Re-install not showing contents?

Barso · 12 Jun 2009 at 15:34

I have done a re-install of vista64 to my C drive but the start menu or games folder will not show any of the content on D drive.
Please don't tell me I have to re install all of my D drive again!

Venares · 12 Jun 2009 at 15:36

Yup fraid so.

Audigex · 12 Jun 2009 at 15:38

Not necessarily.

Try opening the games/program from their exe files - if it works, just create your own start menu shortcuts :-)

If it doesn't, that game/program relies on the registry or things installed previously on the wiped drive, and you'll need to remove and re-install it.

Destination · 14 Jun 2009 at 17:49

You'll have to reinstall as games use registry entries which are stored within the system drive.

Having data installed on an alternate drive is fine, but programs and games will all have their registry entires wiped when you reinstall.

What caused you to reinstall a 1 week old system anyway?

Daegan · 14 Jun 2009 at 17:59

Hikari Kisugi said:
You'll have to reinstall as games use registry entries which are stored within the system drive.

Having data installed on an alternate drive is fine, but programs and games will all have their registry entires wiped when you reinstall.

That's not entirely true. Many will happily run without registry entries or recreate them automatically. It depends totally on the individual application/game.

miniyazz · 14 Jun 2009 at 18:30

It's worth taking a backup of your D drive before removing and reinstalling all the programs, anyway. Then once you've reinstalled your programs, restore the backup. That way, things which depend on the registry in a fundamental way (i.e. they need some details in the registry to start) but don't store 'modifiable' data there, like settings files and saved game data, will be restored to the state they were in before your reinstall. I do this with my most-used programs every time I reinstall - it sometimes works between different OSs as well.