Program Files installation on D: partition

[breinonline]

I started at my own unattended install cd a while ago. The cd works pretty well, but there’s is one more thing I would like to automate.

My hard drive is partitioned in several partitions. After the installation of Windows itself I first install a register editor and change the all the phrases “C:\Program Files\” to “D:\Program Files” with the search & replace function. Than I copy the Program Files directory to the D: partition. After a reboot I can delete the Program Files directory on the C: partition. Any other programs I install after that will have the right installation path because this path is also changed in the registry. (The following keys are responsible for that: (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ProgramFilesDir and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ProgramFilesPath) )

First I searched for a command-line editor to change the registry settings out of a cmd window. I found a MS tool what can change registry keys, but it can’t search & replace. I also found a tool which has a search & replace option but it will cost $44.95.

My question now is: is there any way to change the Program Files path with a (free) tool after the installation of Windows or is there even a better solution? Maybe it is possible to change the Program Files path during the installation of Windows (somewhere at the beginning of the GUI-mode setup?) so nothing has to be changed afterwards. When that is possible how can I avoid an additional problem of the D: partition that is not formatted at that point?

[airmr]

Change the Path to "Programm Files" at the 12 min Mark when installing wit a regpatch.

The D Partition has to be formatted for that though, otherwise you get an error.

[breinonline]

Then it should be possible to format de drive first at that point with the format command (FORMAT D: /FS:NTFS), I presume?

Can anyone tell me how far the registry entries are already entered at that point? When there are already entries containing the old C: path I will get a mix of two paths in the end.

[big_gie]

Just put this in your winnt.sif:

[unattended]

    UnattendMode=FullUnattended

    OemSkipEula=Yes

    OemPreinstall=Yes

    TargetPath=\WINDOWS

    ProgramFilesDir="D:\"

    CommonProgramFilesDir="D:\FichiersCommuns"

Thats what I'm using and I don't have a "C:\Program Files" folder No need to delete it, search the registry, copying files...

[breinonline]

That is what I was looking for! At which point do you format your D: partition? Can it be done during the unattended installation or will I have to format the partition before installing?

[big_gie]

I prefer keeping control of the format since I don't want to accidently format my personal data...

I use Partition Expert 2003

[XtremeMaC]

@breinonline u have to format it b4 hand bc if u don't format it its gonna fail when copying files to d drive,

i'm using partition magic 8 along with cdshell ini from multiboot guide

its working perfectly..