Change Default Programs location?

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I'm a bit tired of always having to copy large program files such as my steam direction (for all the games) before i reformat and install windows so i don't have to redownload all the crap after i install windows.

 

So i decided to do what many others already do, which is store all my program files and games on a separate partition, and keep windows on its very own. This way i only have to reinstall the programs after a reformat/reinstall, and the rest should pick up on its own.

 

I split up my 1gb SSd drive into two partitions, one windows, the other program files, and what i'm trying to do now is change the default path of the program files, so when i install programs they automatically know to install to the Programs parition/drive, so that i can be lazy and not manually change choose and change the custom location each time i install a program.

 

There are tons of guides online, such as this one http://www.thewindowsclub.com/change-default-program-files-directory-windows which basically say to change the location in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion , which i did.

 

however, programs still want to install to the C drive, but windows thinks they're installed to the drive that i changed the location to, and programs that have already been installed to C drive, such as some default programs and others that escaped my change, woont open because windows now thinks they are on the other drive i changed the location to. So this is messy as a dam of a hoardy beaver.

 

Is there a much cleaner way of doing this? Or is doing custom installs and changing the location of the install the only real way of doing this?

 

Or should i just stop being lazy and change it each time i install a program?

 

Thanks

[Eric Veteran]

Just make a library in the Steam client on the drive you want to store the games on and leave them there.

 

Moving the Program Files folders isn't supported and could result in you not being able to install updates or upgrade to a new OS version.