Question Can two different Windows 10 installations on separate SSD's have the same drive letter?

[NickTsl]

So, I wanna install windows 10 on a new ssd I just bought.

But, I want both installations to have C: as their drive letter. Will there be any issue?
I also want to not be able to access the other drive's files, when booting from one

 

[USAFRet]

Whichever one you boot into will see itself as the C drive. The other drive will be something else. D or E, perhaps.

 

[USAFRet]

But....Why 2 different installs?

 

[RyzenNoob]

So, I wanna install windows 10 on a new ssd I just bought.

But, I want both installations to have C: as their drive letter. Will there be any issue?
I also want to not be able to access the other drive's files, when booting from one

Just use separate accounts on Windows

 

[USAFRet]

Just use separate accounts on Windows

A single install can have multiple user accounts.

 

[RyzenNoob]

A single install can have multiple user accounts.

I know, that is what I was getting at

 

[Math Geek]

you'll have to encrypt each drive to prevent the other from accessing it. unless you unplug the unused drive, the other installation will see it when booted up. the only files that won't be accessible to both will be stuff inside a specific user's libraries. anything else will be wide open for both installs

 

[USAFRet]

I know, that is what I was getting at

I'm still not seeing the need for 2x individual installs.

But...a front facing hotswap bay, 2 different drives, 2 different installs.
Physically change drives when you want 'the other one'.

Obviously, install the OSs with only the one drive physically connected at that time.

 

[RyzenNoob]

I'm still not seeing the need for 2x individual installs.

But...a front facing hotswap bay, 2 different drives, 2 different installs.
Physically change drives when you want 'the other one'.

Obviously, install the OSs with only the one drive physically connected at that time.

Me neither. I just can't fathom it to be honest. If the OP is scared that all hell is going to break loose, just imagine if someone deletes files in the D: or E: drive, he or she won't be able to boot into that installation

 

[NickTsl]

you'll have to encrypt each drive to prevent the other from accessing it. unless you unplug the unused drive, the other installation will see it when booted up. the only files that won't be accessible to both will be stuff inside a specific user's libraries. anything else will be wide open for both installs

I was thinking about un-assigning the other drive's letter for each installation, wouldn't that make the other drive unallocated space, therefore not-accessible? I just run some programs that delete some files, and I don't want them messing with my main drive

 

[NickTsl]

But....Why 2 different installs?

I want my main machine safe when running certain programs than can <Mod Edit> up a lot of things as they mess with registry and other stuff or/and be malicious. Kinda like a burner machine, where I can do whatever I want.

 

[USAFRet]

I was thinking about un-assigning the other drive's letter for each installation, wouldn't that make the other drive unallocated space, therefore not-accessible? I just run some programs that delete some files, and I don't want them messing with my main drive

Drives with no drive letter can still be mounted and accessed.

 

[NickTsl]

Drives with no drive letter can still be mounted and accessed.

Yeah, but only if I do it manually from disk management. What I'm trying to say is, it's a good way to stop programs from interacting with the other drive's files

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah, but only if I do it manually from disk management. What I'm trying to say is, it's a good way to stop programs from interacting with the other drive's files

I guess it depends on what these "programs" are.

If they are known malicious things that might, on their own, delete things from other drives, having no drive letter might not stop it.
If they are not malicious, why are they randomly deleting things you don't want them to?

Personally, I'd have 2 discrete drives, and physical disconnection.
Or, run the suspect OS and programs in a VM.

 

[Math Geek]

a vm is a good idea as a "burner" type system. set it up, take a snapshot and then do whatever to it. when you're done, simply restore the snapshot and start fresh.

a determined nasty bit of software won't be bothered with it not having a drive letter. if it's connected and the system knows it is there, then most nasty stuff can still get to it.

i do a lot of vm's but when i know something is REALLY nasty, i fire up a cloud machine and work there. no worries about anything like that if it's not even in my local network

i'd suggest looking into something like that yourself if you're messing with stuff you don't trust.

 

[NickTsl]

a vm is a good idea as a "burner" type system. set it up, take a snapshot and then do whatever to it. when you're done, simply restore the snapshot and start fresh.

a determined nasty bit of software won't be bothered with it not having a drive letter. if it's connected and the system knows it is there, then most nasty stuff can still get to it.

i do a lot of vm's but when i know something is REALLY nasty, i fire up a cloud machine and work there. no worries about anything like that if it's not even in my local network

i'd suggest looking into something like that yourself if you're messing with stuff you don't trust.

Imma break it down for you, something I should of done sooner. I'm into game cheating. You can bash me all you want for that, and I won't blame you. Point is, I use programs that clean your pc from traces that anticheats can detect, and programs that spoof your machine to bypass hardware bans. These programs are known to be highly unstable, so i just wanted to set up a new machine for gaming there, without playing russian roulette on my pc's health. So a vm is not an option.

All I want to know is, if I fresh install windows on the new drive, and un-assign drive letter or of my main drive, so it appears as "unallocated", should all that be enough in order to prevent programs from messing with my main machine? Phew.

 

[DSzymborski]

Imma break it down for you, something I should of done sooner. I'm into game cheating. You can bash me all you want for that, and I won't blame you. Point is, I use programs that clean your pc from traces that anticheats can detect, and programs that spoof your machine to bypass hardware bans. These programs are known to be highly unstable, so i just wanted to set up a new machine for gaming there, without playing russian roulette on my pc's health. So a vm is not an option.

All I want to know is, if I fresh install windows on the new drive, and un-assign drive letter or of my main drive, so it appears as "unallocated", should all that be enough in order to prevent programs from messing with my main machine? Phew.

No. Anything truly malicious is unlikely to be bothered by this.

 

[USAFRet]

Imma break it down for you, something I should of done sooner. I'm into game cheating. You can bash me all you want for that, and I won't blame you. Point is, I use programs that clean your pc from traces that anticheats can detect, and programs that spoof your machine to bypass hardware bans. These programs are known to be highly unstable, so i just wanted to set up a new machine for gaming there, without playing russian roulette on my pc's health. So a vm is not an option.

All I want to know is, if I fresh install windows on the new drive, and un-assign drive letter or of my main drive, so it appears as "unallocated", should all that be enough in order to prevent programs from messing with my main machine? Phew.

Tom's Hardware does not assist nor condone game cheats, bypassing bans, etc.

Sorry, but them's the rules.

You've been given multiple options.