Solved How does one install Vista on an already formatted, letter designated hard drive?

JoeVistax64

JoeVistax64

Member
How does one install Vista on an already formatted, letter designated hard drive?

Couldn't find an answer or the correct exact forum for this question, so I'll just fire away here and hope for the best....

Let's say someone has a hard drive that is already formatted, letter designated and tested -

For instance -

A brand new hard drive is purchased and tested -

In order to test it, it must be formatted -

To be formatted, a drive letter must be assigned -

Cannot name it "C", as that is the primary drive that the system's operating system is already on -

So the drive is designated as "X" (or just any other random letter) -

Now...

Physically install the above drive in the same physical location as the previous primary drive (that the system's operating system is already on), thus, physically replacing it -

Insert the Vista full version DVD and begin the installation -

Vista asks which drive -

If the new drive, "X" is chosen...

1.) Will Vista automatically change this (above) new drive's letter designation to "C"?

~ or ~

2.) Will Vista just go ahead and install on "X", leaving it's designation as "X", thus, booting, OS, etc. will now all be from from "X"?

~ or ~

3.) Will Vista just go ahead and install on "X", leaving it's designation as "X", thus, booting, OS, etc. will now all be from from "X" ...BUT... The drive letter of the 'boot, OS, primary, etc. drive' can be changed to "C" after the Vista installation?

~ or ~

4.) Something else happens, that's not listed here?
 

My Computer

System One

Hello Joe, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You would just do a clean install of Vista as usual, but select the formatted HDD "X" that you want to install it on during installation.
Whatever OS you startup, it's drive will have the C letter by default. Even if it's not C in another OS.

Hope this helps, :)
Shawn

​
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
Hi and thank you for the help, much appreciated...

Just so I have this fully understood...

I install to "X" and as Vista is installing, it will rename "X" to "C"?

It doesn't matter, Vista will always rename it's target drive to "C"?

---------------------------------------------------

One of reasons I'm still confused, is when a system is a double-boot, multi-boot, multiple OS, etc., how do you pick which drive, when you're booting to the OS you want then?

I've read a little, it seems that each OS will "see" each drive the way it's been set up, for that OS?

For instance...

In a dual boot system, let's say I have one partitioned primary drive and one secondary storage drive...

For simplictity say XP and Vista...

(skipping all the interaction type problems of the two OSs)

On the partitoned primary drive, XP will "see" it's partiton as "C"... and Vista's partiton as "D"?

Conversely, Vista will "see" it's partition as "C"... and XP's partition as "D"?

...and (academically asked, for a more in depth understanding of all this) the separate secondary storage drive, can be designated, say "X" in XP... and "V" Vista? Same separate secondary storage drive, yet each OS can "see" it as a different letter?
 

My Computer

System One

Answers inline. :)


JoeVistax64 said:
One of reasons I'm still confused, is when a system is a double-boot, multi-boot, multiple OS, etc., how do you pick which drive, when you're booting to the OS you want then?
Click to expand...

When you dual boot, you will get a Windows Boot Manager screen like below at boot to select what OS you want to startup.

Operating System to Start - Change Display List Time - Windows 7 Forums

3009d1232193663-operating-system-start-change-display-list-time-boot_manager.jpg

​

JoeVistax64 said:
Just so I have this fully understood...

I install to "X" and as Vista is installing, it will rename "X" to "C"?

It doesn't matter, Vista will always rename it's target drive to "C"?
Click to expand...
Whatever the drive letter is you install Vista on, it will stiill be the same drive letter when you are in another OS, say XP.
​

JoeVistax64 said:
On the partitoned primary drive, XP will "see" it's partiton as "C"... and Vista's partiton as "D"?

Conversely, Vista will "see" it's partition as "C"... and XP's partition as "D"?
Click to expand...
Yes.
​
JoeVistax64 said:
...and (academically asked, for a more in depth understanding of all this) the separate secondary storage drive, can be designated, say "X" in XP... and "V" Vista? Same separate secondary storage drive, yet each OS can "see" it as a different letter?
Click to expand...
A non OS drive, say a storage drive, would have the same drive letter in both OS's.
​
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
That was incredibly clear. Many, many thanks!

Please, one last check, if you don't mind...

I am going to test a new hard drive for use as my primary (OS) drive...

In order to do this, I will have to format and designate this new hard drive as drive letter "X", because the system I'm using to do this, already has a "C" (it's primary drive)...

Then...

I will be installing Vista64 on this new drive "X"...

Will Vista take this new drive "X" and automatically change it's letter to "C", as it's installing itself, etc.?

(I hope that this thread also helps others, who might have similar concerns)
 

My Computer

System One

I am probably still phrasing inadequately, my apologies...

I am going to test this new hard drive for use as my primary (OS) drive...

In order to do this, I will have to format and designate this new hard drive as drive letter "X", because my system already has a "C" (it's primary drive)...

Then...

I will be removing the old primary (OS) drive "C", putting in this new hard drive (named "X" when I formatted it) and installing a fresh new, sealed, never used, Vista64 Ultimate on this new drive "X"...

Will Vista then take this new drive "X" and automatically change it's letter to "C", as it's installing itself?
 

My Computer

System One

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
Thank you and thank you again for your patience...

The reason I need to test it, before installing Vista on it, is because if it's "bad" and I register Vista on it, then need to return the drive and get another, I'll always have to call Microsoft, every time I do a fresh install from that Vista DVD.

As you know, Microsoft tracks every installation's componentry, changing a drive's serial number ceases full registration, then you have call them every time... many people say it a real pain and once you have to call them, then you're basically stuck calling them for every fresh install.

That's why I'm trying figure out how to test the new drive and then do a nice normal, full installation.
 

My Computer

System One

You're most welcome.

You usually won't have to do a phone activation when just changing the HDD. You'll more likely only need to do a phone activation if you changed motherboards or computers. :)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
Thank you again (and again) and thank you all for your patience...

Let me word this differently...

Let's I have a few drives on my current system, letters unimportant...

Now I buy a used 1TB VelociRaptor, that the previous owner had used for video storage and he has already letter designated it as "P"...

(purely fictional, but better expresses my situation mechanically)

Now, I have this great, slightly used hard drive, already letter designated "P", I want to remove my current primary hard drive ("C") and use this pre-owned 1TB VelociRaptor, that the previous owner has already letter designated "P"...

I have two other storage hard drives on my system...

I physically install this (above) used 1TB VelociRaptor, that the previous owner has already letter designated "P"...

I go to install Vista and I want use this (above) pre-owned, 1TB VelociRaptor, that the previous owner has already letter designated "P"... as my primary "C" drive...

Now what?

(sorry for any confusion I've generated)
 

My Computer

System One

You would basically just need to boot from your Vista installation DVD, and when you get to step 10 and 11 in the tutorial below, you would delete all partitions on the 1TB VelociRaptor until it was only Unallocated Space. From here, you would just select the Unallocated Space for the 1TB VelociRaptor, click on Next, and let Vista format and install automatically for you as in the tutorial.
The pre existing drive letters are irrelevant. :)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
You're most welcome. :)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
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