Windows 7 - Default Install Path Change

Is there any way I can change the default install path for programs away from my system drive? It's getting kind of annoying having to change it manually every single time I install something.

change your environment variables...

Your link doesn't work...

wasn't intended to be a link...but if you need one go here

Environment variable - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and or google "windows enviornment variables"

%SystemDrive%The %SystemDrive% variable is a special system-wide environment variable found on Microsoft Windows NT and its derivatives. Its value is the drive upon which the system folder was placed. Also see next item.
The value of %SystemDrive% is in most cases C:

Well I followed this tutorial, but it didn't seem to work... Any advice?

How to Change Default Windows Installation Path to Your Desired Path » My Digital Life

It would help to know whether you're running a 32bit RC or a 64bit RC - b/c in the 64bit there is also %ProgramFiles(X86)% in addition to just the regular %ProgramFiles% variables....

You shouldn't really change %ProgramFilesDir% variable. I'm pretty sure I read a page at MS that said some things like Office will fail when you do.

Here's what I do. Do it once and you never have to do it again...

I put most of my programs on D:\Programs and never have to reinstall them when I installing a new operating system. Most programs will work without running the installation routine.

If they place files in system32 or write a lot of info to the registry, they yeah, keep them in Program Files. There's only 3 programs I install in Program Files...Kerio Firewall 2.1.4, Java and VirtualBox.
I also change my default start menu locations to D: so my shortcuts stay between installs.

He wants the Install path to be automatically set for the alternate location when installing - much like in XP you can do using nLite....

Here's the KB article...
Microsoft does not support changing the location of the Program Files folder by modifying the ProgramFilesDir registry value

Sorry, my last post was in response to the "Here's what I do" part - of course he can do it manually, he wants it done automatically.

I didn't advocate changing the ProgramFiles variable itself, but I mentioned that there are 2 separate instances of a Program Files directory, the regular and the x86, on x64 OS. I should have not used the variable names to make it more clear.