Harry,
≪Please indulge me, I think this has been answered before, but if I
reserve C: for the OS, and install all programs on D:, does that mean
that when I have to re-format C: and re-install the factory version
of the OS, that I won't have to re-install and re-customize my
programs? Sounds too good to be true. Don't those programs depend on
the Registry, which is on C:?≫
Yes, it is too good to be true. Before the C:lean sweep, you must
backup your registry file, which contains all the references to the
programs installed on D:. After you do the C:lean sweep, you copy the
old registry file onto C:. This supposes that you have a clean
registry file to begin with. If the main reason you are doing a clean
sweep on C: is that you have corrupted registry entries, then backing
up and copying your old registry file to the newly installed C:
partition is wasted effort. You might as well re-install all your old
programs, too.