Install new apps XP and Profiles (XP Home)

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When installing a new app, what determines which profile becomes “home” to the app? My wife and I each have our own profile, plus a Guest profile. For example, I recently installed Lavasoft’s Adaware 6. It installed to my profile’s programs folder. I also installed Firefox, and it installed to “all users” programs. I would like to be able to control this behavior when I install new software, but I don’t have a clue..

Thanks,
Ken

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Depending on the intelligence of the programmer who wrote the installer for the application, you may be asked if you want to install it for the “All Users” profile or just for “Ken” ‘s profile. (“Do you want this application to be available to all the users of this computer, or just for yourself?”) Some just stuff it into “All Users” regardless; others into the profile of the person doing the installing. You usually have little or no control over this!

Almost invariably the software itself will be put into “C:Program FilesWonderApp” (or whatever), although you may get asked what directory you want it installed to.

If you want the app to be available to everyone, find where the shortcut has been put in your own profile, and move the shortcut to the corresponding directory for “All Users” (that’s an interesting exercise in itself, if you’ve never done it before, so I won’t spoil your fun!!).

John

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Depending on the intelligence of the programmer who wrote the installer for the application, you may be asked if you want to install it for the “All Users” profile or just for “Ken” ‘s profile. (“Do you want this application to be available to all the users of this computer, or just for yourself?”) Some just stuff it into “All Users” regardless; others into the profile of the person doing the installing. You usually have little or no control over this!

Almost invariably the software itself will be put into “C:Program FilesWonderApp” (or whatever), although you may get asked what directory you want it installed to.

If you want the app to be available to everyone, find where the shortcut has been put in your own profile, and move the shortcut to the corresponding directory for “All Users” (that’s an interesting exercise in itself, if you’ve never done it before, so I won’t spoil your fun!!).

John

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