Moving files to slave

[eddie2]

I am using a Dell Dimension 350 with XP Home. I have installed and formatted a slave HD in my system. How on earth to I move Program Files to it. I want to move programs like MS Tools and Netscape to the Slave drive. Can I do it? Do I need to load XP on the slave also? I can move WP files to it and use them. Thanks, Ed Palin

 

[rjkrash]

You can create another folder named Program Files on the slave drive and when you install programs they can be placed there if the install programs gives you an option.

Moving already installed files just at random may mess things up BIG TIME since many programs make registry entries about their "home" folder at install time. Also many shortcuts on the Start menues would lose their targets and cease to function.
The two rules for success are:
1. Never tell them everything you know.

 

[conceptumator]

There is a program from PowerQuest called App Mover which says it can do this. Personally, I never trusted it enough to try it. While I loved their Partition Magic when I was using it, App Mover just seemed a little too good to be true.

 

[reghakr]

Ed,

I agree with the others. Only move data (.txt, .doc, .jpg, etc files, uninstall the program, then re-install all programs to the d: drive.

I'd don't recommend changing the path of the C:\Program Files\Common Files directory. Too many installs rely on it's location being on the c: drive.

reghakr

 

[Gremlin256]

You do not need to create a folder exactly program files on the slave drive, just create a short one that you will remember and reinstall programs that you want on the slave drive by pointing it to the slave drive when the program asks you where you want the drive to be installed.

 

[reghakr]

I'd keep the Program Files folder on the new drive. When you perform installs, you simply change the letter C to a letter D

I've been doing this for years with no problems.

You need XP on the C: drive ONLY.

reghakr

 

[dilettante]

For those few programs that are VERY large, mostly due to the fact that they install multiple CDs worth of data into the

Program Files

directory, I usually have them install into

D:\Program Files\{etc}

.

Most things I allow to install onto the system volume (generally

C:\

).

Then I put my projects of various sorts, music files, images, and so on onto the

D:\

drive too.

Programs in the VERY large category include MDSN Library, maybe the whole Office suite (with clipart and templates). Even then they'll generally put some components into

C:\Program Files

anyway.

It may be possible to redirect the default program location somewhere else, but I just haven't found it worthwhile to investigate myself.

If I didn't expect to reinstall the OS (and thus all the programs) every so often I'd just run one partition anyhow. Now if you have a small drive and a large one (or two smaller drives) it might still be worth relocating the default location.

Under XP I'd have to define a "small" drive as around 4GB. You really do need a good-sized system partition, and disk is fairly cheap now.

I use 10GB for the system partition myself.