TC Floppy + Install Bug

[Wheelie]

I got my Legal version of TC and was a bit disappointed......

The floppy was not like the World famous TC icon, not Blue and the sticker not Red ! Yes, complaining is easy.

But here is a real one.

When I installed the floppy the default TC directory was in the C root, but these day's I expect it to be Program Files, and if you change it the TC directory can be automatically added to the chosen path. (me = lazy bastard)

[JackFoo]

I can't believe you wasted ~300 bytes of bandwidth (not counting the smilies and the outlining html) for every user who clicked the link, unbelievable. You definitely are a lazy bastard.

But if we were talking about floppies, does anybody know how long does it usually take for the registration to arrive?

P.S. One smily ~300bytes, wouldn't it be more economic to just print :-) or ;-} or whatever else you like. (this whole explanation took less than the smily). But that just me being a puristic bastard.

Cheers.

[Dominik]

No way,I hate Program files.I install apps to \Programs\ and I check where they save reg info.Then i export it to REG file,and i can reformat whole Windows partition and install Win again.Then i run like 20 reg files and all my apps are installed.I don't reinstall windows so often anyway

[Wheelie]

Jack Foo

I live in Holland, and this TC package came from Switzerland an it took about 2 weeks (snail mail).


Dominic

You do it like the old W3.11 day's, you could copy a program dir to another disk, and format c:, reinstall W and put the dir back. worked fine. But like you say you now need the registry settings to.

But I know that some program's throw a few DLL's in the W dir, how or with witch program do you check this ? Some Norton utility ?

I use Norton Ghost for this reinstall W thing, when I get a new motherboard I install W, all drivers and small util's and ghost it onto an other disk or CD. But no games ! There just to big (maybe when I have an DVD burner) and only the save games and replays are important.
I now even trust my nephews to crash my pc, then look angry to these litle dudes( ), and reinstall the ghost file in 5 minutes.

[sqa_wizard]

how long does it usually take for the registration to arrive?

I registered some years ago, but as far as I know the floppy is only a "emergency fallback".

You can download the shareware version, pay the bugs and get the registration keyfile by mail within a day ...

Sure, I forgot to mention the time for saving the keyfile to harddisk

[TucknDar]

No way,I hate Program files.I install apps to \Programs\ and I check where they save reg info.Then i export it to REG file,and i can reformat whole Windows partition and install Win again.Then i run like 20 reg files and all my apps are installed.I don't reinstall windows so often anyway

I agree wholeheartedly! "Program Files" is evil! Not least when some win-apps even tend to have problems with folders with spaces...

[Dominik]

TucknDar - Glad to hear that someone agrees with me
Wheelie - No i don't use any app like this.I ignore programs which needs some DLL drivers or some hardcore writing into hardware registry parts.Usually some CD-burning apps do this.I use only 3 apps like this,so it isnt a big problem to install them normally to any place,Program files might be used too.
So i've got like 40 apps in E:\Programs (no,no crap and a lot of shareware,these are useful utils) and 3 apps in Program files.

I wish all programs dont use the worst thing ever - registry.I prefer INI files.they rocks.registry is one big MESS of stuff,even the hardcore MS programmer dont have a clue what is each item for.It's just sick if it contains over 60 000 keys.Can't believe it.what a trash! Ini files rulez.Go TCMD go!

[Maxwish]

The only thing I have in Program files are the Microsoft stuff (IE, outlook, office, commen files, etc).

All other stuff is neatly organized in different folders.
C:/progs_utils
C:/progs_web
C:/progs_security
C:/progs_study
etc

Most setup and installation programs can be unpacked, and then I only extract the minimal files needed to run the program, leaving out all DLL's I already have and more useless stuff.

about registry settings:
A good program will add the default registry settings by its self if they can't be found in the registry. It's just trial and error to see if the prog will work at the first run, otherwise I'm forced to use the setup.

[ghisler(Author)]

I didn't use "Program files" for several reasons
- backwards compatibility
- easier finding of the dir by users
- "Program files" is write protected for non-admin users

[Dominik]

Most setup and installation programs can be unpacked, and then I only extract the minimal files needed to run the program, leaving out all DLL's I already have and more useless stuff.

about registry settings:
A good program will add the default registry settings by its self if they can't be found in the registry. It's just trial and error to see if the prog will work at the first run, otherwise I'm forced to use the setup.

That's the way i do.Exactly

[jb]

I install apps to \Programs\ and I check where they save reg info.Then i export it to REG file, ...

I like this idea. How do you do it exactly? Do you use a registry monitor such as Regmon (freeware) from Sysinternals or Regmon Enterprise Edition (commercial version) from Winternals?

[Lefteous]

@Wheelie

there is a way to customize your default install directory: The Total Commander install package contains a file named "Install.inf". There is a section called [Destination]. Now change the key from
Dir=C:\Totalcmd to
Dir=%PROGRAMFILES%\Total Commander

If the registry key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ghisler\Total Commander" has a string value "InstallDir" the setup uses this value for easier updating an existing Total Commander installation.

@Ghisler

I didn't use "Program files" for several reasons
- backwards compatibility
- easier finding of the dir by users
- "Program files" is write protected for non-admin users

There a reason against C:\TotalCmd. For some reasons Windows 2000/XP will not be installed on a partition that is assigned to a drive letter "C:".

[Dominik]

I install apps to \Programs\ and I check where they save reg info.Then i export it to REG file, ...

I like this idea. How do you do it exactly? Do you use a registry monitor such as Regmon (freeware) from Sysinternals or Regmon Enterprise Edition (commercial version) from Winternals?

usually i dont need RegMon because apps store their registry settings to familiar keys,like ACDSystems if you install ACDsee or so... anyway,regmon seems to be the best real-time registry monitoring tool.
i've made my BAT file which export all registry entries of my installed programs - it's good if you do some changes in program's options,so new settings will be stored to REG files in a tick...

[Dominik]

@Wheelie

there is a way to customize your default install directory: The Total Commander install package contains a file named "Install.inf". There is a section called [Destination]. Now change the key from
Dir=C:\Totalcmd to
Dir=%PROGRAMFILES%\Total Commander

If the registry key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ghisler\Total Commander" has a string value "InstallDir" the setup uses this value for easier updating an existing Total Commander installation.

@Ghisler

I didn't use "Program files" for several reasons
- backwards compatibility
- easier finding of the dir by users
- "Program files" is write protected for non-admin users

There a reason against C:\TotalCmd. For some reasons Windows 2000/XP will not be installed on a partition that is assigned to a drive letter "C:".

i dont see a point what are you trying to tell us changing this in INF file is pointless if it's possible to change the dir during installation

[jb]

usually i dont need RegMon because apps store their registry settings to familiar keys,like ACDSystems if you install ACDsee or so...

But this way you cannot be sure that you will catch all keys related to an application, can you?