Dos can read and write to NTFS partitions so long as you include the right files in your boot image. This sort of thing is rather easy to find around... and worst case you can always load the recovery console which is built into XP and reads NTFS.



What's the size of your system partition? I've tried system configs with small system partitions and it's always turned out badly even when I've used the registry to redirect documents, program files, etc to a separate partition.


That said... 5 gigs being stored anywhere outside of the game's install directory is unacceptable. I've seen no game or program do that before and would STRONGLY suggest the devs relocate such files to the install directory. even if these are files that are being created as a byproduct... have them be created IN the install directory.



I'm really kind of tired of programs scattering themselves all over my computer. Put everything in the install directory and if you must make some registry entries... period.

I don't even understand the point of hte application data folder in the first place.

wait a minute... I play games all the time that are brand new that don't put saved games in the application data folder.


They either put them in the application's install directory or the "my documents" folder.


As to changing the application data folder it's not that hard.


Just "COPY" the information to the new location, then alter the registry values that tell the computer where to look, and reboot.


Then delete the old folder and you're done. This works in 99 percent of the cases... sometimes programs don't read the registry or don't read it correctly and will put information where the folder would be by default. This is generally pretty rare but it does happen.





Blair... you have to explain this "compliance" thing... what happens if you decide to put your files in the install directory... in a "saved games" folder... like half the game makers out there do all the time?

The "Games for Windows" brand is pretty new and there aren't very many games out with the logo. We have a massive check list from Microsoft and if we don't pass on everything we don't get the logo. We had it all in My Documents up until just before beta 1 and I much preferred it but we must obey

example:



See the upper left hand corner?... what's wrong with that?

Uh, Brian? Is there a restriction that there cannot be the option of relocating the read/write directory to a user specified location? If it is the user's choice then Micro$haft has no choice, which I like. And please tell me you're using something OTHER than MS install 3.0!! (With MS install 3 you must retain source installers for all installed products or no uninstall for you.)

Neither did I. All new games I own have their saves in the c:\my documents folder. Besides that, Microsoft sucks anyway. So I wouldn't put it past them that they just made this restriction for Ironclad to mess with Blair.



Yeah, I would also like that.

Edit:

Ah yeah. Microsoft and security.

Irony is truly dead.

I'm back



Yes, I'm using the latest version; file compression and auto saving without graph data stuff. Thanks for asking though. Most of the data was probally before current version. It was my first time seeing it though. I wrote this post because I was suprised and annoyed find it there making a mess in what is supposed to be mean and lean C: drive.



When I first built this thing, I planned to use a windows 98 boot floppy in the event that my computer broke and I needed to salvage data from the C: drive.

Meh... Now I have 3 hard drives for this thing. Maybe I should start to rethink the partition setup. I needed to do this at some point anyhow.
________________
Anyhow, I guess I'll do some cleaning on my hard drive now.

divinewrath, first having an itty bitty system partition is just a bad idea. As a rule of thumb I make sure mine have at least 10 GB. I know, that sucks... but it's just the way things are.


I then mod the registry to have my documents and desktop folder stored on a separate partition. That way if the first partition crashes my documents and desktop are safe. You could redirect the whole documents and settings folder to a separate partition. The BEST way to do this is by copying the whole contents of your documents and settings folder to a dedicated partition that you'll ONLY use for that purpose... then opening the management console and mounting that partition IN the documents and settings folder UNDER the C drive.


That if any program tries to read C:\Documents and settings\

They'll automatically be redirected to D:\ or whatever the drive letter is of that partition.


This is the MOST fool proof method of fixing this because many programs will not read the registry to see where the documents and settings folder is... and will simply write to "C:\Documents and settings\*"... by making this modification at the NTFS level you basically trick any program that looks in that folder into accessing an entirely different partition. You can do this with the program files folder as well. You "MIGHT" even be able to do it with the Windows folder but it would require special tools and would be a major pain in the ass.


Anyway, by doing this sort of thing you could probably get away with a 5GB system partition. But it's very important that you drop the CONTENTS of these folders DIRECTLY into these partitions. You can't put them in "program files" folder in the partition. The contents of the folders have to be dropped right into the ROOT directory of the partition "AS IS" or it won't work properly.



I've found that in most cases this sort of nonsense isn't worth your time or energy.



What I suggest you do is FIRST get a good bootimage for working in NTFS. PM me if you need help with that. Then convert your system partition into NTFS... fat32 is a horrible file system... I'm offended that I still have to use it on memory cards. It's just awful. It fragments and has major errors far too easily. The only thing I don't like about NTFS is that often I want to just shut off all the stupid security features... but even on the Home version of XP they're always lurking in the background and causing issues.


If you need more space on your primary partition there are tools that will resize your partitions without destroying data. I'd take that step next if you don't want to dedicate a partition to your documents and settings folder.


Edit: Blair, saved games at the very least have to go to the my documents folder... putting them in the application data folder is just obnoxious... I love you guys, but I'd tell your MS buddies that everyone else is putting the saved games in the documents folder or the game install folder and just move on from there.

I'd love to change the save game and screenshot directories. We'll talk to them and see what we can do but it's unlikely we can do much. Worth a shot though!

http://www.diyhappy.com/wp-content/images/Massive%20Hunk%20of%20Silly%20Putty.jpg

May I suggest a really simple soloution to this problem?

In the install directory, put a shortcut to all the directories that microsoft makes you spread out all over the computer. Then place a big text or document file in the install directory, labeled "README - SHORTCUTS" that explains the "Games for Windows!" nonsense and why it is because of Microsoft that you must spread your game all over the damn computer instead of, you know, doing the sane thing and keeping it all in one nice, easily-deletable chunk in the event all else fails.


There's nothing I hate more than microsoft nonsense - especially since half the programs on my damn PC won't uninstall anymore, it gets to be that a brute-force shift-delete of the install directory is the only way to clear up some gorram harddrive space.

I mean, I'm a computer user, I like to think I'm fairly advanced, but they were talking some stuff that was just over my head, and I don't know how to do it. If someone provided a step-by-step tutorial for XP, maybe I could, but as it is now? I don't think so.

Those 2 things dont fit how can you not uninstall a program properly and call yourself advanced.. hehe no offence
Ive come acrose alot of ppl who just delete what they installed without using the uninstaller that was with the program/game, so when i see the add/remove programs its full of junk and stuff that cant be removed unless you go into the registry database and delete it manualy.

I do agree that M$ aint making it easy on some ppl, even if you uninstall a program, there might be a few folders with some small files that are still there (that might be the uninstallers faults not M$), but when M$ forces dev's to put there stuff in hidden folders where a normal user cant even find them and delete them as he/she pleases, is really a shame.