How to move programs to another drive?

I have a W2K system and my boot drive is nearly full - I want to move some of the programs to other hard drives in the same system without having to uninstall and reinstall some of the programs. What is the easiest way to do it? Is there a freeware available that can accomplish this task seemlessly? Thanks in advance.

Windows Software 5498 This topic was started by hardwarecrazy, 2003-10-20 14:20

Discussion 5

hardwarecrazy

60 Posts
Location -
Joined 2001-05-16

#116434

2003-10-20 16:20

Compact Outlook 2000 .PST file

XP Pro and Home Dual-Boot

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Responses to this topic

sapiens74

1915 Posts
Location -
Joined 2000-03-30

#116435

2003-10-20 17:14

You can make the disk a dynanic volume instead of a basic partition

then you can add space from other hard drives as you need to

ALl built in to W2k

Tomay

530 Posts
Location -
Joined 2001-10-09

#116436

2003-10-20 19:23

You could move the folders, but you would have to adjust the registry settings for each moved program, and still many programs would not work.

Sampson

1457 Posts
Location -
Joined 2001-12-18

#116437

2003-10-21 07:40

I have only read about it but never tried it. Apparently you can create "symbolic links" under 2K/XP which allow you to create folders on one drive which act as aliases to another drive. Sapiens74 solution is very clever and you might want to try it first. Anyway, the software to accomplish symbolic links is found here: http://www.pearlmagik.com/winbolic/

pbuckne

148 Posts
Location -
Joined 2001-10-25

#116438

2003-10-31 22:03

I may be thinking too simple here, but I have seen it done by copying the program folders over (paht and all, such as c:\program files\program name) to the other drive, then reinstalling the software, and pointing the installer to the corresponding drive, thus retaining all program data, and taking care of the registry in one fell swoop... It would eliminate having to uninstall the program and then you could simply delete the original information...

duhmez

581 Posts
Location -
Joined 2002-04-27

#116439

2003-11-01 03:37

Use NTFS drive mounted as a folder.

First, close everythig. (Safe mode) Rename \program files\ to |progold, and create a new program files folder on c:. Cut and paste all the stuff in program files onto another drive in the root which I believe must be dynamic. Keep the c:\program files\ folder intact.
Then in disk management on the new drive, right click>set drive letter an dpath" choose to "mount into a folder on supported NTFS partition" Browse to choose the now empty c:\program files\ directory.

Now windows will think c:\program files is on c: when really it is the other hard disk.

(I've not tired this with somehting as volatile as program files, I did it with my \games dorectory. make sure you know how to recover your achine in case it goes terribly wrong.

One otherthing tpo note about mounted folder, you cant send folders on them, into recycle bin, you mst hole shift+delete to delete fodlers in the mounted volume.