Partition for applications: Is it worth it?

I always thought it would be a good idea to put applications on D: instead of C:. Format C: and you still have your applications, right? Over time, I've noticed so many applications put so much on C: (.dll, registry stuff, etc.) that the purpose is defeated. Either way, you're going to have to re-install all of your applications -- except for a small handful you know never touch C:. And with nearly three hundred directories in my D:\Program Files, this is no trivial task for me. Now that a FORMAT C: is looking inevitable, I have to wonder whether D: is worth bothering with anymore. (My documents, media files, etc. will remain on their own partition.)

 

In my humble opinion it makes a lot of sense to keep everything other than the OS related on partitions other than C:. Especially downloaded stuff.

Unless I am totaly wrong the C: drive is the one that get messed up and may need formating the most often.

Yes. I agree. A reinstall ( especailly on a format re-install ) you will need to do a lot of re-installing. But with most stuff ( especailly any setup files ) on other partitions you can take a peak and at least see what you had.

But in all honesty the last time I formated and HD it was to install 95 on it. That HD is the one I am on right now with XP Pro.

And also as Christer mentioned backups.

BillyBob

 

Whether I am able to re-install downloaded applications isn't an issue. I keep downloads short-term on a thumb drive, and eventually add them to a master CD where they can live permanently. It's only a matter of how long it takes me to do it all.

As for backups, I have an old version of Instant Recovery which makes partition image backups onto CD. I make backups no more than once a month since it takes a whole day to do (at least I don't have to sit at the keyboard the whole time).