Installing software to a particular HDD

[Toby570]

My system has two HDD's on a SATA motherboard, one of those drives is IDE and runs through a converter that I use primarily for storage purposes. It's designation is 'E
When installing new software I am never prompted with an option to install it anywhere other than the default drive 'c containing the OS which is Vista Home basic.
How would I go about installing software to the 'e drive?
Thanks.

[Zacs-Master]

You need to go into BIOS setup to set your route drive to E. Apparently.

[VHG]

>>>You need to go into BIOS setup to set your route drive to E. Apparently.

What a strange answer (p.s. I assume you mean "root" drive). May apply to perhaps unix/linux but not Windows.

If he sets "E" as his "root" then how is he going to boot into the operating system if E is his boot drive.

Anyway it is probably best to keep your programs on the same drive as your operating system. If you put Windows on one drive, and your programs on another, and one of the drives fails for some reason, you will have a huge problem sorting out the mess.

If Windows and all your programs are on the same drive you can then take an "image" of your drive with some backup software and store it on an external drive. It is then much easier to restore everything from that image as everyting is one the one drive.

So basically install Windows and all your programs on the same drive.

p.s. Many programs have a default or simple path to take the default install but there is usually an option like "Advanced" or something like that during the install to allow you to change the drive, or folder, where the product is to be installed (and other install options). Very rare for a program not to have that option.

[ChuckFickens]

Root (or route!) drive doesn't make sense for linux either!

There's no reason why you can't, or shouldn't install programs onto a second internal drive, as VHG said just select the advanced or custom option during the install and change the C: at the front of the install path to E:

[MarkRae]

> Anyway it is probably best to keep your programs on the same drive as your operating system.

I doubt many IT professionals would agree with that, especially when it comes to servers.


> If you put Windows on one drive, and your programs on another, and one of the drives fails for some reason, you will have a huge problem sorting out the mess.

Only if it's the disk with the OS on it which has failed!


> If Windows and all your programs are on the same drive you can then take an "image" of your drive with some backup software and store it on an external drive. It is then much easier to restore everything from that image as everything is one the one drive.

That is simply untrue! Restore the OS partition and then restore the application software partition. At the most, that represents a few more mouse clicks.

[ChuckFickens]

I'd always install "proper" software (stuff like Exchange, SQL, etc...) onto a different drive than the OS (and then have further separate drives for the databases and logs)

(though it does make doing so easier when you can create extra drives at will)

[MarkRae]

Me too.

[Toby570]

Right, I shall look out for the advanced tab in future. I honestly cant say I've ever noticed it before, I MUST be more vigilant.
Thanks.

[ChuckFickens]

It's always worth paying good attention to every screen you see during any program install. By paying attention you can drastically reduce the amount of crap installed on your system as a lot of programs try and install other bits you don't need (such as browser toolbars) and there will almost always be a box to uncheck that will stop the extra crap from being installed.

[VHG]

>>>I'd always install "proper" software (stuff like Exchange, SQL, etc...)

From the posters question I was assuming he is a "home" user so unlikely to be installing onto a server, nor installing Exchange or SQL products.

[VHG]

>>>Only if it's the disk with the OS on it which has failed!

Well if the disk with all the programs on it fails you will have a copy of Windows with loads of entries pointing to a drive which has no programs on it.

After replacing the "programs" drive I assume that will take as long to sort out as if the Windows disk fails.

And I still say for most home user having Windows and all your programs on the same disk makes most sense.