Move installed program to another hard drive letter (same system)?

Infopackets Gazette Reader John T. 'oldbiker' writes:

" Dear Dennis,

First of all I think your newsletter -- it's great. I recently partitioned [split] my hard drive into two drive letters (C and D drives), so that I could move my installed programs over to D drive and leave C for Windows only. This way, if Windows crashes on me, I can format C drive and not worry about losing any my improtant data (on D drive). [Side note: This is also a great strategy for keeping disk image backups small, and to reduce the time it takes to create an image file].

My question: is there a program that will transfer programs and shortcuts from one hard drive partition to another, and also change the system registry to reflect the move? "

My response:

Yes, it is possible to move an installed program from one hard drive letter to another on the same system. The name of the utility that can do this is called "Change of Address 2", and is available from the PCMag.com web site (requires "free" registration). From the PCMag.com web site:

" COA2, an update of PC Magazine's Change of Address utility, lets you move a program to a new location without breaking it. When you install a program under Windows, the system builds a web of connections that make it difficult to move the program anywhere else. If disk space constraints force a move, or if adding a new device causes drive letters to change, the system can lose track of essential files. References to the program are stored in shortcuts, INI files, and the system registry.

COA2 tracks down all references to the old address and replaces them with the new address. When the changes are complete, it presents you with a list of changes and gives you the option to undo any of them, if necessary. Note that COA2 does not actually move any files. It reports moves and name changes to the system. This new version offers Windows 2000 support, and an improved user interface. COA2 was written by Neil J. Rubenking, and first appeared in PC Magazine May 8, 2001. "

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1556307,00.asp

Side note: If you look hard enough, you can download COA2 from another source online the Internet (without having to go through the "free" registration via PCMag.com). Google is a great starting point.

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