Just added new HDD and it partitioned between old C: and D:

[Redwingsguy]

Can I change this?? I used to have a 20gig and had it partitioned to C: and D:, but when I added this new HDD instead of going to E:, it got added as D and the old D: got bumped to E: so now all my short cuts are messed up! I can't choose which letters to assign them in control Panel-> system...

 

[ShaggyDogg]

Did you by chance use Partition Magic? It has a feature to called drive mapper that will fix that for ya!

 

[PowerEngineer]

Redwing, I think I know what happened. WinXX does not allow you to specify which letters go with which partitions. The letters are assigned on the fly based what the computer sees when you boot up. By adding a new drive, you've shaken things up.

I once had the same issue and found a detailed write-up on how letters are assigned, but can't find the link now. It goes something like this: The first letters are assigned to the first primary partition on each physical disk in you system. For a 2 IDE channel system, I think the order is first master, second master, first slave, second slave (could be wrong here). The next letters are assigned to the logical partitions in the virtual paritions on each drive (all logicals on first master, then all logicals on second master, etc.). Finally letters are assigned to all the remaining physical paritions on the drives.

So, in your case, the first physical partition on your orginal drive remained C:, but the first physical partition on your second drive now gets the next letter D: (and your old D: becomes E. As far as I know, there's no way to overcome this.

This really sucks! And is one reason why fewer people are as partition-happy as we were back a few years ago (when my partitioning reached up to L: !!!). I believe AT has a FAQ on partitioning somewhere...

 

[obenton]

I assume you're not using w2k, which would change those drive letters for you. So, repartition your new drive and change its Primary DOS partition to an extended partition with logical drive. It will then become E:, as you want it.

 

[bacillus]

one way around this is to make the whole of the new hdd an extended partition!

 

[Redwingsguy]

I couldn't use Fdisk though and had to use WD's setup disk because of their sector 63 offset... I've tried useing Fdisk before with WD's and it never turned out too good.

 

[Mavrick007]

<< This really sucks! And is one reason why fewer people are as partition-happy as we were back a few years ago (when my partitioning reached up to L: !!!). I believe AT has a FAQ on partitioning somewhere... >>


Hehe Hey, my drive partitioning here is up to L: now too (and that's not including cd/dvd-roms). I have mine set up this way cause of fragmenting (takes less time to defrag a smaller drive and I defrag some more than others according to use) and each virtual drive has a purpose.. ie. ISO, Games, Archive, Emulators, etc.