Configuring System Folders with Partitions

YAYitsAndrew · Oct 25, 2004, 02:25 PM

I recently popped in the 160gb harddrive mentioned in my sig. I made four partitions:

10gb OS (C:)
40gb Apps (D:)
50gb Games (E:)
50gb Data (F:)

I want the default application path to be D: and not C:\Program Files. How can I do this? I don't want the path to be D:\Program Files, just D:.

Also, I want to move the documents and settings stuff to F:. I moved My Documents to F: from the my documents properties, but I want my entire user profile to be on F: (so I can keep Application Data, etc).

I'm open to any suggestion, I'm going to pop in my windows cd again in a couple days and reformat everything. These next couple of days are just a testing ground for the new partition setup. Thanks for your help!

PangingJr · Oct 26, 2004, 09:11 AM

I'd not change it in the registry and i think the best way around this is to point to where you want the program to be installed at the time of the program installation.

but you can try and test this by modifying the registry values of the "ProgramFilesDir" and the "CommonFilesDir".

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion]
"ProgramFilesDir"="C:\\Program Files" <-----------------
"CommonFilesDir"="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files" <------------------

The default installation path for a program is decided upon by the programmers who write the programs.
It is also a matter of how the installation has been written. If it is using InstallShield or Wise,
then it should pick up that reference from the registry and offer it as default.
and if the software concerned finds that there is already an installation, which it presumes you are updating,
then it's likely to pick that up.

and as for your question re: the Documents and Settings folder.
You cannot move the entire D & S because the initial logon needs to access that before it has established what the individual user's settings are,
and the informations are in the ntuser.dat file, this need to be at the default location.

check out the TweakUI (in XP's power toy), I think it can help you do both tweaks, not sure.

YAYitsAndrew · Oct 27, 2004, 01:46 AM

Thanks for the help I'll make those registry changes

PangingJr · Oct 28, 2004, 11:25 AM

No problem,
and just a note here i like to add,
edit the registry value pointing to the new folder to be used as default in future only.
pls don't try to move files across from the original Program files to the other,
the installed programs have a lot of references which will not get updated.

ChoGGi · Oct 28, 2004, 12:44 PM

open a dosbox and type
set ProgramFiles=X:\Program Files
change X to the drive you want, you can also pick a different name instead of program files. also dont use "quotes" or it'll messup

Oct 25, 2004, 02:25 PM	#1
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	Configuring System Folders with Partitions I recently popped in the 160gb harddrive mentioned in my sig. I made four partitions: 10gb OS (C:) 40gb Apps (D:) 50gb Games (E:) 50gb Data (F:) I want the default application path to be D: and not C:\Program Files. How can I do this? I don't want the path to be D:\Program Files, just D:. Also, I want to move the documents and settings stuff to F:. I moved My Documents to F: from the my documents properties, but I want my entire user profile to be on F: (so I can keep Application Data, etc). I'm open to any suggestion, I'm going to pop in my windows cd again in a couple days and reformat everything. These next couple of days are just a testing ground for the new partition setup. Thanks for your help! __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

Oct 27, 2004, 01:46 AM	Thread Starter #3
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	Thanks for the help I'll make those registry changes __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

Oct 28, 2004, 12:44 PM	#5
ChoGGi DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,209 Rep Power: 0	open a dosbox and type set ProgramFiles=X:\Program Files change X to the drive you want, you can also pick a different name instead of program files. also dont use "quotes" or it'll messup __________________ specs Common Problems and Fixes for your Radeon

Oct 26, 2004, 09:11 AM	#2
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	I'd not change it in the registry and i think the best way around this is to point to where you want the program to be installed at the time of the program installation. but you can try and test this by modifying the registry values of the "ProgramFilesDir" and the "CommonFilesDir". [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion] "ProgramFilesDir"="C:\\Program Files" <----------------- "CommonFilesDir"="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files" <------------------ The default installation path for a program is decided upon by the programmers who write the programs. It is also a matter of how the installation has been written. If it is using InstallShield or Wise, then it should pick up that reference from the registry and offer it as default. and if the software concerned finds that there is already an installation, which it presumes you are updating, then it's likely to pick that up. and as for your question re: the Documents and Settings folder. You cannot move the entire D & S because the initial logon needs to access that before it has established what the individual user's settings are, and the informations are in the ntuser.dat file, this need to be at the default location. check out the TweakUI (in XP's power toy), I think it can help you do both tweaks, not sure.

Oct 28, 2004, 11:25 AM	#4
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	No problem, and just a note here i like to add, edit the registry value pointing to the new folder to be used as default in future only. pls don't try to move files across from the original Program files to the other, the installed programs have a lot of references which will not get updated.