Non-removable drive letter assignments

Hi,

Given an internal drive with multiple Vista installations how do I change
the drive letter of the boot drive of an installation?

Best explained with an example. Given:

Partition 1: Vista 1
Partition 2: Vista 2
Partition 3: Vista 3
etc.

When I boot into Vista 1 I get:
Partition 1 (running) = C:
Partition 2 = D:
Paritition 3 = E:
etc

So far so good.

The problem arises when I boot into Vista 2 (or 3, or...). In that case the
drive letters are "mangled" like so:
Partition 1 = D:
Partition 2 (running) = C:
Partition 3 = E:
etc

In other words, Vista seems to insist on the currently running system living
on C: (like in the olden days). I thought since W2K Windows can be installed
on any drive e.g. my old system has W98 on C: (no choice there) but W2K boots
from and stays on D:.

So, in the above example, what I really want when I boot into 'Vista 2" is
this:
Partition 1 = C:
Partition 2 (running) = D:
Partition 3 = E:
etc

Can this be done?

If yes, how?

Thanks muchly in advance.

"Unique Display Name" <Unique Display Name@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
in message news:363404D8-85E3-4CC8-98D8-7435B534BE65@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> Given an internal drive with multiple Vista installations how do I change
> the drive letter of the boot drive of an installation?
>
> Best explained with an example. Given:
>
> Partition 1: Vista 1
> Partition 2: Vista 2
> Partition 3: Vista 3
> etc.
>
> When I boot into Vista 1 I get:
> Partition 1 (running) = C:
> Partition 2 = D:
> Paritition 3 = E:
> etc
>
> So far so good.
>
> The problem arises when I boot into Vista 2 (or 3, or...). In that case
> the
> drive letters are "mangled" like so:
> Partition 1 = D:
> Partition 2 (running) = C:
> Partition 3 = E:
> etc
>
> In other words, Vista seems to insist on the currently running system
> living
> on C: (like in the olden days). I thought since W2K Windows can be
> installed
> on any drive e.g. my old system has W98 on C: (no choice there) but W2K
> boots
> from and stays on D:.
>
> So, in the above example, what I really want when I boot into 'Vista 2" is
> this:
> Partition 1 = C:
> Partition 2 (running) = D:
> Partition 3 = E:
> etc
>
> Can this be done?
>
> If yes, how?
>
> Thanks muchly in advance.
>

I don't believe that you can just change the drive letter of the system
drive. There could be way too many registry changes needed. Why do you
feel you need to make this change? Each of your OSs will function fine the
way they are set up. In a multiboot configuration I name the partitions
according to the OS so that I have no trouble knowing which partition is
which OS. When I am testing on my test box, Windows Explorer will show that
C: is named "VUx64 (C", D: might be "VHPx86 (D" and so on.

"Unique Display Name" <Unique Display Name@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
in message news:363404D8-85E3-4CC8-98D8-7435B534BE65@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> Given an internal drive with multiple Vista installations how do I change
> the drive letter of the boot drive of an installation?
>
> Best explained with an example. Given:
>
> Partition 1: Vista 1
> Partition 2: Vista 2
> Partition 3: Vista 3
> etc.
>
> When I boot into Vista 1 I get:
> Partition 1 (running) = C:
> Partition 2 = D:
> Paritition 3 = E:
> etc
>
> So far so good.
>
> The problem arises when I boot into Vista 2 (or 3, or...). In that case
> the
> drive letters are "mangled" like so:
> Partition 1 = D:
> Partition 2 (running) = C:
> Partition 3 = E:
> etc
>
> In other words, Vista seems to insist on the currently running system
> living
> on C: (like in the olden days). I thought since W2K Windows can be
> installed
> on any drive e.g. my old system has W98 on C: (no choice there) but W2K
> boots
> from and stays on D:.
>
> So, in the above example, what I really want when I boot into 'Vista 2" is
> this:
> Partition 1 = C:
> Partition 2 (running) = D:
> Partition 3 = E:
> etc
>
> Can this be done?
>
> If yes, how?
>
> Thanks muchly in advance.
>


When you install Vista by booting with the dvd Setup will enumerate drives
based on the BIOS ordering. When you start Setup from within existing
Windows Setup will use the lettering already in place on the existing
windows.

When I set a purely Vista multiboot box I start with the x64 version by
booting with the dvd. Then I start the x86 Setup from the x64 desktop so
that the second Vista will use the same drive letters as seen from the x64
edition. The reason I start with x64, of course, is that while x86 Setup
will run in an x64 desktop, x64 Setup cannot run in the x86 desktop. So I
start with x64.

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> I don't believe that you can just change the drive letter of the system
> drive.

Not once it's installed. I noticed that during installation (after first
reboot) there were two files in the root: "$driveletter$" and "$systemdrive$"
(if memory serves). The first one had the registry ID and the physical letter
of the drive where I was installing, while the other was empty. Presumably
that's what needs to be changed. But I'm only guessing.

> There could be way too many registry changes needed. Why do you
> feel you need to make this change? Each of your OSs will function fine the
> way they are set up. In a multiboot configuration I name the partitions
> according to the OS so that I have no trouble knowing which partition is
> which OS. When I am testing on my test box, Windows Explorer will show that
> C: is named "VUx64 (C", D: might be "VHPx86 (D" and so on.

I want the drive letters to follow physical order. Right now I need to start
Disk Management to really see what's where. Also, when I switch OSes I have
to constantly mentally readjust (this "C:" I'm running now is not the same as
that "C:" I was running just minutes ago, etc). It's an unnecessary
complication and a mess.

Not to mention I have 2 internal drives (a notebook) and due to historical
(hysterical) reasons Windows assigns drives out of order which just adds to
the confusion i.e. 1st partition on 1st drive, then 1st partition on 2nd
drive, then the rest of partitions on 1st drive, then the rest of partitions
on 2nd drive, and so on. That's bad enough so I don't want to complicate
matters even more.

I do have a naming convention e.g. "0.1: HP clean" where "0" is drive and
"1" is the partition and it annoys the hell out of me that each time I start
a different OS the order in the Explorer is all messed up just because
Windows insists that the currently running version must be assigned to C:.

As I say, on my old system, I was able to install W2K on drive D: without
any problems and when W2K comes up its drive was still D:.

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> When you install Vista by booting with the dvd Setup will enumerate drives
> based on the BIOS ordering. When you start Setup from within existing
> Windows Setup will use the lettering already in place on the existing
> windows.
>
> When I set a purely Vista multiboot box I start with the x64 version by
> booting with the dvd. Then I start the x86 Setup from the x64 desktop so
> that the second Vista will use the same drive letters as seen from the x64
> edition. The reason I start with x64, of course, is that while x86 Setup
> will run in an x64 desktop, x64 Setup cannot run in the x86 desktop. So I
> start with x64.

That's good to know! Thanks!

I did do all my installations "cold" (i.e. booting from the installation
DVD). It's just a habit of mine to try and keep the procedures as clean as
possible.

But it appears in this case it actually complicated matters. Of course, it
would be elementary to ask the user (after selecting the partition) which
letter they want to assign to it. But, I guess, that would just confuse the
civilians.

Anyway, thanks for the tip! I'm off to try it out.

"Unique Display Name" <UniqueDisplayName@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:BA8947D0-85EF-411A-A864-98BB2C647FDB@microsoft.com...
> "Colin Barnhorst" wrote:
>
>> When you install Vista by booting with the dvd Setup will enumerate
>> drives
>> based on the BIOS ordering. When you start Setup from within existing
>> Windows Setup will use the lettering already in place on the existing
>> windows.
>>
>> When I set a purely Vista multiboot box I start with the x64 version by
>> booting with the dvd. Then I start the x86 Setup from the x64 desktop so
>> that the second Vista will use the same drive letters as seen from the
>> x64
>> edition. The reason I start with x64, of course, is that while x86 Setup
>> will run in an x64 desktop, x64 Setup cannot run in the x86 desktop. So
>> I
>> start with x64.
>
> That's good to know! Thanks!
>
> I did do all my installations "cold" (i.e. booting from the installation
> DVD). It's just a habit of mine to try and keep the procedures as clean as
> possible.
>
> But it appears in this case it actually complicated matters. Of course, it
> would be elementary to ask the user (after selecting the partition) which
> letter they want to assign to it. But, I guess, that would just confuse
> the
> civilians.
>
> Anyway, thanks for the tip! I'm off to try it out.
>

I think that has to be set during start up. Drive lettering mattered with
DOS based windows but not so much since NT. Personally, drive names are the
easiest to follow. Drive letters are dinosaurs anyway.

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> > Anyway, thanks for the tip! I'm off to try it out.
> >
>
> I think that has to be set during start up. Drive lettering mattered with
> DOS based windows but not so much since NT. Personally, drive names are the
> easiest to follow. Drive letters are dinosaurs anyway.

Oh, I agree with you 100%! This was about drive letters only indirectly
because that's what Windows depends on and forces down my throat.

My peeve was the fact that when I open Windows Explorer the partition order
was rearranged due to the drive letter imposed (!) on me because (DVD)
install insists on assigning C:.

Anyway, I did a quick install from a running system (instead of booting from
Vista DVD) and it worked like a charm! The partition order stays the same,
only now partition M: has the Windows root icon next to it.

Thanks again!

"Unique Display Name" <UniqueDisplayName@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:886BD25A-5E87-47CA-84FF-B13DBE9A0A1A@microsoft.com...
> "Colin Barnhorst" wrote:
>
>> > Anyway, thanks for the tip! I'm off to try it out.
>> >
>>
>> I think that has to be set during start up. Drive lettering mattered
>> with
>> DOS based windows but not so much since NT. Personally, drive names are
>> the
>> easiest to follow. Drive letters are dinosaurs anyway.
>
> Oh, I agree with you 100%! This was about drive letters only indirectly
> because that's what Windows depends on and forces down my throat.
>
> My peeve was the fact that when I open Windows Explorer the partition
> order
> was rearranged due to the drive letter imposed (!) on me because (DVD)
> install insists on assigning C:.
>
> Anyway, I did a quick install from a running system (instead of booting
> from
> Vista DVD) and it worked like a charm! The partition order stays the same,
> only now partition M: has the Windows root icon next to it.
>
> Thanks again!
>

You're welcome.