winXP Pro: move everything from drive C (5GB) to D (32GB)

[tazblue68]

Drice C (5GB) is 90% full and i do not even have all the programs i would like. Drive D (32GB) is 90% free (have my pics on it); how do i switch or even combine? I tried moving Windows (using expolrere command) and it wouldnt move. Tried moving and even installins some programs on D but then they would't work. As i do not have a Win XP Pro install CD I am being cautious as to not defunk my whole computer. Can anyone help me make better use of all the free space on D? thanks, Taz

[Anodoin]

The programs don't work because Windows is looking for them in a specific location, and you moved them away.  For the same reason you can't simply "move" the Windows directory, you'll have to reinstall.  In the meantime though, install all your programs onto the D-drive, move any personal files you have (music, photos, etc.) to the d-drive, to free up space on the C-Drive.

[tazblue68]

so basically i need to get a Win XP Pro install CD w/ COA (it didnt come with my pc) and install to OS on D. Then can I delete Windows from C, making D the default drive?

[soybean]

Tried moving and even installins some programs on D but then they would't work.

You should be able to install programs on D.  What programs did you try this with and have trouble?  I presume you're doing this via a normal installation procedure.  When you start the installation, which will normally show a screen showing drive C as the drive on which the program will be installed by default, you must change the path, i.e. change C to D, and then proceed.  Is that what you're doing when you try to install on D?

[patio]

I think an 80G HDD would be a good idea for you.
You can use the manuf. utilities that ship with a new drive to "clone" your existing C: drive to the 80G and plenty of space left over.
Then you can wipe the old drive after checking that everything is in working order and use it for storage space...


p.s. If it's Windows it likes to be on the C: drive anyways.

[tazblue68]

I thought as I installed programs I had designated D but maybe I can try it again. Thanks to everyone who has helped.

[contrex]

p.s. If it's Windows it likes to be on the C: drive anyways.

Not really true. I think this myth arose because most people seem to install Windows on the C: drive. Often because it's the only one they have. Usually when you buy a PC with Windows preinstalled it's on the C: drive or partition. But it's not compulsory. When I installed XP in October 2001, I was already running Windows 98 SE from my C: drive. I had a second hard drive, and XP gave me the choice of installing over Windows 98 or of making a dual-boot install on drive D:. I chose the latter, and ran XP quite happily for 3 years until I got a new computer. Even when I abolished Windows 98 and made the C: drive a data drive, I never had any problems, except a few badly coded program installers whose writers obviously just assumed that everybody uses drive C:. Most apps read the registry or the %ProgramFiles% system variable and realised that D:\Program Files was the place to go.

[soybean]

Yes, earlier versions of Windows had to be on C but Win XP does not need to be.  I don't know about Win 2k.

[tazblue68]

i bought my pc off ebay and it already had Windows XP Pro installed and did not come with an install cd. i suppose my best option is to save some money and buy a Windows install cd. then i can install windows on D and use a wipe program to clean C and then  my drives will be swapped.

[soybean]

Having a Windows CD would definitely be a good thing.  However, here's a suggestion for moving your OS to the larger drive without having a Windows CD.  Can you backup the pictures on the larger drive to a CD or other external media so that you can format, i.e. erase, drive D?  Hard drive makers have software tools to copy the full contents of one drive to another; such software is often put on CD and packaged with new hard drives.  For example, Western Digital's Data Lifeguard Tools can do this, at least for Western Digital drives. 

If you can use such software from one of the hard drive makers, you could copy your OS to your larger drive.  Then, make it master, or C, and the smaller drive could then be used as a slave drive, i.e. D. 

[tazblue68]

thanks for all your help man. i will check out your suggestion.