Changing deffault installation path

[zylander]

On all the computers I make, for myself, or for other family members, I always make a 5-6gig partition to install windows on, the remaining HD space is for all other applications. The problem is that everyone else in my family is computer illiterate and will never remember or dont know how to change the installation path during installation to the right drive, they end up installing their apps on the small windows partition.

When ever you go to install something new, the installer automatically points to the drive where windows is installed, (most commonly the C: drive). Is there a way to change this so that when I go to install a program it will automatically be pointed to, for example, the D: drive or the E: drive so that the person installing the program doesnt have to manually change the installation path? Thanks.

 

[Rilex]

Just a question, but is there a reason behind partitioning? Usually you avoid partitioning due to performance issues. The other side of that would be space issues.

Application developers usually have the say as to what the default location for the install is, though some may base it off of the environmental variable %ProgramFiles% which you can modify in the System control panel.

 

[zylander]

The reason for partitionaing is so that when I need to reformat, all I need to reformat is that small 5gig partition. I dont have to back anything up, it just stays on that seperate partition.

 

[Markbnj]

I hear you on that count. I have three daughters who love to surf the net for free Orlando Bloom screensavers and buddy icons and other such malware vehicles. It would be nice to simply reformat when they get too fubared.

http://www.iamnotageek.com/a/47-p1.php

Haven't actually tried this myself, but if all the software gets the program dir out of the registry, as it should, then this should work.

 

[Hough NutZ]

I see where you're coming from zylander, but won't you have to reinstall all the applications anyways? Once you format the partition with windows, you'll have orphaned application files left on the unformatted partition, correct?

 

[TGS]

It depends if the apps have registry hooks they require to work. Some apps are just self enclosed executables that do not require access to the registry. I think the only apps on my "Programs" partition are a handful of games. Of which only BattleField 1942 requires registry entries. Everything else just works after a format, though it's been a long time since I did my last setup. For me it's a piece of mind issue, if the OS volume gets hosed the data partition will not feel the late night fixing fury.

 

[Hough NutZ]

Right, I understand. I'm sure the majority of programs have these 'regsitry hooks' as you call them. Atleast most of the programs that are mainstream like Microsoft Office, AIM, etc.

So wouldn't it be a little more clever to put Windows and all applications on one partition and then data (pictures, mp3's, etc) on another partition?

 

[KoolDrew]

Don't split Windows and applications into two seperate partition. This increases average seeking distance, thus decreasing performance. Also not to mention it just complicates things.

If you really do NEED to do this for some reason, then go to this registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion]

Then edit ProgramFilesDir=C:\Program Files to whatever directory you wish. You can also change the CommonFilesDir=C:\Program Files\Common Files.

 

[TGS]

Seek distance of what? Irregardless of how partitions are laid out, seek times will be unaffected. Partitions are just logical divisions of disk space that have no impact of how fast data is accessed. Now if you did partitioning based on disk geometry, and did not use, say the inner edges of the disk that would increase performance as data density at the inner edges are the worst performing areas. This is shown when you run HDD evaluation tools, and the throughput gradually slows down as you near the inner edges of the physical medium.

Personally for me, I've used the same physical drive for both windows and applications. Both reside on seperate partitions on a 74GB raptor. My data storage disk, houses archived materials and the page file.

As far as I've said, some programs require writting DLLs or registry hooks into windows. Some do not. If your programs do either, there is no harm in having or not having to reinstall an application. If you want to avoid those scenarios, disk imaging is what you are looking for.

Partitioning is purely for a more logical overview. Just how disks are presented in operating systems, as a folder/directory view. Opposed to a per cluster, or track view which would greatly overcomplicate the huge drives we have access to today.

 

[Rilex]

Seek distance of what? Irregardless of how partitions are laid out, seek times will be unaffected. Partitions are just logical divisions of disk space that have no impact of how fast data is accessed.

Sure they do. You create a portion of the disk with your OS on it, have a whole bunch of left over space in the middle from that single partition, then we start our next partition.

Is that not enforced seek time?

 

[TGS]

Originally posted by: Rilex

Seek distance of what? Irregardless of how partitions are laid out, seek times will be unaffected. Partitions are just logical divisions of disk space that have no impact of how fast data is accessed.

Sure they do. You create a portion of the disk with your OS on it, have a whole bunch of left over space in the middle from that single partition, then we start our next partition.

Is that not enforced seek time?

There is also no guarantee that even by using a single partition that data will be written and read in a linear fashion. So even with a single partition access data from the outer edges of the disk, you may still be pulling data from inner edges as the data volume is filled. Granted you err on getting data closer on a single partition, though as long as you aren't intentionally creating large breaks in data sets your performance shouldn't be effected to the point where you would notice it.

You can also start a topic on how without something like TCQ or NCQ, the inefficiencies of head movement creates more of an impact on overall performance, due to wasted movement.

 

[KoolDrew]

Seek time is everything in HD performance and by separating applications and Windows it increases the average seeking distance. Also the outer cylinders are only faster if you're talking about reading very large files from one end to the other, with very large buffers, and not interleaved with seeks to any other files. However Windows almost never does use buffers larger then 64KB, so this scenario almost never occurs. Seek time is everything when it comes to HD performance and seek times are even faster when you get away from the outermost (and innermost) cylinders.

Also have you ever even heard of File Placement Optimization (FPO)? Windows XP automatically positions files so that executables commonly needed close together in time, are close together on the disk. If you split your applications and OS into two separate partitions Windows cannot do this nearly effectively.

It is best to have OS and applications on the same partition. You shouldn't do otherwise unless you really NEED to. End of discussion.

 

[Rilex]

End of discussion.

I think a reference to a cold day in hell might be appropriate here

 

[zylander]

Thats true that when I reformat I have to re-install the apps that have registry hooks, but I also have a lot of apps and games that dont have registry hooks and dont need to be reinstalled, which is nice. As for te ones that do need to be reinstalled, some of them (office xP for example) re-install very quickly because all the files are already there, it just over writes a few and enters it in the registry.

KoolDrew, I actually didnt know that it cuts down on seak time. I have gotten pretty good about protecting my computer, in fact I have been operating for that last 2 months with no anti virus, firewall or ad ware/spy ware blocker /remover so I might consider installing everything on a single partition. But as for my brothers computer and the comp I just built for my grandmother, I will leave it partitioned for two reasons; 1. They know nothing about protecting the computer and no matter what kind of anti virus and spy ware programs I install, it will still get messed up and I will have to reformat it, and 2. I could care less if their seak time and overall performance gets affected, they arent going to be able to notice it anyways. Thanks for the advice and the code to edit the registry key.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
Don't split Windows and applications into two seperate partition. This increases average seeking distance, thus decreasing performance. Also not to mention it just complicates things.

If you really do NEED to do this for some reason, then go to this registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion]

Then edit ProgramFilesDir=C:\Program Files to whatever directory you wish. You can also change the CommonFilesDir=C:\Program Files\Common Files.

Or you can download Tweak UI for 98-ME-2000

 

[TGS]

Head over to Storage Review.com. They have some info on how much(or little) partitions can impact. linkage