Computer question - changing the drive letter

My PC crashed and I had to format the drive and re-install Windows 7.

During the installation process, the boot partition was named Drive C (not sure if I did that or if it did it automatically).

So this leaves the major portion of the drive with a name other than C.

I would like for the main partition to be C, since I’m used to that and C is the default whenever a new program installs.

The problem is that I cannot change the current C drive to another letter; I get an error message saying ‘The parameter is incorrect’.

I am able to change the main partition to L, M, Z, whatever easily enough, but it will not let me change the C.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks,

mmm

I don’t think you can change the drive letter on the system/boot volume at all.

oh, and:

almost all installers for software actually call the PROGRAMFILES environment variable, which directs the installer to the proper directory regardless of whether it’s on C, D, J, or Z.

there might still be a few poorly-written programs out there that hard code “C:\Program Files” into their installers, but they were developed incorrectly and probably suck anyway.

with modern Windows versions there’s really no cause to worry about the system drive being something other than C:.

of course, it would be even better if Windows would use more generic mount points, but 30 years of history is hard to undo.

Thanks for the info.

I guess I’m just an old dog who likes my main drive to be C:

Am I out of luck?

mmm

I would try EASEUS Partition Master

I love this program and it’s FREE :slight_smile:

Just install and run

When your drives show up, take a look and the partition.

Right Click -> Advanced -> Change Drive Letter -> Choose none (for the boot partition)

Then find the partition you want to be the “C” drive, right click -> Advanced -> Change drive -> Name it “C”

Then follow the same steps and name your boot partition “D” drive.

It may not work but it’s worth a try.

I recall a while back the Google Browser could only be installed on the “C” drive, it wouldn’t let you choose. I don’t know if that is true or not still.

I just thought this could be a bit tricky as you’re going to have to install EASEUS on a drive and when you change the letter it will cease to work.

You’re going to have to have at least three partitions for this

Current

C drive -> Boot Partition
X Drive -> Unknown

You might have to make a third partition to install EASEUS then change the drives leaving the drive letter you installed EASEUS on alone.

Then if it works you can uninstall EASEUS from this temp partition and reinstall EASEUS on the now correctly named C drive and use EASEUS to reclaim what’s left

Maybe I’m overthinking this
Sounds like it’d be easier to start over :slight_smile:

Now that I think this over, I don’t think it would work to rename it. All your registry values are going to be in “D” drive and changing the drive of the O/S isn’t going to change that.

Best to start over.

repartitioning was run from external media like a floppy.

I’ve done something like this and made it work. It did take a long time, though. I had to search through the registry for D: references and change them to C:. I also had to do things with the boot ARC paths. It was slow, hard work on Windows 20000, but I was being paid to do it. I don’t recommend it on Windows 7.

Your fastest solution is to back up, delete all the partitions on the disk, and reinstall.

Si

Is that in beta already?

And in the year 1984, after numerous failures in the mobile and tablet arenas, Microsoft leapfrogs the competition by moving directly into spacetime manipulation. From its humble beginnings on Planet C:, the Windows family of physical laws now power more than 98% of life-supporting universes…

The most surefire way would be to reformat and reinstall windows with the drive partitioned the way you want. Since you’ve just done it recently anyhow it should be less painful than if you were concerned with backing up all your files on a system that had been up and running for years.

Eh, I’m just going to let it be. I’ve already re-installed all my main programs. My large drive is now E.

Similar question: The Fonts files must be installed within the Windows folder, true?

And must the Windows folder live on the C drive? I’d really like it on my new, large E.

mmm

Don’t know if this works on Win7 but on XP:-

Right click - My Computer - Manage - Disk management - Then right click on a disk window and “Change Drive letter and paths…”

:slight_smile:

And every being complex enough to have a notochord or equivalent has to buy a client access license…