Program Files on seperate partition?

Kaiju · 22 Jan 2007 at 01:17

Just a quick question, if you install all your programs on a seperate partition and then reformat Windows, will the programs still work on the new formatted platform i.e. games, media players, etc.

If so, are there any exceptions? For instance programs that require a Windows file that needs to be synchronised or logged, so when formatted, the Windows file loses it's compatibility with that program?

Chingoo · 22 Jan 2007 at 01:34

Nope because the registry files and shared system32 files will no longer be their.

Kaiju · 22 Jan 2007 at 07:53

Oh yeah!

So what's the workaround? Reformatting, installing all your favourite programs and then creating a system restore point (is that resource heavy), or perhaps using a third party program such as Acronis True Image?

mosfet · 22 Jan 2007 at 08:35

Whatever the workaround it'll generally take longer and be more work than simply reformatting and reinstalling the programs.

silversurfer · 22 Jan 2007 at 08:51

It depends on the program in question.

Some will operate entirely independantly, usually cleverly made small scale programmers will do this. Something churned out by a corporate monster particularly any of microsofts disciples will be very hard to transfer like this.

Sometimes you can copy a few .dll and it'll even tell you which are missing and where from but usually its a ton of hassle and combined with missing registry info not generally worth the bother.

Apart from the program files you would need to transfer the indivual user windows settings under documents and settings. This is what I would choose to do.
When you install the new windows you can slip in the old user settings into the new user profile, copy it right over. Place the program files where they were before relatively (ie. drive letters) and you might find a lot of programs now work.

What I want to know is where is the enviroment variable for program files. Windows always wants to put it on the same drive as the windows directory by default. So how do I change that drive letter, etc
Do I just create my own?

Kaiju · 22 Jan 2007 at 09:03

silversurfer said:
What I want to know is where is the enviroment variable for program files. Windows always wants to put it on the same drive as the windows directory by default. So how do I change that drive letter, etc
Do I just create my own?

Thanks for the info above mate.

Windows usually allows you to change the directory the software is saved too at the start of the installation, but i'm guessing you know that.

I have no idea where the variable is to make Windows change the default.

rpstewart · 22 Jan 2007 at 09:15

I know nLite will allow you to configure this as part of the creation of a custom install. It's also possible to reconfigure it in-flight, I think either TweakUI or Autopatcher can do this.

TheVoice · 22 Jan 2007 at 15:41

Games will work on a separate partition, even if you re-install Windows. But then that's because they generally don't rely on the registry or on system files.