OOOPS! I created a small partition and then installed windows

I installed Win. XP Pro on my friends computer and created a partion so I could install it int two different places. I created a 6 gig partition which is barely enough room for the OS. This left 299 gigs or so for the second installation. My desktop is only on the small one, and I want it to be on the large one. Last night, I spent hours on this problem. I was able to change the drive letter so C is the large one, which makes it easier to install programs. Also, I moved "my documents" to the large partition.

Is there a way to move my desktop to the large partition? Or would I have to reformat and start all over?

 

If you are running Windows XP on two separate partitions, then all you would need to do is modify the boot.ini file. I have done this myself, but would rather let someone with a little more knowledge help with this one.

If no one responds, I'll try to help as best as possible.

 

I do it through the registry
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986
I should read this one day myself

I just stumbled upon this method one day, havent had any problems with it at all

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

I have favorites and desktop on my 'data' partition
so, when I reformat, I just backup that partition and wipe the one with the OS on it

back up your registry first !!

 

A 6gig install of XP??? Wow that is amazing!

 

yeah, my pc at work has a 6 gig HDD, and XP, so I assumed I could pull it off as a partition. But at work, I don't deal with cutting and pasting large files.

 

I guess since in my computers an XP install is like a gig and a half!

 

How do you get it so small? No paging file? No virtual RAM? Compressing files?

 

no I just install it, I have several older computers in my shop that have XP and office installed on 4gb harddrives. my Paging file, and virtual RAM, etc are all set to defaults, even with system restore on, it is still less then 4gb!
I have an old IBM laptop I use for portable troubleshooting in the field, it's hard drive is only 4gb and I have a ton of stuff including XP installed there.
Check out this link this is what Microsoft says you need for XP,
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/sysreqs.mspx
If your needing a 6gb install for XP then my friend you are doing something very wrong somewhere.

 

First of all, you can't install and activate two versions of your XP, well you could but you can't activate it. That being said I have used a 5GB partition for XP but had a partition D: to install most of my software on my 40GB HDD, except for MS products most will allow you to do this. The problems that come up is when software you are using uses the C drive for large files due to the way the software is using it. I'd give XP 20GB and install software to a partition. One great advantage to this is you can reformat your XP install without touching or losing any data on the other partitions if you have to do a clean install. You have the room on a 300GB, don't be stingy.

Edit: Ya, I'd say reformat into several partitions, I have SW on one, utilities on another, important documents and a 100GB partition for entertainment files. Desktop doesn't use much space and would be worthless. Oh, I don't use MS's pictures etc files, I just make a shortcut to where I want them to be. Easier to back up also.

 

augiedoggie, I thought you could activate windows more than once if it is done on the same machine?

Anyways, I would like to find a tutorial that tells me how to change the location of the desktop.

 

Have you thought about restarting as follows.. backup all data on Big partition then format it then use partition Magic and stretch the 6 gig to 20+ and reinstall data/progs etc.

 

If you don't mind my asking, what exactly is the point of installing the same version of XP on the same machine in 2 different partitions? Dual-boot Windows XP Home and Windows XP........ Home? I don't get it.

 

Ohh I get it, and anymore everyone should have 2 OS's on their system. You never know when something bad is going to happen to the one, and this way you can alsways get in to save your files, or to repair. Been a long time since I ran just one on a system. I agree that running two of the same seems strange, up until the first time one becomes too buggy to use and then you can boot into the 2nd and either repair it, or start backing up you files.
@toke, He wouldn't even have to reformat, Partition magic will allow him to resize the partition and then reboot right back into it.