How to specify location of Program Files

[Michael Giroux]

I am attempting to construct a dual-boot environment to toggle between
versions of Windows. I would like to do this on a single disk partition, so
I need to have unique names for "Documents and Settings", "Program Files",
and "Windows" directories.

SETUP allows me to specify a location for Windows, but not for the other
two.

Is it possible to locate these folders somewhere other than the default
locations?

Michael Giroux

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Microsoft does not support installing two versions
of Windows XP in the same partition. Each installation
requires a separate partition and a separate Product Key.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Michael Giroux" wrote:

| I am attempting to construct a dual-boot environment to toggle between
| versions of Windows. I would like to do this on a single disk partition, so
| I need to have unique names for "Documents and Settings", "Program Files",
| and "Windows" directories.
|
| SETUP allows me to specify a location for Windows, but not for the other
| two.
|
| Is it possible to locate these folders somewhere other than the default
| locations?
|
| Michael Giroux
|
|

 

[Steve N.]

Microsoft does not support installing two versions
of Windows XP in the same partition.

Wrong.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmc_str_jyof.asp

"If installing to the same partition as the existing Windows XP
Professional installation, Setup prompts you for a file name (for
example, Windows.tmp)."

Each installation
requires a separate partition and a separate Product Key.

No, it doesn't. And if the parallel installation won't activate they can
call it in and cite the above article, which BTW makes no mention of
requiring a second product key for a parallel installation.

Steve

 

[Malke]

I am attempting to construct a dual-boot environment to toggle between
versions of Windows. I would like to do this on a single disk
partition, so I need to have unique names for "Documents and
Settings", "Program Files", and "Windows" directories.

SETUP allows me to specify a location for Windows, but not for the
other two.

Is it possible to locate these folders somewhere other than the
default locations?

Michael Giroux

You're going to need a third-party boot manager that has the ability to
hide one partition from the other. BootIT NG can do this, but is fairly
geeky to use. Here's a link to a listing of various programs from
Google:

http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Software/Disk_Management/Partition/

Malke

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

That article is only for performing an emergency data recovery
operation when the existing Windows XP installation is corrupt.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Steve N.]

That article is only for performing an emergency data recovery
operation when the existing Windows XP installation is corrupt.

Doesn't matter, it still shows you were wrong and as usual you don't cop
to it.

Besides that I have read many times right here in this newsgroup that
several MVPs do not consider parallel installations to be against the
EULA since you can only run one copy of the OS at a time anyway and it
is, after all, on the exact same hardware. In fact it has been
recommended to do so for software testing purposes, not just data recovery.

Steve

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

"Install each operating system on its own partition, and then install the applications used with each operating system on the same
partition. If you intend to run an application on both operating systems, install it on both partitions."

Ref:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prba_dwp_ezed.asp

A Windows XP license can only be used once on
one computer. A second installation requires a second
license, period.

From the EULA:

1.1 Installation and use. You may install, use, access,
display and run one copy of the Software on a single
computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other
device ("Workstation Computer"). The Software may not
be used by more than two (2) processors at any one
time on any single Workstation Computer.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Doesn't matter, it still shows you were wrong and as usual you don't cop
| to it.
|
| Besides that I have read many times right here in this newsgroup that
| several MVPs do not consider parallel installations to be against the
| EULA since you can only run one copy of the OS at a time anyway and it
| is, after all, on the exact same hardware. In fact it has been
| recommended to do so for software testing purposes, not just data recovery.
|
| Steve

 

[Steve N.]

"Install each operating system on its own partition, and then install the applications used with each operating system on the same
partition. If you intend to run an application on both operating systems, install it on both partitions."

Ref:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prba_dwp_ezed.asp

That article does not say a second installation can not be placed on the
same partition as an existing installation, however the article I linked
specifically says that it CAN. And for that matter, how many people have
posted here about two OS choices of the same version of Windows afer a
reinstallation (not a clean installation) on the same partition?

What you said was that it can not be done and that is wrong. It can be,
it is not the best approiach, but it CAN be done. You still can't cop to
being wrong. Come on Carey, join the rest of the human race for a change.

A Windows XP license can only be used once on
one computer. A second installation requires a second
license, period.

From the EULA:

1.1 Installation and use. You may install, use, access,
display and run one copy of the Software on a single
computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other
device ("Workstation Computer"). The Software may not
be used by more than two (2) processors at any one
time on any single Workstation Computer.

Interpreted differently by different people, including MVPs. I'm not
going to get into this any further, it's been discussed ad-nauseum here
many times. I stated what I've observed discussed here concerning it,
that it is possible, and that's all.

Steve

 

[kurttrail]

I am attempting to construct a dual-boot environment to toggle between
versions of Windows. I would like to do this on a single disk
partition, so I need to have unique names for "Documents and
Settings", "Program Files", and "Windows" directories.

SETUP allows me to specify a location for Windows, but not for the
other two.

Is it possible to locate these folders somewhere other than the
default locations?

Michael Giroux

Ok, this ain't something you would really want to do, as you are just
asking for problems, but with that said you can sort of do what you
want, BUT you'll need TweakUI, and some huge balls!

Install first install of XP, then use TweakUI to change location of the
Program Files folder to a different named folder, and then copy all the
contents of the Program Files folder to that new location. Now the Docs
& Settings folder can't be moved, that I know of, but as long as you use
different names for the users of the differnt installs you should get
into too much of a problem.

A few of tips:

1.) Cut & Paste everything you can out of the All Users folder before
install second OS and move them into the USER Account folder, then do
the same thing after the second install, but move those items to the
Second OS User folder. All Users is gonna screw you up a lot, so any
time you install new progs you want to move desktop and start menu
folders and short cuts to the User folder before booting into the other
OS.

2.) Disable Guest Accounts.

3.) Have the same Administrator Password for both installs.

4.) Delete the Adminstrator User folder after each use. It will add
time booting into the Administrators account as Windows will recreates
it, but that's better than trying to boot into the other installs
Administrator account.

There are probably a few more things to be careful of, but again, THIS
IS NOT SOMETHING ONE SHOULD DO UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, so follow any
and/or all of this at totally your own risk! The choice is yours, good
luck.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"