New Hard drive reading as F: drive!!!

[Haynz71]

Just installed a larger hard drive (WD 160GB HDD) in my computer. Previously I had a 120GB HDD. But it's reading the new HDD in the F: drive. Why would this be? I'm just used to having it located in the C: Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!!!

[RJ]

Hello and welcome to PC Mech,

do you have drives C:, D: and E: installed ? If so, after E comes F, therefore your hard drive is F: now. If you don't like it you can change it in disk management (rightclick on my computer, select manage, disk management).

RJ

[Cricket]

Did you install the operating system on the new hard drive? Do you have another hard drive with an operating system on it still installed in the computer?

:) Cricket

[Haynz71]

Thanks for the welcome. Well in computer management it's reading my removeable drive as the C: drive. How do you change the drive letter in this screen? If it's simple enough I want my HDD to be the C: drive and the removeable drive to be the F: drive. Thanks.

[RJ]

So, your new hard drive is supposed to be the system drive, not an additional hard drive ?
Well, in this case you gotta reinstall Windows. You can't change the drive letter of the system partition.

RJ

[Haynz71]

Hey Cricket...Yes I did install the OS on the new HDD. And it is the only HDD in my computer.

[Haynz71]

Yeah I was thinking I would have to reinstall the OS...damn!!! :mad: LOL. Well I appreciate your help RJ!!! Aloha.

[spyder003]

Either way, you can't change the letter of the primary partition.

[glc]

Install Windows with all other drives disconnected - especially externals and removables. Install with exactly one hard drive, one CD drive, and one floppy drive connected.

[Haynz71]

I just realized I still had my Printer hooked up when I installed the OS. Could this possibily be the reason?

[Yuanji]

you can change the drive letters, it just makes everything a lot more complicated. you can go into drive manager, first transfer the drive tht's in C that you dont wanna into something else, change F to C, and then change as you please. this will cause program problems as all of your programs were installed in the registry depending on what drive letter they were first installed so you will have to browse for the folder containing the prog you want the first time you start any new progs.

[glc]

I just realized I still had my Printer hooked up when I installed the OS. Could this possibily be the reason?

YES, if the printer has card reader slots!

[Haynz71]

THANKS!!! GLC...the printer was the culprit. Reinstalled the OS. HDD now reading as the C: drive...duh that was a stupid mistake on my part. Glad to be a member here. Everyone responded quickly to my problem. I really appreciate it. Aloha.