[qaznqwerty]

I have a dual boot system with both having windows xp.

When I load into the 1st XP installation, the following is the list and assignment of the drives:
C : Local Disk (contains the 1st XP installation)
D : CD Drive
E : Local Disk (contains data and also few installed program folders)
F : Local Disk (contains the 2nd XP installation)
Note here that the CD drive is second in the order

Now when I load into the 2nd XP installation, the following is the list and assignment of the drives:
C : Local Disk (contains the 1st XP installation)
D : Local Disk (Data and other program folders)
E : Local Disk (contains the 2nd XP installation)
F : CD Drive
Note here that the CD drive has been placed at the last - fourth order. And all the other drives have been pushed one up.

Initially when I noticed this drive arrangement after setting up the dual boot, I just left it as is, not knowing what to do.
But nowadays I am having a lot of problems as the installed programs are not accessible because their target location keeps changing, everytime I keep switching between the two operating systems.

How can I solve this problem ??

Can I do the follwing : Load into the 1st XP installation, and then change the drive letters (of the last three drives) such that they are matching the drive assignment as seen when loading into the 2nd XP installation.
Here in a way I have kept the same drive name for both installations.
But Will this work ??
I also have some of the program folders for the 1st xp installation stored in E drive, and after changing it to D drive, will all the links be properly converted upon restart ??

 

[qaznqwerty]

Re: Can I change the drive letter from one of the dual boot drive

Or Any other workaround may be ??

 

[raptor_pa]

Re: Can I change the drive letter from one of the dual boot drive

Install your apps to both OS's, use the same location for the files, but this will mean the paths are correct for both.

 

[benten]

Re: Can I change the drive letter from one of the dual boot drive

For XP, right click my computer, select Manage. In the new window select Disk Management. You can reassign disk letters by selecting the your disk, right clicking and selecting change drive letter. You may have to juggle your drive letters to get what you want. Don't change the hard drive letters.

 

[qaznqwerty]

Re: Can I change the drive letter from one of the dual boot drive

I know how to change the drive- letters.
But I have been told that changing the drive letter where installed programs are present, will then not update the registry entry, and hence they will be rendered useless.

So how do I remove the CD drive from in-between without making much changes in other drive letters.

 

[JimE]

Re: Can I change the drive letter from one of the dual boot drive

The target "letter" shouldn't be changing. As each OS knows which drives are which. I would suspect you should be installing the app from each OS, not installing it once and trying to share it.