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Swapping Hd's: Questions

NTL1991NTL1991
edited May 2005 in Software
OK. Today is the Big day! After realizing that I had only 1.3GB of free space after my server was up, I thought I needed a bigger drive. Remember that story about the NTLDR Error on that certain 40GB that I had? Well, I have an idea... I have:

1 6.00GB IDE HD
1 40.0GB IDE HD

Can I set the 6 as the master and install the OS on it, and the 40GB (slave) can hold all the applications like Office, MSFS9, Streets/Trips, etc? Im certain that I did this before on another PC, but I have some Questions:

I am on the 20GB Machine (the one with the FTP) and I am planning to put the 20GB into the machine that currently houses the 40GB. Should I reformat the HD on THIS PC, Rather than on that PC?

And, When I have XP Installed, Can I change the some Reg so the Installer's Default Setup Directory isnt C:, but D: where the 40GB is?

Thanks

Nick

Comments

  • nighticenightice
    There's actually a nifty registry trick that will rearrange drive letters. Check HKLM\SYSTEM\MountedDevices and swap \DosDrives\C: and \DosDrives(40gbdriveletter):. Reboot. Windows will boot off of the 6GB but mount the 40GB as C:. More info here.
  • NTL1991NTL1991
    Cool...

    So the swap should work, right?
  • BODBOD
    I'm pretty sure computer management can do that
  • DuffDuff
    BOD wrote:
    I'm pretty sure computer management can do that

    Yeah, unless it's the active system drive. Otherwise, it works well.
  • ThumpThump
    Yeah you can but maybe shouldn't. Is the 40 gig
    faster than the 6 gig? If it is then you would
    probably be better off with the fastest one as
    master.

    Thump
  • NTL1991NTL1991
    Well, The 40GB has a problem... I think it's a bad sector or something like that... I would get an error on startup:

    NTLDR: Couldn't Load Disk (0) Bus (?)??????

    Something like that...

    But it works... See. Im on it now.

    In a couple weeks Ill prpbably try to install with the 40GB and see what happens...

    What is a good HD diagnostic software?
  • BODBOD
    Spinrite
  • NTL1991NTL1991
    Well, I decided to remove the 6GB and try my luck at the 40GB... I set it to master and loaded the XP CD, it copied the files and voila, it works now... I can tell a difference now, apparently the 6GB was slower...

    Nick

    BTW, Now the 6GB can be my Main Partition for My FTP... See how things work...
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