Windows 7 install

[danski0224]

Now you tell me. Where where you a year ago when I needed this info, huh?

I was here

You can still do it after an install by "tricking" the OS during boot. Yes, there is a tutorial on it. It isn't easy.

I moved my User files by editing the registry, before any programs were installed.

Again, DO NOT move the "Public" Users folder. That will royally FUBAR file sharing.

Most of the stuff in this thread is well beyond the typical computer user. I would not attempt it without backing up what you have and while using a second computer to follow the instructions. If you mess up, be prepared to do a clean install.

Sure enough I did do something wrong, otherwise I'd be totally happy with the results. Do not follow my procedure, it fairly well stinks. That said, the goal I was after, had I achieved it, is delightful to work with, it worked great on 2K and XP.

You can move anything *except* the Users folders by right clicking on (example) the folder named "My Pictures">Properties>Location. If you have two Windows Explorer windows open, you can drag and drop. No need to do registry edits.

Here's some misunderstanding, I'll take my part of the blame for writing less than concisely, you can share some, unless of course I'm totally wrong.

Programs, by default Install to "Program Files" or "Program Files (x86)", typically located on C:\, most always in a sub folder in Program Files.
Programs, once installed and running, by default, will then Save files created or modified by those programs to sub folders in My Documents.

Yes, you are mostly correct- a lack of specifics/clarity. You are usually able to specify the default save to location.

I have, in the past, used a Program Files installation location on other than the C:\ drive, seemed a clever thing at the time, long term there's no advantage I can see.
I now leave Program Files right in the root of C:\, exactly where Widows wants them.

Installing programs elsewhere keeps space available on the SSD. You should not fill the SSD to more than 75% capacity. There is no harm in installing programs onto another drive, as long as the software allows it during a "Custom" install. The problems start if you attempt to move an installed program elsewhere, later (yes, there is Steam Mover and registry edits and robocopy).

I do see many significant advantages to saving files I create to someplace other than C:\ such as a second drive. That's what I was after with My Documents on a second drive, should I have moved “User\me” instead?

No, you can move the entire "My Documents" folder to wherever you want it quite easily.

Either "drag and drop" or do it through the "properties" dialog.

When it is done properly, you will have the little icon next to the folder name.

Moving the "My Documents" folder is a piece of cake. Moving your User folder is much more difficult. If relocation of the "My XXX" or "Download" folders will give you the space you need, leaving the User folder alone is suggested. Do not move the User folder(s) unless you understand why someone would want to do it.

 

[danski0224]

Not necessarily, with the ntfs file system there's a fool-proof dumb method to move folders anywhere else (like another partition) w/o the operating system noticing: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896768.aspx

For example to move all Adobe Programs from C:\ to somewhere else first move the folder with explorer, than from an admin command prompt: junction "C:\Program Files\Adobe" "X:\Where\You\Moved\It\Adobe"

I'm using this method to free my system partition since I chose a too small size on installation and don't want to go trough the hassle and risk of re-partitioning on the fly.

You can use a 3rd party program to modify partitions: Mini Tool Partition Wizard

 

[danski0224]

Those folders are managed as "special" ones by the OS. Their position can be changed, but it needs to be done properly (it implies registry changes and so on). There are some tools that can do that. In 7, "libraries" are a much more versatile way to add different paths to those folders.
Music, Pictures, etc. are not true folder but "libraries" instead. Right click them, select Properties, and you will see which folders are in the library. You can add and remove the one you like.

Not correct.

"My Pictures" *is* a folder.

This folder can be included into a Library.

The "My Pictures" folder can be put anywhere you want, *without* registry edits. You can instantly restore the default location, too.

 

[danski0224]

Beware of permissions. <program files> folders have permissions where executables cannot be modified but by privileged users. That means some "malicious" application running without those privileges can't modify them. If you put executables in folder where everybody can write, someone or something with low privileges can change them, and wait for someone with high privileges run them. At that point, the whole system is compromised. If you care about your PC and data, be careful about that. You can install elsewhere, but the setup or you must be careful about setting the proper privileges. And that's also the reason why always running with user with high privileges is dangerous.

The easiest way to prevent most malicious attacks is to set up a User Account without Administrator priveleges. When you start up your computer the first time, your initial User Account has Admin Rights unless you tell it otherwise.

Then, when you surf the web using the User Account without Admin Rights, you will be prompted to input the Administrator Password- nothing executable will happen automatically. It can be a bit of a pain/inconvenience, but this stops a lot of stuff from happening automatically.

Also pay attention to homepage and search engine highjacks when downloading stuff- read the dialog boxes that pop up

 

[Marsu42]

You can use a 3rd party program to modify partitions: Mini Tool Partition Wizard

Sure, but modifying (esp. system) partitions is still open heart surgery, no matter how stable these tools are. This means a lengthy backup, not just the files, but the whole thing and creating and testing os rescue procedures as I don't want to have a bricked system. Given the choice, I'd rather just move a folder, thank you very much

 

[DominoDude]

...

I would strongly suggest spending some time over here: http://www.sevenforums.com/ before taking much of the computer advice you are given on this forum. The Tutorial section alone will cover questions that you have and the ones that come up later- including the slipstream install and partitioning.

...

I bow and exits gracefully. I'm fully aware that the experience I have of home systems is somewhat minuscule after working with servers in datacenters for a bit more than 20 years, and giving support to some thousand different business users in just about every timezone of the world.
Good luck and carry on!

 

[danski0224]

Don't take it personally such sensitivity

 

[LDS]

Not correct.
"My Pictures" *is* a folder.
[/quote]

I wrote "Pictures" not my "My Pictures" - and libraries in 7 are shown prominently in any file dialog.
Instead of moving standards folders to other destinations - which require proper knowledge to do, it's far easier to personalize libraries to your taste so you can open and save from your preferred folders.
Also, again, standard folders have usually a permission set that makes them private to the user. Other folders may be readable and writeable by everyone. If for any reason the latter behavior is not what you want, be awar of it when you use other folders.

 

[LDS]

Pictures">Properties>Location. If you have two Windows Explorer windows open, you can drag and drop. No need to do registry edits.

The systems will take care of that you - if you do it through a system approved way. Once those capability were in Windows Powertoys, I didn't remember 7 had it readily available - the better. There are special system programming interfaces to get those folder from software applications, thereby the system has to know where they are or you can break some software if you move them improperly.

 

[LDS]

The easiest way to prevent most malicious attacks is to set up a User Account without Administrator priveleges.

That works only together proper permissions on files and directories, user privileges are exactly used to check what file they can access and how. Because on any PC there are different software running with different users - besides the logged on one for example there are services running with other users, many with the highest privileged one "local system", if you have something that could be modified by unprivileged user and then run by the privileged ones, you risk big troubles. My advice is: do not try to outsmart the system. There are often good reason if it designed that way. That's why OSX and other systems looks to be more secure. Unlike Windows, users stick to the OS rules, and usually don't care where software gets installed or data is stored, they let them go where they should.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I've done clean installs of windows 7 Ultimate twice in the past month or two on new SSDs on 2 different i7 machines. It took me about 15-20 minutes or less.

The issue is getting the drivers loaded for newer motherboards and options that did not exist when windows 7 was released. When you run windows update, there will be hundreds of updates, the time it takes for those depends on your internet speed.
Most software and hardware supports windows 7, but some older software does not.

 

[nc0b]

Assuming you are not talking about a laptop that is likely limited to one hard drive, use a minimum of 500 GB for the OS (if you can even buy one that small today), and the sky is the limit for a separate data drive. As another contributor said, 150+ Windows update will take much longer than the initial install.

I never partition drives anymore. The space taken up by Windows updates over five years is staggering, in addition to the space utilized by programs today. I want all may data on a separate spindle (drive) in case the OS blows up. Better yet I keep it on a file server with hardware RAID, but that is because I am in IT and all data is kept on a server.

 

[360_6pack]

Hi HARV
One tip I use when I have SSD's or high speed HDD's is to set the BIOS to load AHCI, this seems to make the disk access faster.
This must be done before the operating system is installed on the machine, I am not aware of it being able to be selected afterwards.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Hi HARV
One tip I use when I have SSD's or high speed HDD's is to set the BIOS to load AHCI, this seems to make the disk access faster.
This must be done before the operating system is installed on the machine, I am not aware of it being able to be selected afterwards.

+1, switching later can be done, but you don't want to go there. Your computer will not boot, and you have to attempt to fool with the registry, which often will not work.