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Is it better to install all of the programs on local disk C or should I install some on other drives?

Anonymous
2014-02-16T01:05:14+00:00

Hi there. I recently bought a new laptop computer and I’m wondering if it’s better to install programs on local disk C or D? For ages, I installed programs on local disk D, one reason was the lack local C drive storage, and the other reason was to help windows work better. As my new laptop computers provide more storage and also higher configuration, is it still a good idea to follow the old habit?

Another issue; I have a plan to make regular backups from my system for the case of emergency conditions, in this case, as I installed some programs on local D drive, is it possible to make a backup of them(program files and program files (x86) on drive D)?

What do you recommend me?! Should I uninstall the installed programs on D and install them again on local C drive? Which strategy works better for my windows efficiency?

Some people argue that if you have enough space on local C drive, you’d better to install all of the programs on C.

Here is some information from my laptop computer.

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3537U CPU @ 2.00GHz   Sony Corporation, 12Gb Ram, GF Nvidia 735, 1tb hybrid H.D.D, windows 8.1

My Local drives spaces: (C=146 Gb, D=150 Gb, E=200 Gb, F=400 Gb), 82 Gb of my local disk C is free now.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-02-16T15:52:08+00:00

    There is not much point in using D for program installation because you would have to re-install the programs anyway in the event of a major C drive crash.

    It is a good idea to have data and saved/downloaded files go to anther drive, and you should do this. Office productivity suites give you the option to send/save to a path other then the default C drive folders.

    Re backing up. Were you to save all of your important stuff to D, it would make the backup process more simple because all of your important stuff would be in one place, isolated from all of the other files needed to make the computer work..

    BUT, you should not see the D drive as backup because it isn't. You have not backed up your files until they are safely on a drive which can be isolated from the computer, for example an EXTERNAL hard drive.. 

    The idea behind using an external drive is that, in the event that the main, and maybe only, hard drive in the computer fails, or you have to re-install your entire computer, your data is still safe on the external drive, and can be re-instated easily..

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-02-16T14:34:17+00:00

    Hi Mehdi,

    Windows installs the programs in Program Files folder in the Windows default drive. This place is good enough for the programs. Only when the default drive has no space left for installing programs, you can install in a second drive or partition. There is no additional advantage in installing the programs in another drive or partition. In case you reformatted the system drive, you had to install those programs all over again because many of their files were lodged in Windows mostly System32 folder and Windows registry.

    On Windows 8 the backup feature is removed and has been replaced with File History. File history only backups your files and data, you cannot backup programs. If you want to backup programs you have to use some third party program which support this feature.

    For more information refer this Microsoft article:

    What happened to Backup and Restore?

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/what-happened-to-backup-restore

    Hope this helps. If you need further assistance with Windows, let us know and will be glad to help.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-02-18T19:46:16+00:00

    Hi Mehdi,

    Thank you for keeping us updated, glad to know these information helped you. If you need further assistance regarding Windows let us know we will be glad to help.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-16T16:44:05+00:00

    Thank you John Rubdy and Mike Hall MVP for the information. I do install all the programs on default C drive and I will uninstall programs on D and install them again On C. this way I will be able to make an easy back up of my system and program files on C..

    I may do a defragmentation on D after uninstalling programs to connect the spaces and improve my HDD efficiency.

    The only reason I installed programs on local D drive was to help windows works better by providing more space on C drive and kind of Isolation of systematic files by not processing on C but D! I was in doubt about this idea and now by your information I’m sure that the old strategy does not do any help but making difficulty providing back up of windows and programs on my laptop computer by third party software.

    Yes, for sure, I never keep my important documentations on C drive and I always keep backing up of personal documentations, images etc. on an external drives. My concern about this post was about windows and programs backups. By the way, I agree that the new saving screen in Office 2013 is very handy because you can easily reach the previous saving locations but the last versions always suggest you to save on document folder on local C drive!

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