Auto-installer Problem

[Clive]

I have some software whose auto-installer wants to install the program to drive C:, but my OS is on drive H:. Is there a workaround which could be applied? I have zero programming knowledge and consequently have no idea if this is a really naive/impossible question.

Thanks always,
Clive

[Carol Haynes]

There is a way to tell Windows to install all software to a specific drive (at least for Windows XP - not sure about Vista):

You can change the default locations of your Program Files and Common Files directories by editing the registry:

- Click Start -> Run -> REGEDIT
- Navigate to the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
- You will see two values: CommonFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir
- Double click each one and enter a new path value, eg. if you want new programs to install on drive H: set
CommonFilesDir = H:\Program Files\Common Files
ProgramFilesDir = H:\Program Files
- Close REGEDIT
- Reboot

From now on all properly coded installations will install on drive H:

Don't be tempted to move the contents of C:\Program Files to H: it doesn't work and it is not trivial moving already installed programs.

If the program you are trying to install is hard coded to install on drive C: this won't work, and I'd guess if you installed the OS on drive H: those two registry values will already be set to drive H: so this trick won't help you much and the only way to work around that would be to contact the author and ask them to supply a properly written installtion routine!

[Clive]

Carol ,
Thanks. I've checked as you suggest & those settings are already in place. I have tried the author, also as you suggest, & no success there either.
I think that I might be snookered!

[Deozaan]

There's really nothing wrong with letting it install to drive C: (unless you don't have a drive C)

If you just don't like programs being where they don't belong, another thing you can try is moving the directory it installs itself to to the H: drive and updating your shortcuts. If the software doesn't rely on the registry for knowing where it's installed, that might work. Just remember that this would break the uninstaller and you'd have to remember to manually delete the files when/if you decide you no longer want the software.

[mouser]

this would be a good case to use a virtual machine (virtualpc, vmware, etc), let it install into C: as it wants, then copy the raw files to your real pc and see if it runs ok without being formally installed.

[Clive]

Thank you D & M. I'll give both suggestions a shot & let you know how things pan out.

[Clive]

If the software doesn't rely on the registry for knowing where it's installed, that might work.

It does rely on the registry

this would be a good case to use a virtual machine (virtualpc, vmware, etc

I was hopeful that this would work, but the software is supplied on a USB device & VPC (at least) doesn't support USB devices. Also the device must remain "plugged into" the host PC for the software to run

Would a dual boot scenario be worth considering?

[Clive]

In the end I needed to use both VPC & the (free) VMWare reader in combination. The reader gave me the required USB device accessabilty which VPC on its own couldn't provide. So - VPC runs inside the VM environment & I can now use that software whose auto-installer would only accept installation where the OS was on a C: drive.
The elephant stamp goes to Mouser for pointing me in the right direction, but thanks to all for words of advice.