Changing the default installation path

Firstly you have to manually change every installation on the install to where they are installed. The default position is generally in C:\Program Files\Program Name whatever it is and maybe a sub folder as well.

While not overly important having programs on different partitions to the Boot partition it may slow things down a bit by having one HDD partitioned with several different partitions as the read write heads have to move a lot more to load the program and run it as well as save it when you close down.

But if you are running 2 or more HDD's it isn't a problem and I always use a second Drive and install most of the Non Windows OS programs to the D Drive and save all of the data to the D Drive as well. That way if there is a problem with the Windows Drive you still have your Data intact and know which programs you need to install when you rebuild the unit. But you still have to do regular Data Backup's as well because HDD have been known to fail. and with different HDD's you have less chance of the Drive being messed up when Windows crashed because of something silly happening.

Col

well you could write an installation answer file, create a .msi package of the program then run it but thats a lot of work than simply changing the default C:\ blah blah to D:\blah blah.

The C:\program files\blah blah is for mass public which don't know about computers, partitioning hard drives, having to reinstall Windows after it takes a header into the abyss and losing everything,

the idea of programs on different partitions came about because W9X and W2K usually required a reinstall over a period of time. Before the validation and activation stuff, programs usually put the .exe file with the program so if you installed it to D:\ and Windows took a dive, you would reinstall the O/S and just create a desktop shortcut to the .exe file and your good to go. No need to reinstall everything. Nowadays thats not the case. Certain portions of the program necessary for it to run are placed in the C:\ drive regardless of where you tell it to install itself.

You can change it via "system properties, advanced tab, environmental variables".

Here's a couple links to help you out, the 1st one will provide you with variables you can use, the others should show you the way.

http://kennethhunt.com/archives/000933.html

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=311843#XSLTH4133121122120121120120
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=100843
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/ntcmds_shelloverview.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;841343

By installing programs onto the same HD but a different partition, will cause a performance hit as HAL 9000 noted.

Only one PATA (Parallel-ATA) device can be active at any one time on the same IDE channel, but by placing programs on a 2nd HD (a seperate Parallel-ATA device) you'll increase your performance because both can be active at the same time. That is of course provided the drives are on seperate IDE channels....in other words one must be on IDE1 & the other on IDE2 both as master. But now you run into trouble with ROM drives which have to be slaved off one of the two HD's.

If you slave the ROM off the IDE1 HD you have interleave problems, if you slave it off the IDE2 HD you'll have trouble running games off CD's. Either way with ROM's involved you'll take a performance hit, if you have a combination of PATA & SATA connections on your MB you should be good to go.

If you only have the standard two IDE controllers putting programs onto a 2nd HD in the end gains you nothing.