How to Get Windows Xp to Be C: Drive in Dualboot with Vista?

B

bhokuto

New Member
HI guys,

I just installed Windows XP x64 after Windows Vista 32.

What I have is two problems while in XP mode>

1 the Drive letter is I:
2 I see Vista on C:

How do I effectively hide VIsta and make the necessary Drive letter changes so I can install applications that automatically look for 'Drive C:' as the main target?

On my initial I used EasyBCD 2.0 Build 93 to add a new entry into BCD of Vista then, I installed XP, but, I had to, use the Vista DVD to Repair the boot manager so I could then boot to either or which turned out great. So, I'm using the Windows Vista bootmanager which doesn't go to changing the drive letters or, effectively pass and hide the OS (switching).

Sorry for the complication.

Is there a remedy or should I get a real bootmanager that does this automatically?

Thanks again for a fine piece of software:lol:
Stu
 
You can't change the letter of the system after you've installed it.
DIsk letters are registry entries, not physical labels attached to the partition.
When an OS installs as x:\ it will contain multiple registry entries describing the locations of all of its essential components, like hardware drivers as x:\.........
If you hack the registry to change the partition letter of the live system, it will immediately lose the ability ever to boot it again, until you change the letter back to the same as it was when it installed. (not an easy thing to do in XP once you can no longer boot it, though still fairly simple to do in Vista/7).
If you want it to be C:\, you must make it install as C:\
In the case of XP, that means you must install it from the booted CD, not from another system, and it must not be able to see another Windows OS during the install.
There is no problem (for XP) in running permanently as notC:\
However some 3rd party apps will cause problems if the OS is not C: but there is a visible C:\ disk from another Windows. They will put some files in C:\Program Files\Common Files even when you tell them to install in X:\App Files. Unfortunately Adobe does this with some of the most ubiquitous apps like Reader and Flash, which can cause problems when 2 different OSs try to use the same common files library
If your XP is I:\ you must just ensure it cannot see Vista or W7 (whatever their letters) to protect their restore points from XP trying to "fix" them back to its own outdated format. You must also stop it seeing any other OS called C:\
You can do this either by permanently offlining those drives in the XP registry with this MS hack, or you can use our customized grub boot manager HnS, to hide the other OS(s) dynamically at boot time.
 
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