Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (
More info?)
I'll deal with Program Files first. Many programs, including most Microsoft
software, will install a large portion of themselves into the system
partition no matter what you do. Other software won't work properly, or at
all, if installed in anything other than the system partition. That's
because Windows expects to find application programs in the system
partition.
Moreover, it makes little sense to install software outside the system
partiton, since the registry is part of the system partition. If you need to
reinstall Windows you'll need to reinstall all your software anyway, so
there's no real advantage to installing your software anywhere else.
Documents and Settings cannot be moved en masse to a different partition,
although you can move most of the shell folders (My Documents, Temporary
Internet Files, etc.) to another partition. Before you start moving shell
folders, ask yourself "why am I doing this?". In particular, moving shell
folders is no substitute for backing up.
Here is the entire article by MVP Kent England:
"How to Move Shell Folders (and contents)"
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_shell_folders.htm
FWIW, here's what I have done. Remember, this is only one person's idea: I
have My Documents, My Pictures, My Music and My Videos in their own
partitions. I moved Temporary Internet Files to the partition where I store
my backups. And I moved my (Outlook Express) message store and my address
book to My Documents. I didn't need to do any of this; it's just for
convenience when backing up.
--
Ted Zieglar
"Robin" <robin@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:kspeq0de47t4jumcedo3ip29jcveojgvuj@4ax.com...
> Thanks Ted. But on reflection, I guess what I really meant to ask was
> not about just My Documents but the whole Documents and Settings
> folder. I can see very real advantages in having this on another
> partition if a reinstallation is needed. Program Files too might be a
> good idea.
>
> Robin
>
>
> On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 14:46:16 -0500, "Ted Zieglar" <teddyz@notmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Yes and yes. It's not at all necessary, but it can be a handy
arrangement.
> >
> >But - and there's always a 'but' - you have to do it the right way.
> >Different shell folders need different techniques to be moved
successfully.
> >Here's how to do it for My Documents, care of MVP Kent W. England:
> >
> >"Be certain that no documents are open before you start a move process,
> >otherwise the move will be incomplete and your old folder will not be
> >deleted. You will have to close open processes and then manually move any
> >files that were not moved in the move operation. Best to do this right
after
> >a logon.
> >
> >One way to move My Documents is to right-click the My Documents folder
under
> >Desktop in Windows Explorer and select Properties. Move the folder with
the
> >Move button. This is the only shell folder that can be moved from its
> >properties tab. Be careful to enter the path to the new "My Documents"
> >folder, not to its parent. In other words, if you want the new "My
> >Documents" folder to be D:\My Documents, then you must enter that string
in
> >the Target box."
> >
> >Ted Zieglar
> >
> >"Robin" <robin@despammed.com> wrote in message
> >news:q0dcq0lv8t0sjlmc5tj23lma9n5t60e3v7@4ax.com...
> >> Can I put My Documents on a separate partition from the OS and retain
> >> full functionality?
> >>
> >> TIA
> >>
> >> Robin
>
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