Can OE run with ProgramFilesDir set to something other than the OS drive?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Colonel Blip
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C

Colonel Blip

Hello, All!

I've written about problems with OE on XP when the ProgramFilesDir setting
is changed and I've yet to find a way around the problem. My OS is on
D:\Windows and I want ProgramFilesDir to be on Y:\Program Files.

If I change ProgramFilesDir from d:\program files to y:\program files I can
load programs on my more spacious Y drive and all works well EXCEPT OE will
not run.

I can reset ProgramFilesDir to D:\Program File, reboot and then OE runs but
of course ProgramFilesDir is now pointing to the wrong drive, i.e. D instead
of Y.

Has anyone found a way to have ProgramFilesDir pointed somewhere besides the
OS drive and stll have OE work?

Thanks.

Colonel Blip.
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)
 
One cannot move or re-install OE on a different partition. It must
remain installed on the same partition Windows XP is installed on.
OE is tightly integrated in Windows XP and was not designed to be
removed or relocated.

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

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

:

| Hello, All!
|
| I've written about problems with OE on XP when the ProgramFilesDir setting
| is changed and I've yet to find a way around the problem. My OS is on
| D:\Windows and I want ProgramFilesDir to be on Y:\Program Files.
|
| If I change ProgramFilesDir from d:\program files to y:\program files I can
| load programs on my more spacious Y drive and all works well EXCEPT OE will
| not run.
|
| I can reset ProgramFilesDir to D:\Program File, reboot and then OE runs but
| of course ProgramFilesDir is now pointing to the wrong drive, i.e. D instead
| of Y.
|
| Has anyone found a way to have ProgramFilesDir pointed somewhere besides the
| OS drive and stll have OE work?
|
| Thanks.
|
| Colonel Blip.
| E-mail: (e-mail address removed)
 
Hello, Carey!
You wrote on Sun, 6 Feb 2005 13:56:40 -0600:

While I may be accomplishing what you are saying about moving OE, it only
affects OE; e.g. IE runs fine. Also, w2k is similarly integrated and there
is no problem doing this with w2k and having it work... just doesn't in XP
(so far).

Thanks.

Colonel Blip.
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)

CFM> One cannot move or re-install OE on a different partition. It must
CFM> remain installed on the same partition Windows XP is installed on.
CFM> OE is tightly integrated in Windows XP and was not designed to be
CFM> removed or relocated.
 
Colonel said:
Hello, All!

I've written about problems with OE on XP when the ProgramFilesDir setting
is changed and I've yet to find a way around the problem. My OS is on
D:\Windows and I want ProgramFilesDir to be on Y:\Program Files.

If I change ProgramFilesDir from d:\program files to y:\program files I can
load programs on my more spacious Y drive and all works well EXCEPT OE will
not run.

I can reset ProgramFilesDir to D:\Program File, reboot and then OE runs but
of course ProgramFilesDir is now pointing to the wrong drive, i.e. D instead
of Y.

Has anyone found a way to have ProgramFilesDir pointed somewhere besides the
OS drive and stll have OE work?

Thanks.

Colonel Blip.
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)
Click to expand...
Moving c:\program files is dificult and usually not advised however, I
found the following post from Tony Jollans:

TonyJollans (Programmer) Dec 2, 2004

An update for anybody interested.

I have reinstalled Windows and added the following two lines to the
[Unattended] section of my answer file (winnt.sif or whatever) ..

ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"
CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common Files"

This seems to have successfully put the folders on D: and most
software defaults to installing there. Occasional badly behaved
products try for C:\Program Files regardless but as I always override
anyway that's not a problem for me. The real benefit for me is the
Common Files being in a partition with space for them.

As far as I could find out it is not recommended to try and do this
post-install but it seems to work well when installed that way from
the start.

Enjoy,
Tony

Also, if applicable, see these links for:

How to Move the Windows Default Paging File and Print Spooler to a
Different Hard Disk
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314105&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

How to move the Spool folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308666&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Cannot move or rename the Documents and Settings folder
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/236621/EN-US/?FR=1

How to Change the Default Location of the My Documents Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310147&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Relocating Hard Drive Capacity and File Compression
Thread779-939540
 
What are you trying to achieve? Is it more free space in your D drive /
partition?

What type of drive is your Y drive? Is it a hard drive or some other
type of drive? Is your computer dual booting? Details? Is your hard
drive partititioned?

You can move programs from one drive to another but not in the ways you
are thinking. Internet Explorer and Outlook Express are integrated into
the operating and are not to be separated from the operating system.
However, you can relocate the Temporary Internet Folder and the Outlook
Express store folder, which are components.

--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
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Stourport, Worcs, England
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Hello, Philippe!
You wrote on Sun, 06 Feb 2005 12:09:31 -0800:


PLB> TonyJollans (Programmer) Dec 2, 2004

PLB> An update for anybody interested.

PLB> I have reinstalled Windows and added the following two lines to the
PLB> [Unattended] section of my answer file (winnt.sif or whatever) ..

PLB> ProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files"
PLB> CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\Program Files\Common Files"


Strange - only winnt.sif I find is one associated with my Colorado tape
Backup software.

Thanks.

Colonel Blip.
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)
 
Hello, Gerry!
You wrote on Sun, 6 Feb 2005 21:52:06 -0000:

GC> What are you trying to achieve? Is it more free space in your D drive /
GC> partition?

2 things - Limited space on D drive partition and desire to have my programs
all be on a single but different partition so I can do Ghost image backups
on each as desired without having oversized image files.

GC> What type of drive is your Y drive? Is it a hard drive or some other
GC> type of drive? Is your computer dual booting? Details? Is your hard
GC> drive partititioned?

System has 2 identical drives, partitioned into 7 partitions each. Dual boot
w2k/xp pro; one drive has one OS and its programs; other has its OS and
programs; each have sufficient space to image backup OS and programs if
desired from the other drive.

GC> You can move programs from one drive to another but not in the ways you
GC> are thinking. Internet Explorer and Outlook Express are integrated into
GC> the operating and are not to be separated from the operating system.
GC> However, you can relocate the Temporary Internet Folder and the Outlook
GC> Express store folder, which are components.

Maybe so on the integration but seems to be change for XP since I've had no
problem specifying a different ProgramFilesDir on the w2k and not had the OE
problem.

Thanks.

Colonel Blip.
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)
 
To move programmes / applications the recommended method is to uninstall
and reinstall in the new location. Otherwise people usually separate
data files from programme files.

Whether to format as FAT32 or NTFS can create issues on a dual booting
computer. You do not say which two operating systems you are running?

Some other notes you may find useful.
Create a My Documents folder in another partition and copy ( not move )
the contents of My Documents to your new folder. Then delete the files
in your My Documents folder ( if you encounter problems deleting use
Shift + Delete to bypass the Recycle Bin ). You will also need to
change Default File locations in the Microsoft Office programmes you
use. For Word go to Tools, Options, File Locations, highlight Documents,
click on Modify and change file path. For Excel go to Tools, Options,
General and change default file path.

For Temporary Internet Files select Start, Control Panel, Internet
Options, Temporary Internet Files. Settings, Move Folder.

To move the Outlook Express Store Folder select in Outlook Express
Tools, Options, Maintenance, Store Folder, Change.

http://www.tomsterdam.com/insideoe/files/store.htm

--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Using invalid email address

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Forgot to mention in my earlier message. On both partitions where the
Windows operating systems reside you could win significant free space by
selecting the System Restore option in Start, Disk CleanUp, More
Options. This suggestion would not apply if the operating system is
Windows 98 because it does not have System Restore.

--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Using invalid email address

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please tell the newsgroup how any
suggested solution worked for you.



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