the MBR on C:\.

Unfortunately, I have no clue what to do from here. I'd like to switch the letter naming, and make sure I can boot off the new harddrive before I reformat. Only thing I can think of is fixboot or fixmbr, but Im not sure which one to do! Suggestions anyone??

Thanks,

Nick

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brock4282

mmm, leave it with me cos im sure ive changed the letter naming before but i cant remember how. Ill get back to you if i have any luck!

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ILOVEPOTtery

To change drive letters, open up the Computer Management applet (rightclick My Computer > Manage). Select Disk Management under the Storage drop down. Right click the drive of your choice and select "Choose Drive Letter and Paths..."

The only problem with this is, you can't change your system drive letter. So the next step would be amending boot.ini.

This is taken from Microsoft Help Article 289022:
For clarification, # is the description/title of the OS to boot. ex. "Microsoft XP Pro". In your case, you might put "Microsoft XP on Baracuda", so you know which drive you're booting off of.

Hope that helps.

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NiK_0_0

Thanks, I found that Disk Management app, but as you said, I cant change it since its the system drive. My old drive, C:\ is listed as "System" and the F:\ new drive is "Boot".

I tried the bootcfg /list before to show all my Windows installations, but it took a very long time (30 minutes +) so I just stopped it. And my problem does not lie with which one to boot through that menu, my problem is, I only get to choose because installations when I boot off my C:\, which makes me not want to reformat incase I lose that.

Therefore, I think that the boot.ini must be written soley on my C:\ :S So Maybe I should unplug the C:\ and then try fixboot/fixmbr/bootcfg.

Thanks,

Nick

__________________
Next Upgrades:

1. Zalman 9500 or Tuniq Tower
2. C2D/X2 (eventually)