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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.
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.
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:
Last edited by fgdn17; 05 May 2009 at 20:07. Reason: add systemdrive variable...
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....
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.