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The thread discusses a user who, after installing Windows 7 64-bit on a new PC with separate partitions for OS, Program Files, and Data, attempted to change the default Program Files path via the registry. They encountered issues with pre-installed programs like Internet Explorer, which still default to relying on their original installation paths, causing errors when shortcuts reference environment variables like %ProgramFiles%. The community suggests that moving pre-installed or previously installed programs isn't straightforward, and it's generally easier to let Windows handle program installations in their default directories, or reinstall programs to correct paths, rather than manually moving them or editing registry entries.
T

tomservo

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
18
Thread Author #1
Hello all,

I recently installed a fresh copy of Win7 64 on a new PC. The way I have my system set up is that I have separate partitions for OS, Program Files, and Data (C: D: E: respectively). After installing the OS and partitioning the drive I went into RegEdit to change my ProgramFilesPath from C:\Program Files (x64)\ to D:\. The problem I had, however, is that some programs like Internet Explorer would not run after that because their shortcut pointed to %ProgramFiles% instead of the actual directory name, and IE was pre-installed, of course, on C:\Program Files. I don't care if some programs are installed on C:, but is there a way that I can fix this, or a way I can move such programs over to another drive without re-installing?

I previously ran Windows 7 32-bit and don't remember having this problem.

I have Windows 7 32-bit with SP1.

Thanks!
 

Solution
MikeHawthorne
Hi

I can see why you would want to install software on a different partition, If Windows gets wiped the software is still there.
I do that too, but I don't try and install Windows components on a different drive.

It doesn't really care where you install other stuff, I don't put my software in Program Files at all, I have a drive just for games and another one for Graphic Arts software and data.

Adobe Photoshop installs in E:\Adobe along with my other Adobe software, and each game get's it's own directory on the D:\ drive.

But I just let it install Internet Explorer, Media Player and things like that where it want's too.
If you have to do a restore they will all get reinstalled anyway.

If there is a way to install them in a...
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MikeHawthorne

MikeHawthorne

Essential Member
Microsoft Community Contributor
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
6,684
#2
Hi

I can see why you would want to install software on a different partition, If Windows gets wiped the software is still there.
I do that too, but I don't try and install Windows components on a different drive.

It doesn't really care where you install other stuff, I don't put my software in Program Files at all, I have a drive just for games and another one for Graphic Arts software and data.

Adobe Photoshop installs in E:\Adobe along with my other Adobe software, and each game get's it's own directory on the D:\ drive.

But I just let it install Internet Explorer, Media Player and things like that where it want's too.
If you have to do a restore they will all get reinstalled anyway.

If there is a way to install them in a different directory, I've never seen it ask, "Where do you want to install Internet Explorer", etc.

Maybe someone else here will have a solution, to what you want to do, but I just install Windows on C:\ and then direct it to install everything else I install to the location I want it installed to, when I install it, no hacking the paths afterword.

Mike
 

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Solution
T

tomservo

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
18
Thread Author #3
Mike,

I appreciate your response! Perhaps I should have stated more clearly though: It doesn't really matter to me if some applications like IE install on C:. I'm not necessarily interested in moving those. But let's say the OS installs IE to "C:\Program Files\IE". The shortcut will point to %ProgramFiles%, not the exact directory. So, when I make the registry change to change the default install directory to D:, and I click on the IE icon, I get an error message because it's looking for IE on the D drive, "D:\IE", while it's actually still on the C:. That's why I thought moving the application might solve this problem.

Perhaps I changed too many entries in the registry?
 

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