Testing 10 on second drive

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Hi, I’ve just re-installed Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit and all the updates (which I am happy with) and cloned it too another drive on the same PC, thinking I could then upgrade that drive to Windows 10, to try it. What I hadn’t allowed for is that the cloned drive has been lettered ‘B’ and I can’t re-letter it whist existing ‘C’ drive is there.:confused:

So my question is, if I re-letter existing ‘C’ drive or remove it, will the new ‘B’ drive automatically take over or will I be asking for trouble. Any suggestions to get around this situation and test out 10 without just installing it on ‘C’ and relying on the switch-back would be much appreciated…

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I would put in one drive at a time, to see which drive letters they have. My guess is that each one will be labeled C:., when there is only one drive at a time in the computer.

In other words, Windows, not you, assigned the drive letters, so Windows will make the “correction” on the letter used for the drive when there is only one drive in the computer.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I would put in one drive at a time, to see which drive letters they have. My guess is that each one will be labeled C:., when there is only one drive at a time in the computer.

In other words, Windows, not you, assigned the drive letters, so Windows will make the “correction” on the letter used for the drive when there is only one drive in the computer.

Thanks man. You were right. Windows re-lettered the drive to C: but I then had to F8 and tell it to look for the Boot manager on the new hard drive. :rolleyes:

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G.W.,

My suggestion would be to download and install EasyBCD (scroll down for the free version). This will allow you to identify the two drives and boot to either one.
After you have it setup I’d also install it to the other drive.

Then if you want to keep the swap files from interfering with each other you can use this registry hack (apply to both boots) to hide the non-booted drive from use.

Key: HKLMSYSTEMMountedDevicesOffline
Value: DosDevicesE:
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Note: you’ll apply the registry fix as shown on the original drive (Changing the E: to what ever drive letter your system assigns to the non-booted drive). Then boot into the cloned drive and apply it again with the appropriate drive letter.

Once this is done the booted drive will show as C: in both setups!

This is what File Explorer looks like on my Dual Boot Win 10/7 laptop when booted into Win 7:
44703-LaptopWin7

The Registry on the Win 7 Boot:
44704-LaptopWin7Registry

File Explorer when Booted in Win 10:
44705-LaptopWin10

The Registry on Win 10 Boot:
44706-LaptopWin10Registry

BTW: I’d also recommend you d/l iReboot it makes switching between OSes much easier!

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Hi, What I have done at this point based on mrjimphelps reply, is disconnected existing drive whereupon Windows re-lettered the drive to C: but I then had to F8 and tell it to look for the Boot manager on the new hard drive.

However I shall be studying your reply with a view to going down that road…

Many thanks :rolleyes:

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G.W.,

My suggestion would be to download and install EasyBCD (scroll down for the free version). This will allow you to identify the two drives and boot to either one.
After you have it setup I’d also install it to the other drive.

Then if you want to keep the swap files from interfering with each other you can use this registry hack (apply to both boots) to hide the non-booted drive from use.

Key: HKLMSYSTEMMountedDevicesOffline
Value: DosDevicesE:
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Note: you’ll apply the registry fix as shown on the original drive (Changing the E: to what ever drive letter your system assigns to the non-booted drive). Then boot into the cloned drive and apply it again with the appropriate drive letter.

Once this is done the booted drive will show as C: in both setups!

This is what File Explorer looks like on my Dual Boot Win 10/7 laptop when booted into Win 7:
44703-LaptopWin7

The Registry on the Win 7 Boot:
44704-LaptopWin7Registry

File Explorer when Booted in Win 10:
44705-LaptopWin10

The Registry on Win 10 Boot:
44706-LaptopWin10Registry

BTW: I’d also recommend you d/l iReboot it makes switching between OSes much easier!

HTH :cheers:

Not being fully conversant with the ways of this forum not sure my thanks would get to you so adding them here as well :rolleyes:

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G.W.

To thank someone for a post you just click the Thanks button at the bottom left of the post you are thanking them for. HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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