Metropol

I recently accidentally deleted an important file from my C: drive, which stopped Windows working, so I had to re-install it again (twice), this time on a new partition which is now the F: drive. I've had to re-install and re-download all the applications, software, drivers etc.

Now, I wouldn't mind merging the two drives, but basically I want my C: drive to work again. If I delete the current C: partition, would I lose all my files and folders? I really don't want to touch anything, because it was a huge waste of a day getting everything back.

This might be a silly question, but do you know what the important file was?

If so, why not copy it from the F: drive partition back to the C: drive partition, so your original Windows works again. Then get rid of the F: drive partition, leaving Windows and all your user files together in one partition?

If the old copy of XP is still in tact, you might want to try a repair rather than a reinstall. Nick's suggestion should work too.

Nick Harvey wrote:This might be a silly question, but do you know what the important file was?

If so, why not copy it from the F: drive partition back to the C: drive partition, so your original Windows works again. Then get rid of the F: drive partition, leaving Windows and all your user files together in one partition?

Sadly, I've no idea as to what the file was. I did try to remember, and all I can recall was that it had system32 in there somewhere, but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of these files.

Also, I did try the repair option, but I couldn't remember my password for my C: drive account, and in fact I don't remember even having one! It's complicated to explain really, but if I did do anything, I would have to wait until Monday afternoon, when I've finished an essay, so that I don't accidentally lose it.

EDIT: Are you talking about the Repair Console? I've heard that it's rarely used by Windows users... It's at times like this that I wish I had an iMac with Boot Camp running Mac OS X and Windows. Well, Windows 7 when it comes out. Not Vista.

IIRC, due to the legacy nature of some system processess, it's impossible for Windows to exist entirely outside of C: drive. If you choose to install to another partition/drive, then the bulk of the OS will go there, but some core system files (including the bootloader) will still be written to C: regardless of where you've asked for Windows to be installed.

Whatever has screwed up your original installation might well have been restored in this process - have you tried switching back to the original partition in Disk Management and seeing if your old installation will fire up now?

cwathen wrote:IIRC, due to the legacy nature of some system processess, it's impossible for Windows to exist entirely outside of C: drive. If you choose to install to another partition/drive, then the bulk of the OS will go there, but some core system files (including the bootloader) will still be written to C: regardless of where you've asked for Windows to be installed.

Not true. Windows XP can be installed anywhere you care to mention providing its not floppy, USB, CD or a mapped network drive. You can install XP from a network drive though and a USB pen drive, just not to an external drive.

XP classifies drive C as the first drive it sees regardless of whether its a card reader or a physical drive. Therefore its perfectly possible to end up with XP on Drive F or whatever if the machine isn't able to write to Drive C. The bootloader ends up on the first drive that's writable which ends up being the boot drive.

bee bee see wrote:

Nick Harvey wrote:This might be a silly question, but do you know what the important file was?

If so, why not copy it from the F: drive partition back to the C: drive partition, so your original Windows works again. Then get rid of the F: drive partition, leaving Windows and all your user files together in one partition?

Sadly, I've no idea as to what the file was. I did try to remember, and all I can recall was that it had system32 in there somewhere, but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of these files.

If you're feeling like taking a bit of a risk, you could copy the old windows folder over the new one so it overwrites every existing file. You could then move it all back to the location of the old copy of windows. Doing that should replace all the clean windows files with all the settings and information from the old install and the things it didn't overwrite are probably the files that were missing.

You need to use the Recovery Disk that came with your machine when you bought it in the shop. Put that in and click Toshiba Full Recovery. Click Yes to the warning. That will do it for you and restore your C:/ drive. Let me now if you need further help.

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