Switching Disk Drives

Yelsikneb · 06-03-2009, 04:34 PM

I have two disk drives in my computer, and I have installed all my games/software using disk drive E:. When I put disks in drive I:, it won't work since I installed all my games to E:. But I need to use drive I: now, and I was wondering how to switch the target drive to lead games on over to I:. I've heard you can do it through the registry, but I haven't found any entries for any games. I won't be able to play games until I can use I:, so please help!

**5NIPER_WOLF** · 06-03-2009, 06:57 PM

Just install the games on drive I, uninstalling the games on drive E. There is an option at the beginning of any game installaiton

Yelsikneb · 06-03-2009, 07:25 PM

But the thing is, I don't want to uninstall every single one of my programs that runs on disk, because I'd lose all my game files.

**5NIPER_WOLF** · 06-04-2009, 01:50 PM

Then copy your save file folders (usually located in a data folder or Documents and Settings) to a safe location and put them back into the new installation.

Yelsikneb · 06-04-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5NIPER_WOLF

Then copy your save file folders (usually located in a data folder or Documents and Settings) to a safe location and put them back into the new installation.

Ugh... that'd take so long. There has to be another way!

**koala** · 06-05-2009, 07:36 AM

Backing up the saves and reinstalling the games is quicker and more reliable than trying to find all the hidden registry entries for each game. Some entries are easy to find because the names are recognisable, but others are just strings of numbers.

**5NIPER_WOLF** · 06-05-2009, 02:47 PM

Actually it would not take that long, I copied over 120 save files from 25 or so games and it only took about 40 minutes, minus the reinstallation times

djdat · 07-21-2009, 05:01 AM

The simple solution is to switch the drive's positions on the cables.

This will make e: into i: and vice-versa.

Or you could just use a patch....

Mcninjaguy · 07-23-2009, 05:42 PM

hello Yelsikneb,

I would not follow djdat's instructions as switching the sata cables does nothing but simply move the cables. The OS knows which drive is which and so does your BIOS. Personally and I know a lot of other people here on TSF have this opinion is to not touch the registry unless you absolutely have to.

Reinstall the games and backup the saved games.

06-03-2009, 04:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
Yelsikneb Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 54 OS: Windows Vista 64-bit Home Premium My System	Switching Disk Drives I have two disk drives in my computer, and I have installed all my games/software using disk drive E:. When I put disks in drive I:, it won't work since I installed all my games to E:. But I need to use drive I: now, and I was wondering how to switch the target drive to lead games on over to I:. I've heard you can do it through the registry, but I haven't found any entries for any games. I won't be able to play games until I can use I:, so please help!

06-03-2009, 06:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
5NIPER_WOLF Senior Tech, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 3,252 OS: Windows VISTA Home Premium 64-Bit/Fedora 11/Mandriva/WinXP SP3 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Switching Disk Drives Just install the games on drive I, uninstalling the games on drive E. There is an option at the beginning of any game installaiton __________________ Apps - CCleaner FireBug Network Mapper WinDirStat Process Explorer SpeedFan Info - Very Important NVIDIA Drivers ATI Drivers PSU Info I do not give support with MSN/E-mail or Private Messages.

06-03-2009, 07:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
Yelsikneb Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 54 OS: Windows Vista 64-bit Home Premium My System	Re: Switching Disk Drives But the thing is, I don't want to uninstall every single one of my programs that runs on disk, because I'd lose all my game files.

06-04-2009, 01:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
5NIPER_WOLF Senior Tech, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 3,252 OS: Windows VISTA Home Premium 64-Bit/Fedora 11/Mandriva/WinXP SP3 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Switching Disk Drives Then copy your save file folders (usually located in a data folder or Documents and Settings) to a safe location and put them back into the new installation. __________________ Apps - CCleaner FireBug Network Mapper WinDirStat Process Explorer SpeedFan Info - Very Important NVIDIA Drivers ATI Drivers PSU Info I do not give support with MSN/E-mail or Private Messages.

06-05-2009, 07:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,379 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Re: Switching Disk Drives Backing up the saves and reinstalling the games is quicker and more reliable than trying to find all the hidden registry entries for each game. Some entries are easy to find because the names are recognisable, but others are just strings of numbers. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

06-05-2009, 02:47 PM	#7 (permalink)
5NIPER_WOLF Senior Tech, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 3,252 OS: Windows VISTA Home Premium 64-Bit/Fedora 11/Mandriva/WinXP SP3 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Switching Disk Drives Actually it would not take that long, I copied over 120 save files from 25 or so games and it only took about 40 minutes, minus the reinstallation times __________________ Apps - CCleaner FireBug Network Mapper WinDirStat Process Explorer SpeedFan Info - Very Important NVIDIA Drivers ATI Drivers PSU Info I do not give support with MSN/E-mail or Private Messages.

07-21-2009, 05:01 AM	#8 (permalink)
djdat Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London Posts: 48 OS: win xp pro sp3	Re: Switching Disk Drives The simple solution is to switch the drive's positions on the cables. This will make e: into i: and vice-versa. Or you could just use a patch.... Last edited by djdat; 07-21-2009 at 05:04 AM.

07-23-2009, 05:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Switching Disk Drives hello Yelsikneb, I would not follow djdat's instructions as switching the sata cables does nothing but simply move the cables. The OS knows which drive is which and so does your BIOS. Personally and I know a lot of other people here on TSF have this opinion is to not touch the registry unless you absolutely have to. Reinstall the games and backup the saved games.