Hi Im now installing everything to my second hard drive.
The Reason I am doing this is because I am hoping that when I get my Vista x64 on monday from newegg I will be able to reformat my C: and the install my new OS and still have all my games when I log onto windows for the first time.
My questions:
*Will this work?
*Will my games be slower being on a secondary hard drive?
*Will I only have to make new shortcuts on my fresh hard drive for the games to work?
*If there is anything else I need to know please let me know.

Many games and almost every application will register itself with Windows in the registry. Some games do not, however. You can try copying it all over but I think you will have some problems especially if you're switching from XP to Vista. You can, however, copy your saved games over to the new HDD.

So in conclusion, you'll probably have to reinstall your games too, so save your saved games at least.

Ok let me explain a little better.
*I have Vista 32bit
*Im not wanting to transfer the games from my secondary to primary after fresh OS
*I am going to leave them on the 2nd hard drive after fress OS
*I hope to just be able to go into the secondary folder and for ex: click on eve.exe and it work.

Yes, just like leo2kp mentioned above that

It doesn't matter whether your OS is Vista or XP but that's just some games/applications do the way they are programmed.

DOes anyone do this?

You don't seem to understand. When you install a game, it's more than just files being copied over. The game assesses your hardware and operating system and makes registry entries accordingly to make it run better. If it weren't for the registry, you'd have a lot of problems with variables, database issues from one app to another, registering your software, basically any sort of variable-based setting in the program can be found in the registry. Without it most apps will not work right.

Games do not always do this though. DAoC, for example, can be run from any HDD and without be "installed". It does not use the Windows Registry. But even though some games do not use the Registry, they can still copy files to the Windows/System folder. You can go ahead and try to find out which files and where they are located, but I'm guessing it would be more worth your time to just suck it up and reinstall the game.

But like I said before, you can copy the game over to the other HDD and SEE if it works, but it probably won't. If it doesn't, the least you can do is copy your saved games over so you don't lose that. After reinstalling the OS and games (assuming you have to), just re-copy the saved games to the appropriate folder.

I also understand you want to keep the games on the 2nd hard drive. That's fine, but when you find that your games don't work, you can just reinstall them on the 2nd hard drive. Reinstallation means that the installer will create new Windows registry entries and re-copy other system related files over to the Windows directory...stuff that you weren't able to copy over yourself.

If you find out that a game works fine without reinstallation, then YES all you need to do is make a shortcut to the Windows desktop.

Does this clear things up?

Yeah I understand about registry but I also backuped all register from local in regedit. So I was hoping this would work. I will let you know how it goes. Thanx for the long rant

You don't want to use your old registry in a new OS. That's NOT a good idea. You will probably have to reinstall Windows again if you do that...

I have to agree with what most people said: you will have to reinstall the software for the new OS. Some software will install specific components based on hos OS and there is no way to know. To help the OP, we could list the softwares we know won't need reinstall or that will require it.

No reinstall:

• Eclipse
• Grand Theft Auto III - San Andreas

Reinstall:

• ?

No reinstall:

* Eclipse
* Grand Theft Auto III - San Andreas
* Eve Online

Reinstall:

* ?

off topic, but

good memories in that game.

Ok back on topic. From my experiences most games don't have to be reinstalled but store their saved games on you C drive. I would just backup my saved games as you and when you reinstall windows, try running each game. The ones that wont start no biggie just reinstall and what not. Reguardless you are going to have to backup you saved games so no loose either way.

I keep all my games on a seperate hard drive and other files. I only have windows on C drive, and files / games on another two. Anyway you don't sound like a tool so just give it a shot reguardless your probably going to have a game or two you have to reinstall.