Changing System Drive letter.

[NATO]

Well after a very successful operation to remove root kits and make a new installation on the D (1st logical) partition to transfer to the C (Primary) partition I find that you cannot do this easily when Windows decides to change the drive letters without telling you!!!

So now I have a primary D and 1st logical C. Arrgg!

MS suggests that when the system changed drive letters 'without user intervention' that you can change the letters back by editing the registry going to...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

...and scrolling down to the C and D drive entries...

\DosDevices\C:

\DosDevices\D:

Then...

Re-name C to Z , to free the letter C

Re-name D to C , to get the right letter back

Re-name Z to D , to put the partitions back in the right order.

But the binary data is quite different in these two keys.

Tried it twice now and just get a BSOD Status 0x0000135 (0x00000000 0x00000000)

So I just restored the D primary drive from a drive image on F with no problem, as this registry edit doesn't seem to work.

So here is the plan. Change the C 1st logical drive partiton to Z in Computer Management and remove all data folders.

Do a dual-boot install to this Z drive and boot up on the Z drive.

Change the D Primary partition letter back to C

Re-boot to C (Hopefully)

Change the 1st logical from Z to D, format and re-place data folders.

Fingers crossed.

Anyone got a better solution?

De-defenestrate Windows maybe???

[jaclaz]

....

Tried it twice now and just get a BSOD Status 0x0000135 (0x00000000 0x00000000)

.....

As expected.

You were already given the appropriate links to read :

You need to do a number of changes to the Registry when offline, not just the drive letter in Mounted devices, when it is the System drive...

There is a report counting around 4000 (four thousand) occurences that need to be changed in Registry and related files:

http://www.velocityreviews.com/forums/t310287-change-boot-drive-letter-xppro.html

The use of tools like Registrar:

http://www.resplendence.com/reglite

(i.e. anything that can do a "general" search and replace of the registry) is advised, alternatively, if you want to "risk" the hex approach sketched in the mentioned thread, gsar is a good tool:

http://home.online.no/~tjaberg/

Your mileage may vary anyway .

jaclaz

[NATO]

As expected.

You were already given the appropriate links to read. (I was?)

You need to do a number of changes to the Registry when offline, not just the drive letter in Mounted devices, when it is the System drive...

There is a report counting around 4000 (four thousand) occurrences that need to be changed in Registry and related files:

http://www.velocityreviews.com/forums/t310287-change-boot-drive-letter-xppro.html

The use of tools like Registrar: http://www.resplendence.com/reglite

(i.e. anything that can do a "general" search and replace of the registry) is advised, alternatively, if you want to "risk" the hex approach sketched in the mentioned thread, gsar is a good tool: http://home.online.no/~tjaberg/

Your mileage may vary anyway.

jaclaz

P.S.: if you want to change the drive letter of a XP install (mind you, it is a tricky business) the instructions are NOT these ones:

http://support.micro...om/?kbid=307844

but these ones: http://support.micro...om/?kbid=223188

which, if followed will lead you to a system to which you will not be able to log in, unless you do what is suggested here: http://support.micro....com/kb/249321/

After having (hopefully) rebooted OK, you will still need to use a tool like registrar lite to find occurrences of D:\ in the Registry and change them to C:\, otherwise some utilities will not work.

jaclaz

OK. Thanks,

I will follow your suggestions to the letter.

Just have to add the SET command as below for your reference.

To add Security Configuration and Analysis to an MMC console.

=============================================================

1. Click Start, click Run, then type mmc and click OK.

2. Do one of the following:

A. To create a new console, on the File menu, click New.

B. To open an existing console, on the File menu, click Open, click the console you wish to open, and then click Open.

3. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in, and then, in Add/Remove Snap-in, click Add.

4. Click Security Configuration and Analysis and click Add.

5. Click Close, then click OK.

The object is to 'Allow floppy copy and Accessto All Drives and Folders.'

This will then allow the Recovery Console SET command to become operable.

Using the Recovery Console type: set allowallpaths = true

This should then allow the drive letters C & D to be changed into the correct order as per the 2nd MS KB Article.

My problem was caused by practically cloning the C: drive.

The drive letter order was changed by the 'Distributed Link Tracking service which re-set the volume I.D.

Without notifying the operator.

From: [C: Primary]{[D: 1st Logical][E: 2nd Logical][F: 3rd Logical]

To: [D: Primary]{[C: 1st Logical][E: 2nd Logical][F: 3rd Logical]

If this doesn't work out then I will simply re-install from scratch now that - all- the other problems have been sorted out.

Other than this the system is working very well. The previous install lasted a full ten years, so that can't be too bad.

Thanks again.

*************************************************************************************************************

Turned out to be very easy as the Administration tools Security Policy snap-in is installed with XP Pro.

Just went to Administration Tools, Local Security Policy and scrolled down to Recovery Console: Allow Floppy Copy and Access to All Drives and Folders, to find that it was in the Disabled state.

Double-click on the entry to open the panel and click on Enable - Apply - OK

Went into the password protected recovery console and used: >set allowallpaths = true - to double check, as it had showed up that the set command was disabled at the first attempt.

No problem.

Now to try the registry change and Registrar Lite.

(Re-install looms!) ;-)

At least I now know what was wrong before.

Edited June 7, 2012 by NATO