Install XP--C-drive switched?

[Guest wtw]

I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master position,

I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in the machine. I

apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the old drive is C

and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I correct this without

re-installing.

 

I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something about

formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it, which I

think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed audio/video,

not realizing this was the name I had given to the second drive. As far as I

can tell, all is OK on both drives.

 

I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so I

easily made one off the Start Menu.

[Guest R. McCarty]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

You have to be careful with installing XP when multiple physical

drives are present. Partitions can have a attribute "Active" which

means the volume is the preferred bootable volume on a disk. It

isn't mandatory that Windows reside on C:\. That's just the way

it evolved as early machines had a Floppy A & B.

When XP is installed it examines all physical disks and volumes

to choose a drive letter for the XP volume. Depending on what

pre-existing volumes are present you can end up with Windows

using a non-C:\ drive letter.

Once setup, it's very difficult ( if not impossible ) to re-arrange

the drive letters. This is due to Registry Keys/Values that point to

a specific drive letter.

 

"wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in the

>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the old

>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I correct

>this without re-installing.

>

> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something about

> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it, which I

> think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the second

> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

>

> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so I

> easily made one off the Start Menu.

>

[Guest wtw]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

Yikes. Can I just re-install? I guess I'm lucky it even got onto the

audio/video disk. It's practically filled. I'm sure not going to be able to

add much over there.

 

If not, I might be able to copy the old drive off to a large external drive

I have and then start again. That is remove XP from the c-drive with the

audio/video drive by reformatting it. Then hauling all the files from the

external file back to it.

 

 

"R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message

news:OmTlNhIJJHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> You have to be careful with installing XP when multiple physical

> drives are present. Partitions can have a attribute "Active" which

> means the volume is the preferred bootable volume on a disk. It

> isn't mandatory that Windows reside on C:\. That's just the way

> it evolved as early machines had a Floppy A & B.

> When XP is installed it examines all physical disks and volumes

> to choose a drive letter for the XP volume. Depending on what

> pre-existing volumes are present you can end up with Windows

> using a non-C:\ drive letter.

> Once setup, it's very difficult ( if not impossible ) to re-arrange

> the drive letters. This is due to Registry Keys/Values that point to

> a specific drive letter.

>

> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

> news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

>>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

>>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in the

>>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the old

>>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I correct

>>this without re-installing.

>>

>> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something about

>> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it, which I

>> think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

>> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the second

>> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

>>

>> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so I

>> easily made one off the Start Menu.

>>

>

>

[Guest wtw]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

Will this work? Suppose I remove the c-drive, the one which is a slave and

now has XP on it, and re-install on the new drive? At least I won't have to

copy the old stuff off to an external drive, then clean out (format) the old

stuff + XP on it, and copy the old stuff back to the old drive.

 

"wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:YK3Fk.1961$x%.292@nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com...

> Yikes. Can I just re-install? I guess I'm lucky it even got onto the

> audio/video disk. It's practically filled. I'm sure not going to be able

> to add much over there.

>

> If not, I might be able to copy the old drive off to a large external

> drive I have and then start again. That is remove XP from the c-drive with

> the audio/video drive by reformatting it. Then hauling all the files from

> the external file back to it.

>

>

> "R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message

> news:OmTlNhIJJHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>> You have to be careful with installing XP when multiple physical

>> drives are present. Partitions can have a attribute "Active" which

>> means the volume is the preferred bootable volume on a disk. It

>> isn't mandatory that Windows reside on C:\. That's just the way

>> it evolved as early machines had a Floppy A & B.

>> When XP is installed it examines all physical disks and volumes

>> to choose a drive letter for the XP volume. Depending on what

>> pre-existing volumes are present you can end up with Windows

>> using a non-C:\ drive letter.

>> Once setup, it's very difficult ( if not impossible ) to re-arrange

>> the drive letters. This is due to Registry Keys/Values that point to

>> a specific drive letter.

>>

>> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

>> news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

>>>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

>>>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in the

>>>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the old

>>>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I

>>>correct this without re-installing.

>>>

>>> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something about

>>> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it, which

>>> I think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

>>> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the second

>>> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

>>>

>>> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so I

>>> easily made one off the Start Menu.

>>>

>>

>>

>

>

[Guest Cameramonkey]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

I think your best bet is to disconnect the ribbon cable of the old drive and

reinstall onto the new drive.

 

It sounds like you detected the screw-up before installing a bunch of stuff,

so letting it reinstall properly is probably the quicker (and safer) option.

 

 

 

"wtw" wrote:

> Will this work? Suppose I remove the c-drive, the one which is a slave and

> now has XP on it, and re-install on the new drive? At least I won't have to

> copy the old stuff off to an external drive, then clean out (format) the old

> stuff + XP on it, and copy the old stuff back to the old drive.

>

> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

> news:YK3Fk.1961$x%.292@nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com...

> > Yikes. Can I just re-install? I guess I'm lucky it even got onto the

> > audio/video disk. It's practically filled. I'm sure not going to be able

> > to add much over there.

> >

> > If not, I might be able to copy the old drive off to a large external

> > drive I have and then start again. That is remove XP from the c-drive with

> > the audio/video drive by reformatting it. Then hauling all the files from

> > the external file back to it.

> >

> >

> > "R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message

> > news:OmTlNhIJJHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> >> You have to be careful with installing XP when multiple physical

> >> drives are present. Partitions can have a attribute "Active" which

> >> means the volume is the preferred bootable volume on a disk. It

> >> isn't mandatory that Windows reside on C:\. That's just the way

> >> it evolved as early machines had a Floppy A & B.

> >> When XP is installed it examines all physical disks and volumes

> >> to choose a drive letter for the XP volume. Depending on what

> >> pre-existing volumes are present you can end up with Windows

> >> using a non-C:\ drive letter.

> >> Once setup, it's very difficult ( if not impossible ) to re-arrange

> >> the drive letters. This is due to Registry Keys/Values that point to

> >> a specific drive letter.

> >>

> >> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

> >> news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

> >>>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

> >>>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in the

> >>>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the old

> >>>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I

> >>>correct this without re-installing.

> >>>

> >>> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something about

> >>> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it, which

> >>> I think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

> >>> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the second

> >>> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

> >>>

> >>> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so I

> >>> easily made one off the Start Menu.

> >>>

> >>

> >>

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest wtw]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

I agree. The fewer things I have to do the better. I'll leave file juggling

matters pretty much alone until I have a rainy day.

 

"Cameramonkey" <Cameramonkey@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:D9EFB546-B325-45F4-936E-804002CB934A@microsoft.com...

>I think your best bet is to disconnect the ribbon cable of the old drive

>and

> reinstall onto the new drive.

>

> It sounds like you detected the screw-up before installing a bunch of

> stuff,

> so letting it reinstall properly is probably the quicker (and safer)

> option.

>

>

>

> "wtw" wrote:

>

>> Will this work? Suppose I remove the c-drive, the one which is a slave

>> and

>> now has XP on it, and re-install on the new drive? At least I won't have

>> to

>> copy the old stuff off to an external drive, then clean out (format) the

>> old

>> stuff + XP on it, and copy the old stuff back to the old drive.

>>

>> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

>> news:YK3Fk.1961$x%.292@nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com...

>> > Yikes. Can I just re-install? I guess I'm lucky it even got onto the

>> > audio/video disk. It's practically filled. I'm sure not going to be

>> > able

>> > to add much over there.

>> >

>> > If not, I might be able to copy the old drive off to a large external

>> > drive I have and then start again. That is remove XP from the c-drive

>> > with

>> > the audio/video drive by reformatting it. Then hauling all the files

>> > from

>> > the external file back to it.

>> >

>> >

>> > "R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message

>> > news:OmTlNhIJJHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>> >> You have to be careful with installing XP when multiple physical

>> >> drives are present. Partitions can have a attribute "Active" which

>> >> means the volume is the preferred bootable volume on a disk. It

>> >> isn't mandatory that Windows reside on C:\. That's just the way

>> >> it evolved as early machines had a Floppy A & B.

>> >> When XP is installed it examines all physical disks and volumes

>> >> to choose a drive letter for the XP volume. Depending on what

>> >> pre-existing volumes are present you can end up with Windows

>> >> using a non-C:\ drive letter.

>> >> Once setup, it's very difficult ( if not impossible ) to re-arrange

>> >> the drive letters. This is due to Registry Keys/Values that point to

>> >> a specific drive letter.

>> >>

>> >> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

>> >> news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

>> >>>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

>> >>>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in

>> >>>the

>> >>>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the

>> >>>old

>> >>>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I

>> >>>correct this without re-installing.

>> >>>

>> >>> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something

>> >>> about

>> >>> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it,

>> >>> which

>> >>> I think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

>> >>> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the

>> >>> second

>> >>> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

>> >>>

>> >>> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so

>> >>> I

>> >>> easily made one off the Start Menu.

>> >>>

>> >>

>> >>

>> >

>> >

>>

>>

>>

[Guest wtw]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

BTW, I'm assuming XP will reassign drive letter to the primary as C and the

slave as D? Correct?

 

"wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:xX8Fk.2905$yr3.2555@nlpi068.nbdc.sbc.com...

>I agree. The fewer things I have to do the better. I'll leave file juggling

>matters pretty much alone until I have a rainy day.

>

> "Cameramonkey" <Cameramonkey@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:D9EFB546-B325-45F4-936E-804002CB934A@microsoft.com...

>>I think your best bet is to disconnect the ribbon cable of the old drive

>>and

>> reinstall onto the new drive.

>>

>> It sounds like you detected the screw-up before installing a bunch of

>> stuff,

>> so letting it reinstall properly is probably the quicker (and safer)

>> option.

>>

>>

>>

>> "wtw" wrote:

>>

>>> Will this work? Suppose I remove the c-drive, the one which is a slave

>>> and

>>> now has XP on it, and re-install on the new drive? At least I won't have

>>> to

>>> copy the old stuff off to an external drive, then clean out (format) the

>>> old

>>> stuff + XP on it, and copy the old stuff back to the old drive.

>>>

>>> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

>>> news:YK3Fk.1961$x%.292@nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com...

>>> > Yikes. Can I just re-install? I guess I'm lucky it even got onto the

>>> > audio/video disk. It's practically filled. I'm sure not going to be

>>> > able

>>> > to add much over there.

>>> >

>>> > If not, I might be able to copy the old drive off to a large external

>>> > drive I have and then start again. That is remove XP from the c-drive

>>> > with

>>> > the audio/video drive by reformatting it. Then hauling all the files

>>> > from

>>> > the external file back to it.

>>> >

>>> >

>>> > "R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message

>>> > news:OmTlNhIJJHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>> >> You have to be careful with installing XP when multiple physical

>>> >> drives are present. Partitions can have a attribute "Active" which

>>> >> means the volume is the preferred bootable volume on a disk. It

>>> >> isn't mandatory that Windows reside on C:\. That's just the way

>>> >> it evolved as early machines had a Floppy A & B.

>>> >> When XP is installed it examines all physical disks and volumes

>>> >> to choose a drive letter for the XP volume. Depending on what

>>> >> pre-existing volumes are present you can end up with Windows

>>> >> using a non-C:\ drive letter.

>>> >> Once setup, it's very difficult ( if not impossible ) to re-arrange

>>> >> the drive letters. This is due to Registry Keys/Values that point to

>>> >> a specific drive letter.

>>> >>

>>> >> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

>>> >> news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

>>> >>>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

>>> >>>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in

>>> >>>the

>>> >>>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the

>>> >>>old

>>> >>>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I

>>> >>>correct this without re-installing.

>>> >>>

>>> >>> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something

>>> >>> about

>>> >>> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it,

>>> >>> which

>>> >>> I think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

>>> >>> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the

>>> >>> second

>>> >>> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

>>> >>>

>>> >>> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so

>>> >>> I

>>> >>> easily made one off the Start Menu.

>>> >>>

>>> >>

>>> >>

>>> >

>>> >

>>>

>>>

>>>

>

>

[Guest Patrick Keenan]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

 

"wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in the

>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the old

>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I correct

>this without re-installing.

 

You pretty much don't if you want the system drive to be C. The most

reliable thing to do is to reinstall with only the drive you intend to be C,

so there's no possibility of an incorrect assignment.

 

There are some tools that allege they can do this, but they aren't free.

There are potentially thousands of registry entries that must be changed.

 

The position on the cable matters only if the drives are jumpered as CS -

Cable Select. If they are set to Master or Slave the position does not

matter.

 

HTH

-pk

 

>

> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something about

> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it, which I

> think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the second

> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

>

> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so I

> easily made one off the Start Menu.

>

[Guest wtw]

Re: Install XP--C-drive switched?

 

As it turns out the computer shop got my old HD up and copied off all the

files to a 320G external HD I supplied. It seemed apparent to the tech guy

that I might be able to get the new HD back in order by using unstoppable

copier. Quite possibly I misunderstood how to do this. I ended up with all

the files on to the new HD, thinking I now had a bootable drive, which I

could take back to the original machine. I was able to boot up, but I'm

quite sure it was off the F-drive that I had accidentally installed on a few

days ago. However, some programs worked fine, but ultimately I could see

this was wrong. F remained the local drive, and, as far as I know, the new

drive has no ability to be booted. Of course, the drive names did not

change. I still have c and f. The new c drive is 320G. Tomorrow mid-morning

I leave for a weekend trip. I'll deal with this again when I get back. At

least, I have all my old doc and other files back. I'll continue to explore

buying a new PC.

 

"R. McCarty" <PcEngWork-NoSpam_@mindspring.com> wrote in message

news:OmTlNhIJJHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> You have to be careful with installing XP when multiple physical

> drives are present. Partitions can have a attribute "Active" which

> means the volume is the preferred bootable volume on a disk. It

> isn't mandatory that Windows reside on C:\. That's just the way

> it evolved as early machines had a Floppy A & B.

> When XP is installed it examines all physical disks and volumes

> to choose a drive letter for the XP volume. Depending on what

> pre-existing volumes are present you can end up with Windows

> using a non-C:\ drive letter.

> Once setup, it's very difficult ( if not impossible ) to re-arrange

> the drive letters. This is due to Registry Keys/Values that point to

> a specific drive letter.

>

> "wtw" <invalid@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

> news:eK2Fk.2035$as4.536@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...

>>I just installed XP with a new 320G IDE drive. I put in the master

>>position, I think, at the end of the cable. I had a second drive in the

>>machine. I apparently the latter was named audio/video. I now see the old

>>drive is C and the new drive (local) is F. What happened? How do I correct

>>this without re-installing.

>>

>> I recall one odd moment when I was install when it asked something about

>> formating the new drive. It said something about partitioning it, which I

>> think I rejected. However, I was puzzled by a list that showed

>> audio/video, not realizing this was the name I had given to the second

>> drive. As far as I can tell, all is OK on both drives.

>>

>> I was surprised not to see icons on the desktop like My Computer, so I

>> easily made one off the Start Menu.

>>

>

>