Installing programs to different drives

I have just upgraded to XP Home(from me). And not too long ago I installed an additional 120 gig HD that I split in thirds(D: E: F: ). My original HD is 20 gig(C: ) and is the one with Windows installed on it. My question is, as I am installing programs, is it possible to install to my D: or E: drive and still run normal? Or is it dependent on the program? I have tried a couple of programs and it did not work, so I just re installed them to C:. Or should I just forget trying this and copy all of the contents on C: to a partition on the larger drive?

Thanx for any help you can provide.

 

Hello cheesesteak,

There is a PCMAG utility that will "notify" XP of programs that are moved to a different partition.

The utility is called COA2 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,88432,00.asp It does cost now however, used to be freeware.

Don't know if there is a XP native way to do this.

*copy all of the contents on C: to a partition on the larger drive?*

This you can't do. All the contents includes the OS, and the OS and it's parts can't be moved. They can only be installed.

User Data files can be moved in any case, ie, word files (text files) - image files - PDF files, etc. But not with software such as DataBase apps where the code is embedded with the data.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks for the reply Charles.

So I can't move the contents of C: to another drive, and it looks to be a big pain to try to move program files. What about future installs? I am wanting to install Macromedia Studio MX. Can this be installed to a drive other than the one occupied by Windows, and still function the same?

 

Hi Cheesesteak,

From my experience, there are programs that ask where you want to install them. So set up a folder on the non-C drive for a install the next time you get that option, and see if that works.

The problem is with programs that "assume" the Program Files folder on the OS drive. I run XP on D, so the problem is not the drive, but where the OS is.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Cheesesteak, and welcome to the board.

What you want to do isn't that difficult, although it's more easily done right after a fresh install of the OS.

1) Download TweakUI 1.33 (you can't do what you want with TweakUI 2.10, the XP version). The executable is a self-unzipping file, so note where it places the files. Install the program by right-clicking on tweakui.inf and selecting install. You'll have to close the "About TweakUI" window to complete the installation, after which you'll find TweakUI on the Control Panel.

2) Create a new Program Files folder on your D: drive. You can name it anything you want ... Programs, Tools, or even Program Files.

3) Copy the files/folders from your present Program Files folder to the new folder.

4) Open TweakUI and click on the My Computer tab. In the Special Folders section, open the drop-down menu and highlight "Program Files" (not "Programs "). Click on the Change Location button, then on the Yes button in the message box. In the window that opens, navigate to your new Program Files folder, highlight it, and OK your way out of TweakUI.

5) The next step requires the COA2 program mentioned by Charlesvar (email me and I'll send it to you). It will change all of your shortcuts and registry settings to reflect the new location of your program files.

6) After logging off and back on (it may require a reboot ... I don't recall), you should be able to delete your original Program Files folder. Now, any time you install a new program, it should be installed to the new Program Files location (a few poorly written programs will still try to install to your C: drive).

Good luck, and if you run into any problems, please email me.

 

Hi Jim,

*TweakUI 1.33 (you can't do what you want with TweakUI 2.10, the XP version).*

Thanks for the info about TweakUI. Do you know why the "XP" version won't work?

Someone on another forum has this problem, I'm going to cite your post.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Charles,

TweakUI 2.10 won't work because Program Files isn't one of the listed "Special Folders ". It does appear in the Special Folders list in TweakUI 1.33 (but some of the other folders listed in 2.10 do not).

That's why I suggest using both. Although Microsoft tells you to uninstall older PowerToys before installing newer versions, the two TweakUIs co-exist very nicely, and each has some features that the other lacks. For those who don't have them, here are the links:

TweakUI 1.33

TweakUI 2.10 (XP)