Dual Booting: Changing a Drive Letter

[Squirrelish87]

Hello all, I have been dual-booting my laptop for a few weeks now and wanted to change the drive letters for Windows. I have heard its not a problem to do on XP (Just make sure you boot from the correct partiton), but I wanted to verify before doing anything. From my understanding, the drive letter is actually named by whatever OS is running, not the drive itself (Meaning drive X on XP can be D on Vista type thing). Anyway, heres how I propose to attempt it, but I would like some help on filling the gaps. Help is appreciated.

GOALS:
XP (Currently E: on Vista, F: on XP) to be X: on both
Vista (Currently C: on both Vista and XP) to be V: on both
(This is so I can keep track of them by letter only)

I was planning to start by using Acronis Disk Director to rename XP's drive to X: while on the XP OS. From here, I'm not sure how to make sure when i start it back up, it will boot from the correct drive. Then, when I get XP working again, to change it on Vista (Changing the drive letter for the XP partition on Vista's OS wont mess with anything I understand...)

Next, I was planning on changing Vista's drive letter to V: while running the Vista OS. Not sure if the built in partitioner will allow this, but if it does, what would I have to do to get it to change it and still boot it? Again, once that boots Vista again, go to the XP OS and change the drive letter.


This brings up other questions of updating the registry and other programs (Since, technically, wont they be looking for the original drive letters?). Anyway, let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

 

[j79zlr]

Changing non-boot drive letters really isn't a major issue. Boot drives are another story. I wouldn't change them.

 

[Psyborg]

hope this helps:

http://www.vista4beginners.com/Change-drive-letters-dual-boot-configuration

also, you mentioned that programs might not work when you change drive letters?

in this case all you need do is right click on the shortcut to the program and on the shortcut menu you can change the drive letter and file paths there...

hope this helps

 

[Squirrelish87]

Yeah and only boot drives are in question here ^

Changing non-boot drive letters really isn't a major issue. Boot drives are another story. I wouldn't change them.

 

[Squirrelish87]

Thats a good starting point for this, thanks man

hope this helps:

http://www.vista4beginners.com/Change-drive-letters-dual-boot-configuration

also, you mentioned that programs might not work when you change drive letters?

in this case all you need do is right click on the shortcut to the program and on the shortcut menu you can change the drive letter and file paths there...

hope this helps