Re-assign partition name

Win:XP-SP-2, Gateway:400VTX...While installing a new hdd I wasn't paying attention to what was going on and let windows partition and format the hdd
ending up with the drive designation as F: rather than C:. Although everthing works okay I can see were this will become a big problem. CAN I re-assign the right drive designation of C: to the partition INSTEAD of the now F: or do I need to start all over. Don't know how to un-due this or even if it can be undone......Den....................

 

It is a new hdd and was the only hdd attached at the time. It had no O/S on it. Only one partion is on it and that is the one that is now called F: First time such a screwey thing ever happened to me!....Den........

 

Nope,none of those........Den.......

 

Right click on My Computer and select Manage from the options, then Disk Management. In the bottom right pane all drives will be listed. Right Click on the drive you are interested in and select Change Dirve Letter and Paths. You will see a list of drive letters available and you can then move your drives around as you see fit. It may require you to temporarily assign different letters to each drive to free up the letter you want, just like one of those little puzzles that you move letters around on.

As an example I just installed a SATA drive on my PC, co existing with two PATA drives(C & D) and two DVD-Rs(E & F). The SATA was assigned the next available drive letter, G:. Used the above method to reassign DVDs to F & G and SATA to E. Took all of about 5 minutes.

Be aware that you may have problems assigning C, but as you said, it was the only drive installed at the time, so it may not be an issue.


Hope this helps....

 

THANKS, will give that a try...Den..

 

You can also get to the same place through Control Panel/ Administrative Tools

 

THANKS to all of you fer your input on this problem and Steve and Pete were right in that you can not change the drive letter on the root drive, windows won't let you do that I find whenever I tried to do so. I think I'll just use the computer the way it is (F:=root drive) and see if it becomes a hassle or not. Can't figure out how this happened as I've set-up many, many hdd's and this was a first. Guess I'll just have to chalk it up to "better pay attention to whats going on "!!!! Thanks Again....Den........

 

That's why I said you might have problems with the C drive, but it was worth a try....You could fix it next time you reinstall Windows...

 

You shouldn't have any problems with things the way they are. XP should run just fine there. I don't know how additional drives will end up being assigned letters in the future but it should make no difference. Only difference is you'll have to get used to Windows being on f instead of c.

 

Dennis,

Does your computer have a 'card reader' for CompactFlash and other removeable memory cards? This can cause a drive letter shift if it's hooked up when you do a 'clean' install. Do you have any removeable drives showing in 'MyComputer'? And if so what drive letters are assigned? HTH

B

 

Re-Assign Drive Partition Letters

Yes it does show a flash card drive and one other re-moveable drive along with a DVD drive and one other re-moveable drive that I can't think of the name right now. Suspicioned that the re-moveable drives may of caused the problem but don't know how to get around that as the unit is a laptop and I would have to disassemble the thing and literally unplug them from the motherboard. Was almost tempted to re-format the hdd again just to see what woud happen but the thing is working correctly with the F: designation of the hdd. Can't imagine a guy would have to disconnect those other re-moveable P.C. boards just to set-up the HDD when necessary. I guess its just one of things that annoys a person when one thinks about the next time and what to do when it happens...Thanks...Den.........

 

Dennis,

WinXP will run okay on the F: drive, I used to dual boot it with XP on G:. I looked around the Gateway site to try to find information on disconnecting the card reader... no luck. If you want to reinstall XP on the C: drive, I would contact Gateway and see if they have a work around. It's pretty easy to disconnect the card reader on a pc, but I'm not familiar with laptop construction, so can't help you there. Sorry.

B

 

Thanks fer your info on all of this stuff and appreciate you taking the time to check out the Gateway site. I've had this unit all apart as I had to put a new motherboard and Hdd in it and that is why all of this started. The card reader etc. can be disconnected but first one has to remove the top half of the case which is a lot of *****'n around. Think I will e-mail Gateway though and see if like you suggested about a work-around. Can't beleive that a person would have disassemble the fool thing and disconnect stuff just to set up a Hdd on drive C: but the way stuff is built now-a-days I wouldn't doubt it!!!Thanks Again......Den................

 

Sunbelt Software >WXPnews(letter) > Vol. 6, #19 - May 9, 2006 - Issue #226
http://www.wxpnews.com/

 

Thanks fer your advice and info there Pete C. Have been printingall this out and putting it in a file on Hdd's so's that I can refer back to it when the need arises again, which I'm sure it will....Den..............