Questions about Win XP Pro install

  • Thread starter Thread starter Just Me
  • Start date Start date
J

Just Me

Hi,

For a few years now I have had Win XP Pro, I have always installed the
operating system on my # 1 hard drive and I save everything to my #2 hard
drive. The reason is whenever I do a re-install of my operating system all
my saved data on the second hard drive is still there and I don't have to
worry about losing my data unless the hard drive it's on goes bad.

Now I just bought a new 200 GB external hard drive and plan to keep my data
on that drive freeing up my #2 hard drive. Here is my question,

Could I install my operating system on hard drive#1 and then whenever I
install any programs install them on #2 hard drive. I know I can do this but
what I want to know is, if I had to re-install my operating system again on
#1 hard drive ,once installed would all my programs still be available on #2
hard drive ? I'm trying to figure out a way that I don't have to re-install
every program again when I do a re-install of my operating system.

Will this work???
 
Hi,

For a few years now I have had Win XP Pro, I have always installed the
operating system on my # 1 hard drive and I save everything to my #2 hard
drive. The reason is whenever I do a re-install of my operating system all
my saved data on the second hard drive is still there and I don't have to
worry about losing my data unless the hard drive it's on goes bad.
Click to expand...

Makes good sense..............
Now I just bought a new 200 GB external hard drive and plan to keep my data
on that drive freeing up my #2 hard drive. Here is my question,

Could I install my operating system on hard drive#1 and then whenever I
install any programs install them on #2 hard drive. I know I can do this but
what I want to know is, if I had to re-install my operating system again on
#1 hard drive ,once installed would all my programs still be available on #2
hard drive ? I'm trying to figure out a way that I don't have to re-install
every program again when I do a re-install of my operating system.

Will this work???
Click to expand...

Now that you have bigger drives you may consider drive#1 as your OS
install with all program installs and use imaging software to backup
your whole system.....Installing progs to a second drive is BIG problems
in my eyes especially with re-association....In your scenario you'll
lose it all..........

Imaging software will make a copy of your entire OS to another source,
drive#2 for example....I have not had experiences with external drives
and imaging software actually seeing then especially USB so I have no
experience with that............

I use PowerQuest Drive Image, don't wanna recommend anything else as I
do not use others & have no experience with them..........
 
Just said:
Hi,

For a few years now I have had Win XP Pro, I have always installed the
operating system on my # 1 hard drive and I save everything to my #2 hard
drive. The reason is whenever I do a re-install of my operating system all
my saved data on the second hard drive is still there and I don't have to
worry about losing my data unless the hard drive it's on goes bad.

Now I just bought a new 200 GB external hard drive and plan to keep my data
on that drive freeing up my #2 hard drive. Here is my question,

Could I install my operating system on hard drive#1 and then whenever I
install any programs install them on #2 hard drive. I know I can do this but
what I want to know is, if I had to re-install my operating system again on
#1 hard drive ,once installed would all my programs still be available on #2
hard drive ? I'm trying to figure out a way that I don't have to re-install
every program again when I do a re-install of my operating system.

Will this work???
Click to expand...

Not as you envison it. Reinstalling the OS creates a new registry and
all the program information written to the registry during the original
application install will have been lost. The programs for the most part
won't be usable. It's fine to put programs on a second partition or
drive but then to recover both at once use a drive imaging program to
create backup images of both drives / partitions. Then if there is a
problem restore both. Store the images on an external drive or DVD
media. Programs of this type are Norton Ghost, Acronis True Image and
Terabyte Unlimited's Image for Windows and BootIt NG.
 
Just Me said:
Hi,

For a few years now I have had Win XP Pro, I have always installed the
operating system on my # 1 hard drive and I save everything to my #2 hard
drive. The reason is whenever I do a re-install of my operating system all
my saved data on the second hard drive is still there and I don't have to
worry about losing my data unless the hard drive it's on goes bad.

Now I just bought a new 200 GB external hard drive and plan to keep my
data
on that drive freeing up my #2 hard drive. Here is my question,

Could I install my operating system on hard drive#1 and then whenever I
install any programs install them on #2 hard drive. I know I can do this
but
what I want to know is, if I had to re-install my operating system again
on
#1 hard drive ,once installed would all my programs still be available on
#2
hard drive ? I'm trying to figure out a way that I don't have to
re-install
every program again when I do a re-install of my operating system.

Will this work???
Click to expand...


Just Me:
Well, you could *do* what you propose, but I wonder if there's a more
practical alternative, to wit...

Couldn't you install *both* your OS and all your programs on drive #1 and
use drive #2 for the data files you create? Then use a disk imaging program
such as Symantec's Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image to "clone" the
contents of your two internal drives to your external HD? In this way you
would be able to maintain a near-failsafe backup system encompassing *all*
the data on your two drives and should the time come when you need to
restore the OS, your programs and data, you could do so in a relatively
simple and straightforward fashion through the disk cloning process.
Anna
 
Just said:
Hi,

For a few years now I have had Win XP Pro, I have always installed the
operating system on my # 1 hard drive and I save everything to my #2 hard
drive. The reason is whenever I do a re-install of my operating system all
my saved data on the second hard drive is still there and I don't have to
worry about losing my data unless the hard drive it's on goes bad.
Click to expand...

A very sensible approach. Placing data files on a partition or
physical hard drive separate from the operating system and applications
can greatly simplify system repairs/recoveries and data back-up.

Now I just bought a new 200 GB external hard drive and plan to keep my data
on that drive freeing up my #2 hard drive. Here is my question,

Could I install my operating system on hard drive#1 and then whenever I
install any programs install them on #2 hard drive. I know I can do this but
what I want to know is, if I had to re-install my operating system again on
#1 hard drive ,once installed would all my programs still be available on #2
hard drive ? I'm trying to figure out a way that I don't have to re-install
every program again when I do a re-install of my operating system.

Will this work???
Click to expand...


No, it won't. There's really very little point in having a separate
drive or partition for just applications. Should you have to reinstall
the OS, you'll still have to reinstall each and every application and
game anyway, in order to recreate the hundreds (possibly thousands) of
registry entries and to replace the dozens (possibly hundreds) of
essential system files back into the appropriate Windows folders and
sub-folders. This is a useful solution only if your system partition
lacks sufficient space for all of your applications.

You could use the #2 Hard drive to store backups or images of the
system partition (Drive #1) for quick disaster recovery.


--

Bruce Chambers

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