Dual Boot Physically Remove and Replace Drive C Keep Letter Assignments

[James.S.Han]

Hello,

I have been reading many dual boot removal issues, but I have not found
one exactly like mine.

I have a normal C: drive which used to be a Windows XP, but no longer
used.
I have a H: drive connected to a PCI ATA 100 card, this is where my
operating system lives.

My computer boots automatically to the H: drive, but when I remove the
C: drive physically, the computer will not boot to H:.

I looked at the boot.ini file. and the one the computer reads is on H.

So I'm guessing it looks at some of the other boot files like
pagefile.sys in my C drive before it reads the H drive's boot.ini.

Is it possible, that I can replace my c drive with a larger hard drive
by copying these hidden files on C onto a new drive. Replacing the c
drive physically with my "new" c drive (pretending its the same) and
get away with it?

I want to increase the size of my spare drive (which is currently C)
and take out my old drive C to put into another machine.

I think I can get away with this at the least by making an image of the
drive C: and putting this on another drive - then replacing C: with the
new fake C:. But I believe if I just copy some of the hidden files
onto another hard drive, it might be enough.

So in some sense, what I am asking is... how does my computer know what
drives are what? If they are not connected directly to the OS with
programs, can they be replaced without the computer really knowing?

So basically here is my system setup:
H: is active PRIMARY drive from my PCI card.

C: is also active PRIMARY drive from my regular EIDE connection.

I have no other hard drives currently connected, but I'd can add my new
hard drive as Slave in order to some transfers.

 

[Rich Barry]

You may have to reconfigure your boot.ini file. Using the Recovery
Console at the command prompt type:
Bootcfg /rebuild Check this KB Article for more info on the RC.
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/win_xp_rec.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/

 

[Timothy Daniels]

It sounds like the drive on the motherboard's is at
the head of the BIOS's hard drive boot order, making
its "active" Primary partition the one with the boot.ini
file that is read (although you believe otherwise).

If you know how to display the BIOS's hard drive boot
order (NOT the device boot order), please post the
list. Also post the contents of both boot.ini files.

*TimDaniels*

 

[James.S.Han]

Hmm, interesting... I don't know how to show the bios's hard drive boot
order.

But I'll show you the two boot.ini files. They are nearly identical,
but on different ide lines. (One connected to primary ide, the other
the PCI ATA card). Both are masters.

C: boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

H: boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

The C used to be a MCE Windows XP (as you can see).

Since when I boot, it loads Windows XP with very little timeout- and
also since I deleted the "Windows" directory in C (to save space). It
does not boot from my C's boot.ini which states 30 sec timeout.

I've found some discussion about a similar action:
http://www.tutorialsall.com/WINDOWS/More-Dual-1622941/

But I'm wondering if I can't cheat and just copy the boot data from C
(small amounts of data), onto my "new' drive. Using partition magic to
make my new drive as "Primary." Physically disconnect C: and replace
it with my fake C: and see if it doesn't run normally.

All my "My Documents" and Windows files are in "H:".

I think I can get away with this. Let me know if anyone thinks this is
inane. I've had many bad computer experiences in the past and I want
to think before going into this one.

Thanks.
James

It sounds like the drive on the motherboard's is at
the head of the BIOS's hard drive boot order, making
its "active" Primary partition the one with the boot.ini
file that is read (although you believe otherwise).

If you know how to display the BIOS's hard drive boot
order (NOT the device boot order), please post the
list. Also post the contents of both boot.ini files.

*TimDaniels*

I have a normal C: drive which used to be a Windows XP,
but no longer used. I have a H: drive connected to a
PCI ATA 100 card, this is where my operating system lives.

My computer boots automatically to the H: drive, but when
I remove the C: drive physically, the computer will not boot to H:.

I looked at the boot.ini file. and the one the computer reads
is on H.
[........]
So basically here is my system setup:
H: is active PRIMARY drive from my PCI card.

C: is also active PRIMARY drive from my regular EIDE connection.

I have no other hard drives currently connected,

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Both boot.ini files say to load the OS in the WINDOWS folder
in partition #1 of the hard drive at the head of the BIOS's
hard drive boot order (i.e. "rdisk(0)"). Either hard drive can
be "rdisk(0)" by putting it at the head of the BIOS's hard drive
boot order. Your computer's Owner's Manual should tell you
how to get into the BIOS and how the menus are arranged.
If you post the make and model of the computer, someone
here could probably tell you how to get into the BIOS. With
Dell computers, one presses the Delete key right after the
"beep" during startup or when the screen says to press DEL
to enter BIOS setup.

It's still not clear which boot.ini is being read since even with
a timeout value of 30 (seconds), ntldr will not wait if it sees
that there is only one entry in the options list and that it is the
same as the default entry. IOW, they will both appear to work
the same way.

It's also possible that the second drive (the one with partition
"H:") doesn't have a good MBR or that the "active" Primary
partition doesn't have a good boot sector. Try using the
Recovery Console on the WinXP installation CD to run
fixmbr and fixboot to correct any errors in those sectors.

*TimDaniels*

Hmm, interesting... I don't know how to show the bios's hard
drive boot order.

But I'll show you the two boot.ini files. They are nearly identical,
but on different ide lines. (One connected to primary ide, the other
the PCI ATA card). Both are masters.

C: boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

H: boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

The C used to be a MCE Windows XP (as you can see).

Since when I boot, it loads Windows XP with very little timeout- and
also since I deleted the "Windows" directory in C (to save space). It
does not boot from my C's boot.ini which states 30 sec timeout.

I've found some discussion about a similar action:
http://www.tutorialsall.com/WINDOWS/More-Dual-1622941/

But I'm wondering if I can't cheat and just copy the boot data from C
(small amounts of data), onto my "new' drive. Using partition magic to
make my new drive as "Primary." Physically disconnect C: and replace
it with my fake C: and see if it doesn't run normally.

All my "My Documents" and Windows files are in "H:".

I think I can get away with this. Let me know if anyone thinks this is
inane. I've had many bad computer experiences in the past and I want
to think before going into this one.

Thanks.
James

It sounds like the drive on the motherboard's is at
the head of the BIOS's hard drive boot order, making
its "active" Primary partition the one with the boot.ini
file that is read (although you believe otherwise).

If you know how to display the BIOS's hard drive boot
order (NOT the device boot order), please post the
list. Also post the contents of both boot.ini files.

*TimDaniels*

I have a normal C: drive which used to be a Windows XP,
but no longer used. I have a H: drive connected to a
PCI ATA 100 card, this is where my operating system lives.

My computer boots automatically to the H: drive, but when
I remove the C: drive physically, the computer will not boot to H:.

I looked at the boot.ini file. and the one the computer reads
is on H.
[........]
So basically here is my system setup:
H: is active PRIMARY drive from my PCI card.

C: is also active PRIMARY drive from my regular EIDE connection.

I have no other hard drives currently connected,

 

[James.S.Han]

Hard drive order is C: and then H:.

I tried fixing the partition with MBR on H:, but to no avail.

Apparently, I used to have LINUX on my H:, because when it boots, GRUB
gives me an error. lol. Maybe theres a way to fix GRUB.

I tried copying over my boot files to D: and running the order of
drives D: H:, but it didn't work.

I think imaging C: to D: might be the only way to swap.

I'm thinking of installing Linux on my D (i'll need it later anyway),
and finding someway it will know how to run Windows XP from H:. I
hopefully I won't need C: and can remove it once GRUB becomes the boot
loader.

-James

Both boot.ini files say to load the OS in the WINDOWS folder
in partition #1 of the hard drive at the head of the BIOS's
hard drive boot order (i.e. "rdisk(0)"). Either hard drive can
be "rdisk(0)" by putting it at the head of the BIOS's hard drive
boot order. Your computer's Owner's Manual should tell you
how to get into the BIOS and how the menus are arranged.
If you post the make and model of the computer, someone
here could probably tell you how to get into the BIOS. With
Dell computers, one presses the Delete key right after the
"beep" during startup or when the screen says to press DEL
to enter BIOS setup.

It's still not clear which boot.ini is being read since even with
a timeout value of 30 (seconds), ntldr will not wait if it sees
that there is only one entry in the options list and that it is the
same as the default entry. IOW, they will both appear to work
the same way.

It's also possible that the second drive (the one with partition
"H:") doesn't have a good MBR or that the "active" Primary
partition doesn't have a good boot sector. Try using the
Recovery Console on the WinXP installation CD to run
fixmbr and fixboot to correct any errors in those sectors.

*TimDaniels*

Hmm, interesting... I don't know how to show the bios's hard
drive boot order.

But I'll show you the two boot.ini files. They are nearly identical,
but on different ide lines. (One connected to primary ide, the other
the PCI ATA card). Both are masters.

C: boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /noexecute=optin

H: boot.ini
[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect

The C used to be a MCE Windows XP (as you can see).

Since when I boot, it loads Windows XP with very little timeout- and
also since I deleted the "Windows" directory in C (to save space). It
does not boot from my C's boot.ini which states 30 sec timeout.

I've found some discussion about a similar action:
http://www.tutorialsall.com/WINDOWS/More-Dual-1622941/

But I'm wondering if I can't cheat and just copy the boot data from C
(small amounts of data), onto my "new' drive. Using partition magic to
make my new drive as "Primary." Physically disconnect C: and replace
it with my fake C: and see if it doesn't run normally.

All my "My Documents" and Windows files are in "H:".

I think I can get away with this. Let me know if anyone thinks this is
inane. I've had many bad computer experiences in the past and I want
to think before going into this one.

Thanks.
James

It sounds like the drive on the motherboard's is at
the head of the BIOS's hard drive boot order, making
its "active" Primary partition the one with the boot.ini
file that is read (although you believe otherwise).

If you know how to display the BIOS's hard drive boot
order (NOT the device boot order), please post the
list. Also post the contents of both boot.ini files.

*TimDaniels*

I have a normal C: drive which used to be a Windows XP,
but no longer used. I have a H: drive connected to a
PCI ATA 100 card, this is where my operating system lives.

My computer boots automatically to the H: drive, but when
I remove the C: drive physically, the computer will not boot to H:.

I looked at the boot.ini file. and the one the computer reads
is on H.
[........]
So basically here is my system setup:
H: is active PRIMARY drive from my PCI card.

C: is also active PRIMARY drive from my regular EIDE connection.

I have no other hard drives currently connected,

 

[Andy]

Hello,

I have been reading many dual boot removal issues, but I have not found
one exactly like mine.

I have a normal C: drive which used to be a Windows XP, but no longer
used.
I have a H: drive connected to a PCI ATA 100 card, this is where my
operating system lives.

My computer boots automatically to the H: drive, but when I remove the
C: drive physically, the computer will not boot to H:.

I looked at the boot.ini file. and the one the computer reads is on H.

So I'm guessing it looks at some of the other boot files like
pagefile.sys in my C drive before it reads the H drive's boot.ini.

Instead of guessing, boot Windows, run Disk Management, and check the
status of the partitions. If the System or Page partition is on C:,
that's your problem.