I think that had I stuck with XP Pro, or if I had  just gotten a much larger SDD, I would have been much happier.

It seems that Windows 7 is FAR MORE stubborn about the locations of certain files than XP ever was, and while I was finally able to "beat the OS into submission", several things are now broken as a result, and my WEI is worse now than it was before. So I'm just limping along for now, gathering up my strength, and will do a wipe/reinstall in a week or so, using the "default" options, and using the libraries functionality to link my documents, rather than trying to convince Windows that it needs to store things somewhere other than the C drive. All in all I'm not happy, but I have nobody to blame but myself.

Sorry to hear that Dave 

I know everyone has their own way of doing things the way they like.  All I did, thanks to suggestions from Data is a very simple set-up.  I got a 1TB drive and split that in to two partitions.  Windows went on a 200GB partition and everything it likes to associate with itself.  Games and big stuff like graphics programs go on the other larger partition. Also stuff like downloads and things I like to keep handy.

And finally I have another smaller internal drive which I use for the W7 backups and system restore or whatever they call it now.  That's all that drive does.

It seems to work well for me. WEI is pretty good too.

Windows 7 is growing on me, and if it were functioning at full capacity, I'd probably actually grow to love it. I'll let you know once I get my screwup fixed, and have had a chance to really explore things.

OK matey, I hope you can get it the way you like.  That libraries feature you mention is quite useful I agree.

Good luck 

Me and to a lesser extent Snowy used to do the same thing and move file locations in XP, we then both gave up the fight in 7  , only move my documents now, windows doesn't complain about that, thank god.

Still think Win7 is the best OS when you weigh up the pros and cons.   

In a perfect world, it would be best to have the files that windows accesses and writes to the most located on the SSD for maximum benefit I guess.

My biggest gripe isn't so much the installed programs, most of which give you a choice of installation folders (except Belarc Advisor, for some strange reason), but the ProgramData directory, which Win 7 does complain about if it's moved, and which can reach an unwanted size. I suppose I could go through that folder, and move the contents of any new app installs to a separate location, and then alter the registry each time, but that's a HUGE hassle. {sigh!} maybe M$ will heed the demands of the technically inclined, and produce a service pack that allows for those folders to be re-located. There are a lot of individuals now who want to install Windows on smaller SSD's, but can't really do so efficiently because of these stupid limitations.

My C: drive is 64 GB, had windows 7 installed since its release, plenty of programs installed into program files and program files X86 and I still have 29 GB free on the drive, I'm not sure why you are so concerned about disk space Dave, you must have plenty of free space available, haven't you? 

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* Dave, why move all the program files anyway? Any large program/game can be installed anywhere (with a few exceptions). Windows pagefile really wants to be on the SSD to speed things up.
I would put My Docs on another drive but that's easy peasy (though some programs do still put data in the old location). Right click My Docs, goto 'location' tab and set to where ever.

As Data says, we both try to work with windoze these days, it's easier.

On a different SSD note. My friend is trying to install a SSD into and old 478 mobo and having a major issue with the BIOS not seeing the drive. Latest BOIS is 2004/5 so I think he's onto a loser.

This is a warning for anyone trying to upgrade an old machine.

And also a possible Xmas prezzie for Data. Want a nearly new 60 GB SSD by OCZ? Not seen it yet but expect it to be SATA 2 not 3.

Quote from: Snowcrash on November 19, 2011, 12:57:21 PM
On a different SSD note. My friend is trying to install a SSD into and old 478 mobo and having a major issue with the BIOS not seeing the drive. Latest BOIS is 2004/5 so I think he's onto a loser.

This is a warning for anyone trying to upgrade an old machine.

And also a possible Xmas prezzie for Data. Want a nearly new 60 GB SSD by OCZ? Not seen it yet but expect it to be SATA 2 not 3.

Does sound intersting Snowy, when you get the time can get the model number and asking price then PM me

Thanks 

PS.

Is he sure it's the BIOS not seeing the drive, I mean it could be a faulty drive.

Yes.

He has a SATA, PCI card and it works fine in windows but he's unable to boot from the card (still working on that one)
When he plugs it into the onboard SATA the BIOS doesn't see it. Apparently.

It's my old 478 Gigabyte board.

I guess part of it is that I'm just spoiled. Moving the Program Files folder for a fresh install of XP was simple: just boot to safe mode as Admin, XCOPY all the files, run regedit to change the C to an E on a few dozen registry entries and you're good. The nice thing about it was that then XP knew to install apps to that drive by default. Even programs like Belarc Advisor installed in the right place.

As to why I want to move the folder in the first place? Just my "Game files" folder (where I've installed all of my games, and actually on it's own drive) is 48GB in size. I "lost" my original "Program Files" folder (and a few apps that I no longer have install files for) was nearly twice that size. {Lord, I'm not looking forward to re-installing everything}

I'm currently looking for where the setting in the registry is for keeping the "default" install location for apps and such. If I can find that, then it will make installing my programs again so much simpler.

When I install stuff and want it somewhere else I just change the default install path to wherever want it to go... or am I missing something.  I mean at the very start of installing when it gives you the option dialogue.

That's great... For apps that actually give you that choice (the overwhelming majority do), but even then, much of the time you can't simply change the drive letter, and have to hit Browse, copy the "ultimate" directory name (just in case), navigate to where you want to put the program, and generally jump through a lot of hoops to get it where you want it. For one or a dozen applications, that's only a minor thing. But when you have upwards of a hundred or more apps to install, then it gets to be a pain.

I know I'm making this sound worse that what it actually is, but it's still like pulling teeth to me, and I'm not looking forward to it.

Ah I see, thanks for explaining.  Yeah I imagine it is a headache for you. 

In the past when I have done fresh installs I used to install everything asap.  The last couple of times I just install something as I need it.  That can be a pain I suppose if it is a big program though and you are in a hurry.