Windows Thinks Wrong Partition is C Drive

vivi0vivi0
edited December 2006 in Science & Tech
For some reason, when I first installed Windows on my hard drive (then the only HD in my system), it created a 130GB partition. I have a 200GB hard drive. Some time between then and now, I discovered that I had 60GB of untapped space potential. So, I created a new partition in the unallocated space and made it exclusively for my Premiere projects and video clips (saved a LOT of space on the main partition). Anyway, about a week ago, because I was running out of HD space, I burned all the files on the Video partition to double layer DVDs. Yesterday, when I decided I didn't need the backed-up files anymore, reformatted the Video partition.

Now, today, when I restarted my computer for the first time since the reformatting of the video partition, I received the wonderful NTLDR error. I followed the guide on this site (Repairing XP in 8 steps...), but to no avail (it errors out on the Bootcfg step, and the rest are useless). After some poking around, I realized that the main Windows partition (that includes the WINDOWS directory and all the main files) was showing up as E:. Well, it turns out that the video partition that I repartitioned yesterday is showing up as C:. So, Windows, for some reason, thinks this new empty partition is where the NTLDR should be, and thus does not boot.

Keep in mind that it shows up as the E: drive under the Recovery Console in the Windows XP Pro install CD. Also, the partition that I intend to boot from is physically the first one on the drive, so I'm not too sure what caused the confusion.

So.... beyond all this background and use(ful/less) information, comes a question, or rather a call out for advice.

How can I get Windows to realize what the real C: drive is?

Thanks in advance,

vivi0

Pentium D 805
Maxtor 200GB PATA
2GB DDR2533
ATI Radeon X1600 512MB

Comments

  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited December 2006
    Try a Repair Install (not the Repair Console).

    Windows will let you change the drive letter for any partition except the one Windows is on. I made the mistake of formatting the main drive in one of my computers a while back, then reinstalling Windows while a couple of other drives were still in the computer. It was no real problem, but it drove me nuts to have Windows show up on the E: drive. :)
  • vivi0vivi0
    edited December 2006
    I am going to give the Repair Install a try. I really don't have anything to lose, since I was planning on installing Vista (got it at work already!) later this week and wiping out everything I have. I think I'll boot to Linux just so I can backup some things like my iTunes Library, but then I'll go ahead with the repair. I'll let you know how it turns out...
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited December 2006
    Good luck. :)
  • vivi0vivi0
    edited December 2006
    The install CD would not let me do a Repair Install (the option didn't show up), so I decided not to do it. I installed Ubuntu in the empty space left behind by the Video partition, and used it to copy my Windows home directory to an external HD.

    I think I'll just forget about that install (it is a fresh install from about three weeks ago, otherwise I wouldn't be so quick to give up). Meanwhile, I need to get a new SATA II hard drive and install Vista onto it ;) Time to leave XP behind.

    Thanks for your help, though :)
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