How to move "Program Files" to another drive/partition

The way I have had my past several machines configured is to have a number of
different drives/partitions configured eg 'System' (C, 'Programs (P,
Files (F which contains 'My Documents', downloads, Setup and other files etc

On XP this was achieved by the brute force method - boot to 'Safe Mode',
move the 'Program Files' folder from C: to P: and then edit the registry,
changing every occurence of 'C:\Pro' to 'P:\Pro'. After this and rebooting
the machine worked fine and all new programs installed to the new drive.

I've recently downloaded 'Vista Ultimate' and have attempted to do the same
as formerly on XP as detailed, but after rebooting many programs will not
work, and running a Setup file from CD throws up an error.

Is there a means by which this can be achieved as it does make backup of the
System drive (C somewhat quicker.

You can move the profiles via Local Policy via the MMC. It takes a little
work, but it does indeed work.


Bill F.



"Pud" <Pud@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:AE458B70-D2F1-4CA9-9C68-A33341722057@microsoft.com...
> The way I have had my past several machines configured is to have a number
> of
> different drives/partitions configured eg 'System' (C, 'Programs (P,
> Files (F which contains 'My Documents', downloads, Setup and other files
> etc
>
> On XP this was achieved by the brute force method - boot to 'Safe Mode',
> move the 'Program Files' folder from C: to P: and then edit the registry,
> changing every occurence of 'C:\Pro' to 'P:\Pro'. After this and
> rebooting
> the machine worked fine and all new programs installed to the new drive.
>
> I've recently downloaded 'Vista Ultimate' and have attempted to do the
> same
> as formerly on XP as detailed, but after rebooting many programs will not
> work, and running a Setup file from CD throws up an error.
>
> Is there a means by which this can be achieved as it does make backup of
> the
> System drive (C somewhat quicker.
>

[reinux]

Hey people, I figured out a good way to do this.

Start the computer with the Vista installer CD and run the system recovery tool -- specifically, the command prompt. Windows will have some files in the Users and Program Files folders locked, so it has to be done from another OS instance.

First we xcopy the Users and Program Files folders to the destination drive; then we rename (or remove) the original folders and replace them with junctions (EDIT: use symbolic links instead!) pointing to the copied folders. For all intents and purposes, Vista becomes oblivious to the fact that anything had moved. You don't have to tinker with the registry.

I think this trick would probably work for Windows XP as well.

I've made a .bat script that does this; you can either use this or punch everything in in the command prompt yourself. %1 is assumed to be the source drive and %2 is assumed to be the destination drive. Be sure to specify these parameters before you run the script.

Code:

%2
cd \
mkdir "Program Files"
cd "Program Files"
%1
xcopy "%1\Program Files" %2 /s /h
rename "Program Files" "Program Files_"
mklink /d "Program Files" "%2\Program Files"
 
%2
cd \
mkdir "Users"
cd "Users"
%1
xcopy "%1\Users" %2 /s /h
rename "Users" "Users_"
mklink /d "Users" "%2\Users"

Sample usage would be as follows:

Code:

movefolders.bat c: b:

Hope this helps,

Rei


Edit: Looks like this causes some complications with certain updates. The workaround here: Vista: Windows Update Error 80070011 Semi-Automated Fix - Moblog[csuccess]=moderate

Edit 2: Don't use junctions; use symbolic links instead. That seems to work flawlessly. When you call mklink, use /d instead of /j.

Edit 3: Nevermind, that got me a little further but still doesn't work completely. It might be better to move just the Users folder and leave the Program Files folder as it is; just install new apps to the other volume.

Edit 4: I ended up just copying the Program Files folder back to let the updates run.

WHY?
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"reinux" wrote:

>
> Hey people, I figured out a good way to do this.
>
> Start the computer with the Vista installer CD and run the system
> recovery tool -- specifically, the command prompt. Windows will have
> some files in the Users and Program Files folders locked, so it has to
> be done from another OS instance.
>
> First we xcopy the Users and Program Files folders to the destination
> drive; then we rename (or remove) the original folders and replace them
> with 'junctions' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS_junction_point)
> pointing to the copied folders. For all intents and purposes, Vista
> becomes oblivious to the fact that anything had moved. You don't have to
> tinker with the registry.
>
> I think this trick would probably work for Windows XP as well.
>
> I've made a .bat script that does this; you can either use this or
> punch everything in in the command prompt yourself. %1 is assumed to be
> the source drive and %2 is assumed to be the destination drive. Be sure
> to specify these parameters before you run the script.
>
>
> Code:
> --------------------
>
> %2
> cd \
> mkdir "Program Files"
> cd "Program Files"
> %1
> xcopy "%1\Program Files" %2 /s /h
> rename "Program Files" "Program Files_"
> mklink /j "Program Files" "%2\Program Files"
>
> %2
> cd \
> mkdir "Users"
> cd "Users"
> %1
> xcopy "%1\Users" %2 /s /h
> rename "Users" "Users_"
> mklink /j "Users" "%2\Users"
>
> --------------------
>
>
> Sample usage would be as follows:
>
> Code:
> --------------------
> movefolders.bat c: b:
> --------------------
>
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Rei
>
>
> --
> reinux
> Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>
>

[reinux]

Because I want my Program Files and User profiles on my software RAID. Windows can't be installed to a software RAID.

[Gew]

I have another theory on solving this issue.
I'd like to keep NTFS junction points out of the picture.
Therefor, my solution goes something like this.

Change the following registry key:
HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ProgramFilesDir\

This is Windows main reference on %PROGRAMFILES%. Thing is, Windows itself is locking many of the files within this folder, so you can't re-target the whole folder right away. So, grab an FreeDOS/MSDOS/Hiren/whatever boot disc, and then move (eg. 'ren "C:\Program Files" "D:\Progs"')

Some people say you could just boot into fail-safe mode, and you'd be able to rename the directory. I haven't tried it, so I wouldn't know. To be honest, I havn't tried this method at all, it's all theory for now. But it sounds like a plan. Just to be safe, after successfully booting with the new main registry key, plus the changed directory, you could search the registry in its whole for oldisch \Program files\ entries, and pull a simple "Replace all" on that.

So, any thoughts, ideas?

Why try so hard to complicate a proven operating system?
All you are doing is slowing the system down.

"Gew" <Gew.4ad145@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com> wrote in message
news:Gew.4ad145@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com...
>
> I have another theory on solving this issue.
> I'd like to keep NTFS junction points out of the picture.
> Therefor, my solution goes something like this.
>
> Change the following registry key:
> -HKEY LOCAL
> MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ProgramFilesDir\-
>
> This is Windows main reference on %PROGRAMFILES%. Thing is, Windows
> itself is locking many of the files within this folder, so you can't
> re-target the whole folder right away. So, grab an
> FreeDOS/MSDOS/Hiren/whatever boot disc, and then move (eg. -'ren
> "C:\Program Files" "D:\Progs"'-)
>
> Some people say you could just boot into fail-safe mode, and you'd be
> able to rename the directory. I haven't tried it, so I wouldn't know. To
> be honest, I havn't tried this method at all, it's all theory for now.
> But it sounds like a plan. Just to be safe, after successfully booting
> with the new main registry key, plus the changed directory, you could
> search the registry in its whole for oldisch \Program files\ entries,
> and pull a simple "Replace all" on that.
>
> So, any thoughts, ideas?
>
>
> --
> Gew
> Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>

[Gew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badger

Why try so hard to complicate a proven operating system?
All you are doing is slowing the system down.

"Gew" <Gew.4ad145@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com> wrote in message
news:Gew.4ad145@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com...
>
> I have another theory on solving this issue.
> I'd like to keep NTFS junction points out of the picture.
> Therefor, my solution goes something like this.
>
> Change the following registry key:
> -HKEY LOCAL
> MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ProgramFilesDir\-
>
> This is Windows main reference on %PROGRAMFILES%. Thing is, Windows
> itself is locking many of the files within this folder, so you can't
> re-target the whole folder right away. So, grab an
> FreeDOS/MSDOS/Hiren/whatever boot disc, and then move (eg. -'ren
> "C:\Program Files" "D:\Progs"'-)
>
> Some people say you could just boot into fail-safe mode, and you'd be
> able to rename the directory. I haven't tried it, so I wouldn't know. To
> be honest, I havn't tried this method at all, it's all theory for now.
> But it sounds like a plan. Just to be safe, after successfully booting
> with the new main registry key, plus the changed directory, you could
> search the registry in its whole for oldisch \Program files\ entries,
> and pull a simple "Replace all" on that.
>
> So, any thoughts, ideas?
>
>
> --
> Gew
> Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>

How am I slowing Windoze down by changing this key? After all, the regkey is for reference, huh? The idea is -- of course -- that I dislike the 'long path' of default %PROGRAMFILES%. I'm using NTFS junction points to have access through eg. C:\P\ for now, but moving the whole kit and kaboodle sounds nifty to me!

Gew wrote:
> I have another theory on solving this issue.
> I'd like to keep NTFS junction points out of the picture.
> Therefor, my solution goes something like this.
>
> Change the following registry key:
> -HKEY LOCAL
> MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ProgramFilesDir\-
>
> This is Windows main reference on %PROGRAMFILES%. Thing is, Windows
> itself is locking many of the files within this folder, so you can't
> re-target the whole folder right away. So, grab an
> FreeDOS/MSDOS/Hiren/whatever boot disc, and then move (eg. -'ren
> "C:\Program Files" "D:\Progs"'-)
>
> Some people say you could just boot into fail-safe mode, and you'd be
> able to rename the directory. I haven't tried it, so I wouldn't know. To
> be honest, I havn't tried this method at all, it's all theory for now.
> But it sounds like a plan. Just to be safe, after successfully booting
> with the new main registry key, plus the changed directory, you could
> search the registry in its whole for oldisch \Program files\ entries,
> and pull a simple "Replace all" on that.
>
> So, any thoughts, ideas?

If it's not broke, then you don't fix it.

I would be worried about all of the references to specific program files by
Icons and other links and by all the services and or registry entires that
are installed on the computer that do not use "%PROGRAMFILES%" when
referencing a specific program file.

"Gew" <Gew.4afvw2@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com> wrote in message
news:Gew.4afvw2@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com...
>
> Badger;1682193 Wrote:
>> Why try so hard to complicate a proven operating system?
>> All you are doing is slowing the system down.
>>
>> "Gew" <Gew.4ad145@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com> wrote in message
>> news:Gew.4ad145@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com...
>> >
>> > I have another theory on solving this issue.
>> > I'd like to keep NTFS junction points out of the picture.
>> > Therefor, my solution goes something like this.
>> >
>> > Change the following registry key:
>> > -HKEY LOCAL
>> > MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ProgramFilesDir\-
>> >
>> > This is Windows main reference on %PROGRAMFILES%. Thing is, Windows
>> > itself is locking many of the files within this folder, so you can't
>> > re-target the whole folder right away. So, grab an
>> > FreeDOS/MSDOS/Hiren/whatever boot disc, and then move (eg. -'ren
>> > "C:\Program Files" "D:\Progs"'-)
>> >
>> > Some people say you could just boot into fail-safe mode, and you'd
>> be
>> > able to rename the directory. I haven't tried it, so I wouldn't know.
>> To
>> > be honest, I havn't tried this method at all, it's all theory for
>> now.
>> > But it sounds like a plan. Just to be safe, after successfully
>> booting
>> > with the new main registry key, plus the changed directory, you
>> could
>> > search the registry in its whole for oldisch \Program files\
>> entries,
>> > and pull a simple "Replace all" on that.
>> >
>> > So, any thoughts, ideas?
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Gew
>> > Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>> >
>
> How am I slowing Windoze down by changing this key? After all, the
> regkey is for reference, huh? The idea is -- of course -- that I dislike
> the 'long path' of default %PROGRAMFILES%. I'm using NTFS junction
> points to have access through eg. C:\P\ for now, but moving the whole
> kit and kaboodle sounds nifty to me!
>
>
> --
> Gew
> Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>