up vote 2 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

I installed a 60GB SSD for the Windows 7 OS. I want to keep most software off it and install to the D:\ drive. Can I change the default installation drive?

link|improve this question
feedback

2 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

You can change the registry key of

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ProgramFilesDir

from c:\Program Files to whatever you want to be your default install folder

link|improve this answer
feedback
up vote 2 down vote

No, you can't. Most software will let you install to another drive though at installation time if you choose custom. But you can't force it because it uses the %HOMEDRIVE% environment variable and if you change that, Windows will cease to function.

According to Microsoft, this functionality is by design.

link|improve this answer
Plus some programs just hardcode it. – surfasb Jul 6 '11 at 4:41
1  
I think it is more likely that installers default to %PROGRAMFILES%. – paradroid Jul 6 '11 at 4:53
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.