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Isolate Drive C without physically disconnecting other hard drives
Hello,
Is there a way in Windows (10) or with some 3rd-party software program to completely isolate Drive C from one or more of the other hard drives (internal and/or external) as though the other drive(s) are disconnected?
I am currently running Windows 7 with a hard drive configuration that looks like this:
Drive C is a 500 GB SSD.
Drives E, F & G are standard internal drives.
Drive I is an external drive.
I've had some issues with my current system for a while which I suspect may be related to software (and other file) conflicts.
I plan to upgrade several hardware components in the near future and one of the upgrades will be a new 1TB SSD Drive C. My understanding is that my current (500 GB SSD) Drive C will still be accessible but just not in the Drive C slot or position (not sure of the right terminology).
The thing I would really like to do once the new Drive C is installed, is to have it completely isolated from any of the other drives while I install each software program and do some testing along the way to determine if the issues I've been having are resolved.
The logical solution would be to selectively disconnect/connect other drives as needed. However, due to paralysis related to a spinal chord injury, I cannot physically connect or disconnect anything (including drives ) without someone's help. For that reason, I would really like to find a way to "virtually" connect or disconnect drives.
Thanks
Is there a way in Windows (10) or with some 3rd-party software program to completely isolate Drive C from one or more of the other hard drives (internal and/or external) as though the other drive(s) are disconnected?
I am currently running Windows 7 with a hard drive configuration that looks like this:
Drive C is a 500 GB SSD.
Drives E, F & G are standard internal drives.
Drive I is an external drive.
I've had some issues with my current system for a while which I suspect may be related to software (and other file) conflicts.
I plan to upgrade several hardware components in the near future and one of the upgrades will be a new 1TB SSD Drive C. My understanding is that my current (500 GB SSD) Drive C will still be accessible but just not in the Drive C slot or position (not sure of the right terminology).
The thing I would really like to do once the new Drive C is installed, is to have it completely isolated from any of the other drives while I install each software program and do some testing along the way to determine if the issues I've been having are resolved.
The logical solution would be to selectively disconnect/connect other drives as needed. However, due to paralysis related to a spinal chord injury, I cannot physically connect or disconnect anything (including drives ) without someone's help. For that reason, I would really like to find a way to "virtually" connect or disconnect drives.
Thanks
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i usually recommend disconnecting all drives that are not needed for installing a fresh OS; often there are problems when other drives are connected (eg making a system partition on another drive)
so - if possible at all, try to do that- even if you need another person for that; then you will have a good fresh start
so you only need a person once
so - if possible at all, try to do that- even if you need another person for that; then you will have a good fresh start
so you only need a person once
Can you check if you have that functionality in the BIOS, most do.
ASKER
Thanks
ASKER
If a secondary drive (not Drive C) letter is deleted will it be completely inaccessible from Drive C (which is what I want) even though the drive is still physically connected,?
Yes, all other drives will definitely be disconnected while the new Drive C and new OS is being installed.
Apologies if that was not clear in the OP. I'm not referring to connecting or disconnecting drives while new hardware is being installed as much as after that occurs. Sitting in front of my computer is pretty much all I do due to my disability and I'm hoping to do everything possible to eliminate potential conflicts coming from files on the older drives. I still need access to data on those drives however so I'm ready to disconnect them permanently.
My strategy therefore, is to first make sure the new Drive C is stable and glitch-free with all of my standard software installed. Once I've done that, my plan is to gradually and selectively give Drive C access to the other drives and watch closely to see if problems arise. If they do then I assume I would at least be able to ascertain which drive is the culprit — which is something I have had no way of doing in the past.
I'm not all that tech-savvy so I am certainly open to suggestions for other methods to accomplish my objective but at present, what I have described along with the comments added to this thread so far are where things stand.