reinstalling Xp on different part of split drive?without erasing data?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt
  • Start date Start date
M

Matt

This may be a dumb-ass question, but I'm completely
stuck. I am running XP home on a split drive as supplied
by the manufacturer. I have C: and D: with Xp installed
on C:

Problem is C: is small disk, 2.79 GB total, and all
updates and patches have left me with 59 mb left on this
drive. This obviously affects operating speed and
ability on my 2.79 MHz 512mb system.

I want to install XP onto D: (size 48GB), but the last
time I tried this I lost ALL my data as it wiped clean
the contents. I have tried to copy Windows from C: to D:
(so that I can boot from D: on start-up) but this fails
as C: is still still running Windows at the time.

Does anybody know how I can reinstall XP on D: without
losing all my information and boot from D:, or as an
alternative, remove the Partition and make it one drive.
(I don't have partition magic or anything at the moment).

Any help with this matter would be appreciated. Thanks
 
Hi Matt,

If you got a generic WinXP CD, then installing to "D" should be as simply as
booting the CD, start a new installation - do not elect to format or do any
partition work - and when prompted as to where to place the installation,
select the second partition or indicate D:\Windows. This will actually set
up a native dual boot, but you can later remove the "C" installation.
Software will need to be reinstalled under the "D" installation, but data
files should remain intact.

As to your latter idea, you would need partitioning software that can merge
partitions. The only one I know of with that capability is Partition Magic.
However, the merge function is very tricky and any partitioning work carries
with it the chance of disaster. Should you decide to go this route, backup
any data you do not wish to lose to floppy or CD.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
 
I was going to start a new thread but since this is OT for me, also, I will
jump in.

I, took, installed a second drive on my XP machine. I did it more for
backup reasons (including that an W-98 machine nearby uses the XP machine
for file backup.

I used the software downloaded from the drive maker, Western Digital?, to
copy the old "C" onto the first partition of the new disk.

I switched cables around and everything seemed to work just fine. (The
first partition of the new drive is "C", the old drive is "F" (there are two
DVD/CD drives), and the FAT partitions of the new drive are "G" and "H".

BUT: Since then I found that system restore and creation of a backup point
no longer function (the computers says to jump through hoops like restart,
etc. but it still doesn't work.) Also, some M$ stuff (Word, Excel in M$
Office - Student Edition) keeps trying and failing to install something or
other and gives a message about a "patch" being missing. The same message
(patch being missing) keeps me from re-installing or un-installing that
software.

As far as I can remember, the system did boot with ONLY the new disk
connected but when both are connected, the computer "thinks" that "F" is
still the main drive ("System Properties" told me this.

SO: What to do? What to do?

EMWTK

Thanks in advance.

jlg
 
Matt said:
This may be a dumb-ass question, but I'm completely
stuck. I am running XP home on a split drive as supplied
by the manufacturer. I have C: and D: with Xp installed
on C:

Problem is C: is small disk, 2.79 GB total, and all
updates and patches have left me with 59 mb left on this
drive. This obviously affects operating speed and
ability on my 2.79 MHz 512mb system.

I want to install XP onto D: (size 48GB), but the last
time I tried this I lost ALL my data as it wiped clean
the contents.
Click to expand...

Rather than this, use a partition manager, to resize the partitions.
What I use is BootIT NG, from http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware -
30 day full functional trial)

Download, to its own folder, extract from the zip, run the bootitng to
make a boot floppy.

Boot the floppy, cancel install, entering Maintenance, and click on
Partition Work. Highlight the D:, use Resize to shrink it by say 8 or
10GB; then use Slide to push it along so the free space is in front.
You can then highlight C and resize to take in that free space.

This will not affect the installation or any of your data or programs,
provided there is no disaster like a power failure in the middle. So
always back up critical data before doing *any* serious work of this
sort, with *any* tool.

When you reboot, Windows will probably come up with 'found new hardware'
and ask to reboot again. This is because of the changed sizes and
nothing to bother about - just reboot.
 
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