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Need help with HDD partitions


sanjoa

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Hi, guys! I've got a problem. I've formatted my HDD, who is divided into two partitions (one for Backup and the other is for System [Windows folder and programs]). But there is something wrong, Backup has letter C and System letter D. How can I change this, to make System get letter C and D for Backup?

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Wipe the drive, reformat and install to the correct partition.

I have a question.. what good is having a partition for backup if your hard drive fails anyway?

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No need to format it again.

Right click My Computer icon > manage > storage > disk management > right click the drive you want > change drive letters and paths. You can use some common sense afterwards. Change the main drive letter to Z: then change the backup drive letter to D: now again change the main drive letter to C. You are done. ;)

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Will this not mess up the installation and paths to the drive D: of any programs and registry entries.. when dealing with an OS installation?

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I believe Windows warns you that any installed applications may no longer work when you change a drive letter. If this is a freshly formatted hard drive though, this shouldn't be a problem.

Ah yes, I just found the Microsoft Support website:

Before you modify drive-letter assignments, note the following items:

* Changing the drive letter of the system volume or the boot volume is not a built-in feature of the Disk Management snap-in.

* Many MS-DOS-based and Microsoft Windows-based programs refer to specific drive letters for environmental or other variables. If you modify the drive letter, these programs may not function correctly.

Source: How to change drive letter assignments in Windows XP

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Well I didn't know about that. But it's newly format so you never know. :dunno:

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No need to format it again.

Right click My Computer icon > manage > storage > disk management > right click the drive you want > change drive letters and paths. You can use some common sense afterwards. Change the main drive letter to Z: then change the backup drive letter to D: now again change the main drive letter to C. You are done. ;)

Letter for system partition can not be changed. Windows does not allow it.

Only solution is what heath28m suggested. And, I also ask what's the point of keeping backup on same hard disk, just other partition? Maybe just to keep image of windows so if problem occurs you can restore it.

Cheers ;)

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at Windows I cannot change the drive letter. and I don't know how to change it while formatting. and I can't wipe the HDD because I have not place where save the files in the backup.

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Why not just forget about it and leave your system partition as drive D: and your backup partition as drive C: ? The drive letters don't really matter, do they?

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Windows doesn't care if it's on the D: drive. If you really want it on the C: drive, do you have an external hard drive or DVDs that you could back up to before attempting to reformat your hard drive again?

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Well I had one more question.. If you wanted your system on Drive/Partition C: .. then why did you not install to it in the first place...

The solution would be simple if you gave a little thought to it.. but as you haven't I will state it.. Move your current backups to the partition with your OS installed..Then take your install disc and install an OS on the other partition... once this has been done select the installation you want to boot up from by default... next.. go into the D: partition and move the files again to the C: drive... Then use your installation disc to reformat drive D: .. Then exit and place your backups onto the D: area.. IF that works it could be a solution.. OR you could connect a slave drive to move your files over to.. OR an external hard drive.. If these backups currently are serving no purpose.. ( having no real value except just being a backup.. ) then I would just simply reformat and install to the proper drive as you should have done to begin with.. which caused your issue. You can do another backup from the fresh install once you get it all worked out and move forward.. You may even be able to reduce the size of the necessary files that you need by only selecting your modifications and personal files.. and saving them to an online backup or even a USB device.. which would allow you to completely remove the necessary files and download them or copy them back to the drive space.. There are several services created for this sole purpose and are free like MOZY Backup.. and several other which you can search online..

A sound investment for you would be to get an external drive for your data to use in the future and to use this external drive to backup to.. The only really purposeful uses fr other partitions are usually going to be for other OS installations and for programs like that of SuperSpeed SuperVolume and SuperCache, which are generally used fr server systems.. other wise when a hard drive dies.. most of the times all partitions go with it..If in fact the general idea of backups are to replace and restore items which have been messed with or destroyed in some way, it will in the event that you do something concerning the operation of the OS.. and it fails.. is going to become increasingly hard to restore from, and even so, better idea to keep things of this nature on external media safe from all sorts of failures including electrical overload/power surges...trojans and malicious files..

Running complete system backups are usually and generally used for business environments where loss of data from security breech, failing hardware that is under tremendous stress, and even cache stores which can be lost..occurs..For the individual user it is usually a waste of time to make an exact copy.. and complete restoration of program and files sometimes fails because of the registry and other values that are not replaced.. Using a synchronization software would be advisable in some cases but in the event that we are talking about modified files and problems occurring like this, then all that happens depending on the auto/schedule is you get a copy of the file you messed up..

In my experience, using an external drive, making archives of all installers and elements concerning a system configuration, including turning it into the main file repository makes it much easier to do.. and much quicker without so much thought having to be given to it. You can also use an installed software to backup to the device, and never worry again about problems like this one...Plus you can unplug and move to another system and work with all of your media and personal files if need be.. Just a better choice all the way around..Save your Hard Drive Space and partitions for programs and OSes, and only the files which have a NEED to be on it.. Something happens to your hardware, no big deal, everything you need is elsewhere.. and all the time and BS you gave to doing backups is not wasted.. you just move on more easily.. The other way your setting yourself for a huge loss..and yo may never know exactly when it will happen or why..

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