Windows install question

[synth7]

Long story short, I am going to reinstall Windows on my harddrive. Currently, it has one corrupt Windows install on the only partition, as well as all my files (80GB+) on there. My question is, is it possible for me to, in the Windows install via CD, to create a new partition which will become C:\ to put my new install on, and have my current (corrupt) C:\ assigned a different drive letter, which I can then go into and delete all the folders ("\WINDOWS\", "\Program Files\", etc). I hope that makes sense.

~ synth7

 

[s0me0ne]

A better question would be could you repair it? or fix the problem.

I'm 99.9% sure you cant resize a partition with a windows xp cd (I would asume if it cant do it then 2k/98/me would have no chance).

You said its a cuppupt install on it so the chances of doing the resize threw eather disk manager or partition magic wont be very good.

If for some reason you did have an extra gig(s) of unused space you might be able to sneak the install then manage the disk that way.

Windows repair might be an option?

if nothing else just boot with a live linux cd like slax, or put the drive in another machine. Take what you need then format the hole drive and start over.

Hope this helps.

 

[jeremy]

the only ways youll be able to create a new partition is to delete an alredy existing partition (which i believe you dont wanna do) or use a partitioning software that can make a new partition without data loss and take the space from an alredy existing partition (acronis director suite/partition magic), as for drive letters they cannot be customized it all depends on order of devices in primary/secondary ide/sata which one comes first,how many partitons etc while windows may allow you to customize some drive letters for your own convinence those customizations are virtual only , , and as alredy said you might wanna do a repair install see this guide http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

edit2: check out this project http://www.ubcd4win.com/ it lets you run windows directly from a cd with various other softwares , so i suggest youll use it to burn your important data to cdrs/dvds or copy it to external hard drive