Default partition and environmental variables

[Jon Danniken]

Hello! I have WindowsXP sp3 installed on a small (20GB) C:\ partition, with
the idea being that most all my data is stored on a larger D:\ partition.
The problem with this approach is that, for instance, when I go to install a
program I have to manually specify "D:\Program Files\" as the installation
location.

If I change the environmental variable for "Program Files", such that it
points to "D:\Program Files", will this cause most applications to install
into that directory so that I do not have to continually specify this
location for all application I want to load?

There are, of course, a number of other environmental variables that point
to standard locations on the C:\ partition. Is there perhaps an application
that changes a number of them for installations such as mine?

This method of installing windows onto a small partition, and using another,
larger, partition to store data is not a new idea, so I would think that
there must already be some methods in place to simplify the procedure.

Thanks for any help and perspective you are able to lend me on this
endeavor,

Jon

 

[BillW50]

By Defeat all applications will install C:\Program Files
You have to manual install applications D:\Program Files

TweakUI will allow you change the default of Program Files and like 12
other special folders. TweakUI is one of the XP PowerToys from Microsoft.

 

[mike]

Hello! I have WindowsXP sp3 installed on a small (20GB) C:\ partition, with
the idea being that most all my data is stored on a larger D:\ partition.
The problem with this approach is that, for instance, when I go to install a
program I have to manually specify "D:\Program Files\" as the installation
location.

Ok, but how often do you have to do that.

There are advantages to having most small programs on C.
Ditto for stuff that calls home to activate.
Put your media files, databases, huge programs like VisualBasic/MSDN
and virtualbox on D. Direct each program on C to save its big
user-generated files on D.
I turn off hibernation and move the swap file to D. But this only works
well if you have enough memory that you don't usually use the swap file.
This also reduces the risk of getting contents on D out of sync with C
after a partition restore.

Remember that most programs, especially freeware, have not been rigorously
evaluated under non-standard conditions.
Once you start messing around with system variables, you risk
incompatibility.
Fixing one problem can break another.

The risk of creating problems far outweighs the benefits.
Stick to the options available in the install.

 

[jim]

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:40:00 -0500, in

By Defeat all applications will install C:\Program Files
You have to manual install applications D:\Program Files

"Defeat all applications" -- I like that..........

 

[Flasherly]

"Defeat all applications" -- I like that..........

I'm the only person left running the same XP/SP1 I first installed for
a decade now. Rigorously. Never shuts down, 24/7, and through a two
or three hardware swaps. Three consecutively dated C:-OS Ghost
images, sized 800M-1G, highest compression. Swapfile turned off on
system off, recreate and initiate upon log back on. C: primary sized
3.9G, 1.3G free. Boot system arbitrator: DOS98 command only. Ghost
Version: 8.2.0.1117 (Aug 26 2004, Build=1117). DOS only. Enterprise.

 

[MiniMouse]

I'm the only person left running the same XP/SP1 I first installed for
a decade now. Rigorously. Never shuts down, 24/7, and through a two
or three hardware swaps. Three consecutively dated C:-OS Ghost
images, sized 800M-1G, highest compression. Swapfile turned off on
system off, recreate and initiate upon log back on. C: primary sized
3.9G, 1.3G free. Boot system arbitrator: DOS98 command only. Ghost
Version: 8.2.0.1117 (Aug 26 2004, Build=1117). DOS only. Enterprise.

Would you be so kind as to repeat that using fully constructed and
gramatical English sentences.

 

[jim]

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:38:48 -0500, in

Dam Typo its default

I need to snow <Typo down for
alt.2600
will always be there.......

I spend more time correcting typos these days than keying.

jim

 

[jim]

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:29:55 -0700 (PDT), in

I'm the only person left running the same XP/SP1 I first installed for
a decade now. Rigorously. Never shuts down, 24/7, and through a two
or three hardware swaps. Three consecutively dated C:-OS Ghost
images, sized 800M-1G, highest compression. Swapfile turned off on
system off, recreate and initiate upon log back on. C: primary sized
3.9G, 1.3G free. Boot system arbitrator: DOS98 command only. Ghost
Version: 8.2.0.1117 (Aug 26 2004, Build=1117). DOS only. Enterprise.

Nice. I ended up installing SP3. DOS under XP Pro with no service packs
was basically unusable -- though later, it appears that if i had prefaced
my commands in batch files with COMMAND, they may have worked instead of
just going to SYSOUT. (....or something like that....)

[I had not run into that sort of thing since IBM VM on a mainframe where a
Command prefix in an .exec bypassed CMS and went straight to the VM OS --
I know you needed to know that.]

jim

 

[Dustin]

That True Bill and you a 100% right

Which will piss off programs that aren't written right. IE they don't
check, they assume.

 

[Dustin]

I'm the only person left running the same XP/SP1 I first installed for
a decade now. Rigorously. Never shuts down, 24/7, and through a two
or three hardware swaps. Three consecutively dated C:-OS Ghost
images, sized 800M-1G, highest compression. Swapfile turned off on
system off, recreate and initiate upon log back on. C: primary sized
3.9G, 1.3G free. Boot system arbitrator: DOS98 command only. Ghost
Version: 8.2.0.1117 (Aug 26 2004, Build=1117). DOS only. Enterprise.

sp1? Why...sp1? Bad vlk key?

 

[Dustin]

Hello! I have WindowsXP sp3 installed on a small (20GB) C:\
partition, with the idea being that most all my data is stored on a
larger D:\ partition. The problem with this approach is that, for
instance, when I go to install a program I have to manually specify
"D:\Program Files\" as the installation location.

If I change the environmental variable for "Program Files", such that
it points to "D:\Program Files", will this cause most applications to
install into that directory so that I do not have to continually
specify this location for all application I want to load?

There are, of course, a number of other environmental variables that
point to standard locations on the C:\ partition. Is there perhaps
an application that changes a number of them for installations such
as mine?

This method of installing windows onto a small partition, and using
another, larger, partition to store data is not a new idea, so I
would think that there must already be some methods in place to
simplify the procedure.

Thanks for any help and perspective you are able to lend me on this
endeavor,

Jon

An MS powertoy called TweakUI will allow you to change the areas in the
registry. Keep in mind tho, some not so well behaved programs you might
decide to install later may not obey it. Unless you have a specific need
to change windows default install paths, I'd suggest you just tell the
app to install to D: drive.

 

[Dustin]

Ok, but how often do you have to do that.

There are advantages to having most small programs on C.
Ditto for stuff that calls home to activate.
Put your media files, databases, huge programs like VisualBasic/MSDN
and virtualbox on D. Direct each program on C to save its big
user-generated files on D.
I turn off hibernation and move the swap file to D. But this only
works well if you have enough memory that you don't usually use the
swap file. This also reduces the risk of getting contents on D out of
sync with C after a partition restore.

Remember that most programs, especially freeware, have not been
rigorously evaluated under non-standard conditions.
Once you start messing around with system variables, you risk
incompatibility.
Fixing one problem can break another.

The risk of creating problems far outweighs the benefits.
Stick to the options available in the install.

Well said Mike. I agree!

 

[Flasherly]

Nice. I ended up installing SP3. DOS under XP Pro with no service packs
was basically unusable -- though later, it appears that if i had prefaced
my commands in batch files with COMMAND, they may have worked instead of
just going to SYSOUT. (....or something like that....)

[I had not run into that sort of thing since IBM VM on a mainframe where a
Command prefix in an .exec bypassed CMS and went straight to the VM OS --
I know you needed to know that.]

jim

Smart Boot Manager from an old Hirems DOS (the version before Hirems
starts comes in *NIX flavors);- also on SourceForge, but takes a
little doing to compile, IMG & burn. Two primaries with Ghosting done
on the 98SE (hence, Command.com only). Apart from the usual
limitations for some programs which won't run on a SP1 platform, to be
expected, along with the vastness which will.

Who hadn't heard of Heavy Iron for someone cutting their teeth with
EMS3.2, off Rampage boards and the likes, for tasking swapping with
DESQview through an updated NEC V20 instead of the 8088. . .

c:\dos\4nt\!NC.BAT
%SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT

An XP icon link for the original Peter Norton Commander - properties,
advanced, running under 4DOS after spawned ontop of XP CMD. Basically
works, although not with an expected or full functionality of 4DOS if
(more simply) adapted for booting to the 98SE partition via Smart Boot
Mngr.

rem %SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT
set comspec=c:\dos\4nt\4nt.exe
PATH=C:\DOS\4NT;C:\UTIL;s:\UTIL;s:\DOS;C:\COM\ARC;s:\COM\ARC
c:\dos\4nt\4nt.exe
c:\dos\4nt\keystack.exe
rem alias /r c:\dos\4nt\aliases.txt
rem /la /c /q