Dead progams in old HDD after fresh OS install on SSD

[Axerith]

Hello,
I just upgraded my PC, including adding an SSD for the Windows 7 OS. I have a ton of programs on the old HDD (which still has the old OS also) but most of them are broken because the OS being used is on the SSD. How can I fix this without reinstalling each progam? Also, the SSD has ~13GB space left after OS, how can I make updates/downloads go to a large HDD?

 

[WyomingKnott]

First: You can't really fix it. Installing a program in one of the Windoze operating systems usually makes entries to the registry, and may also place files in the /windows tree. When you make a new installation of Windows, all of this is lost. The programs need to be re-installed.

There are utilities to try to patch up these missing links, but I do not place much faith in the idea.

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To installing on the other drive, two solutions. Some installation procedures are polite enough to prompt you to change the installation directory. Change it to a place on the other drive, and you are done.

Otherwise, if you hunt around this forum you will find references to two registry keys that point to the base for default installation. If you change these keys to point to drive 2, do the install, and then CHANGE THEM BACK, your chances of success are high.

I don't remember the keys off the top of my head. Have fun.