Changing ProgramFilesDir Registry Entry

[jsitke]

After installing any Windows version I always change the ProgramFilesDir registry entry (usually to E:\Apps), but I heard you can have quite a few problems in XP. Has anyone else had these problems?? Here's what I found on the subject:

From reader Mike J.:
"I was interested in your tip about changing the registry settings for ProgramFilesDir. I have done this on a number of systems over the years and it always worked fine, but I did come across a problem with Windows XP Pro.

After a clean install of Win XP Pro, I made the registry change as usual and then found that Outlook Express no longer worked. The shortcuts to it had changed to the new (D:\) default Program Files directory. I changed them back, but it still refused to run, coming up with an error message to say MSOE.DLL could not be initialized. This happened even if I ran the Outlook Express Program directly from Explorer.

@see http://www.itworld.com/...

- jsitke

 

[Qumahlin]

A few of my friends did have various problems that related that when they changed the program files dir =/ best advice would be to try it and if it fails ya can change it back..nothin like good ole trial and error

 

[Viscon]

same here
any prev windoze gave me no probs in changing program files folder location

i went into troubles though on xp

eventually left it where it was originally installed

😡

 

[crono_logical]

I've changed mine to "E:\Program Files" and have had no problem executing Outlook (even though I hate that program 🙂 ) I've also noticed that quite a few of XPs system files which used to be in C:\Program Files has moved across to the other drive.

 

[jsitke]

Registry Find & Replace?

After re-reading the Mike J.'s quote, I am wondering if he neglected to do a registry find & replace for all the old entries that still contained C:\Program Files and change them to D:\Program Files. Whenever, I have switched over I have had to perform this on the registry for programs that were already installed to C:\Program Files.

- jsitke 😕