Program Files Directory on a different Drive from Windows 2

[TonyJollans]

Greetings All,

Is this possible?

One way or the other I am going to have to re-install Windows. Is it possible, either at install time, or later, to create/move the Program Files directory so that it is on a different drive from Windows.

I have XP Pro in a 3G partition, which ought to be big enough for Windows itself, and I install all my other programs to a separate partition. Trouble is a lot of (MS) software wants to put things in places like Program Files\Common Files and I don't have control over this when I install them. Current culprit is VS.NET which wants 500MB on C: even though I install it to D:

I don't want to have to re-partition my hard drive (I have too much stuff on other partitions and am too idle to back it all off and reimport it again) - but will if need be. So can I move special folders (Program Files or Documents and Settings) somewhere else?

Enjoy,
Tony

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[tf1]

Tony

My advice is to get one of the on-the-fly Partition Managers that will let you assign a much bigger partition for Windows XP. 10Gb for Windows is appropriate these days!

Regards: tf1

 

[linney]

Some ideas for you.

How to Move the Windows Default Paging File and Print Spooler to a Different Hard Disk

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314105&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

How to move the Spool folder in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308666&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Cannot move or rename the Documents and Settings folder

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/236621/EN-US/?FR=1

How to Change the Default Location of the My Documents Folder

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310147&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Relocating Hard Drive Capacity and File Compression
thread779-939540

 

[TonyJollans]

Many thanks, linney especially, for a mass of links here and via the referenced thread.

It rather sounds like I can buy some time (probably by shifting the pagefile) but really need a bigger partition - ah, well, can't put it off indefinitely!

I do have a copy of Partition Magic but think of it as more of a firefighting tool than anything else - when it's the only answer it's time to reorganise.

Enjoy,
Tony

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[bcastner]

Plan on VS.NET including help files taxing your 3gb file limiatations.

Are you sure it insists on Drive C? Usually you can just overwrite the default directory in the installation path and put it where you want. My freshest memory is VS full, and I know I did not install it to C.

 

[lacasa]

I have the same problem. I thought 6GB was super overkill for XP Pro, but I am running out fast. I have a 15Gb program partition and 60GB data one.

Eventhough I install programs to another partition, will some files always be installed to C:\Program files??? Anyway to avoid this?

Is moving the pagefile ( mine is 1.6GB) to another partition an acceptable longterm solution?? Or should I just upgrade my old Partition Magic program and increase the size of the XP Pro partition??

Where are system restore points stored? If on C then can they be moved?

Thanks.

 

[TonyJollans]

No, Bill, it didn't insist on Drive C. I put it on Drive D, but it still installs enormous amounts into Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared which is on my Drive C. It didn't actually use as much as it said it would but it wouldn't install until I'd freed up what it said it wanted.

Enjoy,
Tony

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[bcastner]

Ah, I see now the issue.
Thanks for the report.

That makes a lot of sense (?).

I remember blythly using my Tech Net Help support files and watching them eat 2.6 gb under VS.

Best,
Bill

 

[linney]

lacasa,

Each partition will have its own System Volume Information folder (includes restore data) and there is no way of moving that.

To access these folders requires appropriate permissions in NTFS.

 

[TonyJollans]

An update for anybody interested.

I have reinstalled Windows and added the following two lines to the [blue][Unattended][/blue] section of my answer file (winnt.sif or whatever) ..

[blue]ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"
CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common Files"[/blue]

This seems to have successfully put the folders on D: and most software defaults to installing there. Occasional badly behaved products try for C:\Program Files regardless but as I always override anyway that's not a problem for me. The real benefit for me is the Common Files being in a partition with space for them.

As far as I could find out it is not recommended to try and do this post-install but it seems to work well when installed that way from the start.


Enjoy,
Tony

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[danewalther]

Tony,

Could you please detail how to direct WinXP to install program files and documents/settings to different drives during installation? I need to do the exact same thing, but haven't ever done that before.

thanks!
..dane

 

[bcastner]

http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24013

 

[danewalther]

Thanks for the link...

I did a bit more searching after posting my question, which led to microsoft's website and a couple knowledgebase articles regarding "unattended installations." Found there that these unattended installations allow you to specify all SORTS of things during installation, including program file directory, common file directory, userfile directory, etc.

Was able to get it all working to autoinstall XP on C, apps on D, and userdata on E. Worked like a charm!

thanks to all,
..dane

 

[BlackS2]

Slightly off topic (well now that all is ok again) I have recently upgraded to XP Pro, and have about a 30GB disk. This is at current sitting at 17GB free (which is less than it was before with 2k I notice.

Should I be worried about running out of disk space sometime soon then....?

I was thinking about getting another disk and slaving it off (a big disk)

Can that be done easy enough?

Cheers

 

[linney]

It is easy enough to add a second hard drive should you feel you require the extra space.

Once you have your machine set up to your liking and if you perform regular disk maintenance, you will find that the free space remains reasonably static. Of course if you are a regular downloader of large files such as music or video files then any free space would evaporate quite quickly.

 

[BlackS2]

Of course if you are a regular downloader of large files such as music or video files then any free space would evaporate quite quickly.

Thanks Linney, Yes, I do download a few bits and bobs now I have the capacity to. I also create my own music so stream a fair bit of data from my music equipment to my pc, which can take some space, hasn't been a problem in the past, i'll see how I get on.

Cheers.

 

[secutanudu]

I would also move your page file to a different drive. This can speed up performance as well as save space on your system volume.

Right click my computer-->properties
Advanced Tab-->performance settings button
Advanced Tab-->Change Button on bottom

 

[mzoomer]

I have never used unattend.
I recently installed XPpro (w/SP1) on C:, then used Windows update for various updates including SP2.
I also loaded a few programs that are in C:\Program Files.
Default MyDocs are on C for two users.

I would really like to have windows on C:
Program Files on D:
and Data on E:
(partitions, not separate HDDs)
I think this is a lot like what Dane did.
I already have the partitions set up.
C and D are NTFS. E is not formatted yet.

Two questions:
1) I think I will have to reinstall windows, and use unattend.
Is this correct? Will I have to redo the windows updates and reinstall the programs I already installed too?
Where is the best step by step resource for using unattend that will walk me through the process and show how to set the directories for Program Files, User Data (profiles, or My Documents, or other?)

2) What advice do people have for formatting the data partition (E as FAT vs NTFS. For example, I may want to add a Linux boot partition and think it might be nice to be able to access the data.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[linney]

mzoomer,

You will lose all your windows updates in any reloading of Windows.
How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

It is possible to slipstream the SP2 Service Pack into your current CD which may be of benefit.

Slipstream Service Packs
thread779-900263

How to Perform an Unattended Installation of Windows from a CD-ROM

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314459

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/depovg/depxpii.mspx

http://www.msfn.org/unattended/xp/gettingstarted.htm

http://unattended.msfn.org/xp/sp2changes.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=838080

http://www.ntfs.com