Re: Disk partitioning

["Robert Holmgren" holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from Patricia M Godfrey  on Wed, 2 Oct
2002 13:24:37 -0400

Patricia:

> Unlike DOS apps, Win 9.x
> apps (and even most Win 3.1 ones, with the glorious exception of XyWin)
> don't just install in their own folders; they put bits and pieces of
> themselves into Windows and various of its subdirectories (and heaven
> alone knows where else), not to mention entries in the Registry. So if
> you have to reinstall Windows, you'll have to reinstall all your 32-bit
> apps at least.

Bits and pieces, yes. But I almost never install apps to BootDrive. For
example, if DLing a file, I don't just click on the Link; I right-click and
"Save target as..." a filename NOT on the BootDrive. Then I gain a measure of
control over what happens next, with many apps. Otherwise, often, the thing
just auto-DLs into a temporary directory on BootDrive, and starts to install.
You also aren't stuck with the intermediate installation file somewhere on
BootDrive. Moreover, with M$Word, for example, there's no reason -- it's
insane -- to keep your DOC files on BootDrive. You might lose everything
(unless you backup frequently).

I'm not pretending it isn't a problem. But installing apps off BootDrive makes
it much less of a problem. There *are* many apps that keep the DLLs and other
files they need in their own directory, not on BootDrive -- or at least keep
*copies* of those DLLs in their own directory (and that's all you need). But
you still need to back up -- with my method there is significantly less data to
copy off BootDrive. Most people don't back up. Sooner or later -- guaranteed,
it's just a matter of time -- they'll pay the piper. In my case it would be a
week of work to reinstall, minimum, and I'd *never* remember years and years of
tweaks and refinements and the notes to myself that I've written about managing
particular apps and etc etc etc. Nuts to that.

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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