Subject: Recommended steps to maintain the perfect Windows PC hierarchy Date: 21 Feb 2000 10:48:28 GMT From: john@cadence.com (John) Organization: Cadence Design System, Inc. Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.win95.setup,comp.os.ms-windows-setup.win95 **************************************************************************** Here are my recommended steps for maintaining a perfect Win95/98 PC hierarchy: John Gianni 2/17/00 (IMHO applies throughout) **************************************************************************** ============================================================================ 1) Boot using a super-boot floppy (which recognizes any CDROM drive). Note: A boot floppy is what Windows95/98 makes (i.e., startup disk); however, a super-boot floppy does three important things: a) It's a Win95 or Win98 standard startup disk, plus, b) It recognizes the CDROM on a variety of PCs (IBM, Toshiba, etc.), c) and, it creates (in RAM) a virtual diagnostic disk of utilities. Optionally, check your partitions: a:\> fdisk /status (Note: This is an undocumented FDISK command.) Or, run FDISK interactively: a:\> fdisk Answer all questions as you feel appropriate. Typically, you'll re-partition your disks, but, if your partitioning is fine as it is, you'll just leave them as they are. Note: If fdisk doesn't see you whole drive or if you have other issues, see some of the best fdisk resources in the world at: http://www.fdisk.com/fdisk http://www.maxtor.com/technology/whitepapers/63001.html http://www.webdev.net/orca/faq.htm etc. There are other partitioning tools (besides fdisk), e.g., shareware: http://www.users.intercom.com/~ranish/part etc. ============================================================================ 2) Optionally, format the C partition (primary DOS partition): A:\> format /s c: For all other partitions -- don't use the /s switch. A:\> format d: A:\> format e: etc. ============================================================================ 3) Create a logical (bin, doc, home, sys, tmp) hierarchy: A:\> mkdir c:\bin (use any desired directory name, e.g., "programs") A:\> mkdir c:\doc (use any desired directory name, e.g., "document") A:\> mkdir c:\home (use any desired directory name, e.g., "personal") A:\> mkdir c:\sys (use any desired directory name, e.g., "system" ) A:\> mkdir c:\tmp (use any desired directory name, e.g., "temp" ) Note: Use any directory names you like; simple guidelines I suggest are: a) Never allow more than 5 top-level directories! b) Never allow top-level files (other than the required 2 or 3)! b) Never allow second-level files (none should ever be required)! c) Never use upper-case letters or more than 8 characters! d) Singular is easier to remember than plural (was it mailer or mailers? editor or editors? browser or browsers?, etc.) (Of course, some items, such as "news" must be pluralized.) e) NEVER INSTALL W/O KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE THE FILES WILL GO!!! (Most installers rudely dump the furniture in your living room.) f) Use PC Magazine's change-of-address utility to eliminate all directory names with spaces or greater than 8 characters! (e.g., "Program Files" "Common Files", etc.) g) Use Microsoft's "TweakUI" to move all custom folders out of the OS area, such as "desktop", "mainmenu", "recent", etc. (Note since Microsoft removed TweakUI from the Windows98 Second Edition CDROM -- the Win95 TweakUI works perfectly well with Win98.) ----- Remove _all_ files at the root level _except_ for: WIN95: msdos.sys, io.sys (yes, even command.com can safely be deleted!) WIN98: msdos.sys, io.sys, videorom.bin (for multi-display systems only) (If you're squeamish about deleting these files at the root level, simply back them up into c:\sys\archive\root; and boot a few hundred times to reassure yourself all is well.) If you _still_ don't believe me that only 2 or 3 root-level files are required, see the extensive record in USENET newsgroups on this topic -- don't let Microsoft's rudeness of dumping everything in the root-level directory scare you into submission!) ----- A:\> mkdir c:\bin\archiver (for pgp, winzip, pkzip, binhex, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\browser (for netscape, ie, pointcast, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\calendar (for meetingmaker, appointent, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\compiler (for compilers, assemblers, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\database (for access, dbaseIII, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\editor (for msoffice, acrobat, framemaker, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\fax (for fax programs, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\finance (for quicken, turbotax, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\game (for games) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\mail (for eudora, blat, communicator, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\map (for streetsmart, copilot, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\network (for dun, isp's, tracert, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\news (for agent, xnews, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\phone (for visualmailbox, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\player (for media players, dvd players, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\util (for calculators, coa, inctrl4, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\bin\vaccine (for macafee, norton antivirus, etc.) Note: Use sub-directories where needed, e.g., c:\bin\editor\text\vi c:\bin\editor\text\notepad c:\bin\editor\text\wordpad c:\bin\editor\text\emacs c:\bin\editor\hex\hexedit c:\bin\editor\pdf\acroexch c:\bin\editor\pdf\distill c:\bin\editor\ps\gsview c:\bin\editor\frame\maker c:\bin\editor\xls\excel c:\bin\editor\doc\msword c:\bin\editor\ppt\powerpnt etc. ----- A:\> mkdir c:\doc\personal (for personal files, pictures, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\doc\business (for business files, presentations, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\doc\archive (for old files -- typically zipped up) A:\> mkdir c:\doc\current (for work-in-progress files) ----- A:\> mkdir c:\home\browser (for cache, cookies, certs, plugins, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\home\calendar (for meetingmaker files, settings, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\home\cursor (for extra cursors, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\home\desktop (the Windows 'desktop' folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\dotfile (for preferences for all programs, etc.0 A:\> mkdir c:\home\favorite (the Windows 'favorites' folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\font (for extra fonts, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\home\isp (for ISP settings, etc.0 A:\> mkdir c:\home\mail (for settings, filters, attachments, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\home\mainmenu (the Windows 'Programs' Start-Menu folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\news (for USENET news downloads, filters, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\home\phone (for ASPEN phone messages, etc.) A:\> mkdir c:\home\recent (the Windows 'recent' folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\sendto (the Windows 'send to' folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\shellnew (the Windows 'templates' folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\startup (the Windows 'startup' folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\topmenu (the Windows 'menu' folder) A:\> mkdir c:\home\vfstab (UNIX-like automount hierarchy) ----- A:\> mkdir c:\sys\win98 (for the Win98 operating system files) A:\> mkdir c:\sys\cab (for the Win98 cab files) A:\> mkdir c:\sys\archive (for monthly backups of important files) ---- A:\> mkdir c:\tmp\unizp (temporary location of unzip'ed files) A:\> mkdir c:\tmp\download (temporary location of downloaded files) A:\> mkdir c:\tmp\test (temporary location of test src files) ============================================================================ 4) Bring over the cab files: A:\> copy d:\win98\*.* c:\sys\cab\. ============================================================================ 5) Run the Windows 98 setup: A:\> c:\sys\win98\cab\setup.exe 6a) Follow setup directions: ... 6b) Change the default below from "C:\WINDOWS" to "Other directory" ... +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Windows 98 Setup Wizard | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Select Directory | | (o)C:\WINDOWS | | ( )Other directory | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ 6c) Change the default (very interesting that it chose CDROM defaults) to C:\SYS\WIN98 (sorry, no lower-case letters allowed by MS) ... ... 6d) I recommend one uncheck _all_ components when setup asks ... Note: The 'components' of Windows98 make a mess of your clean file system hierarchy; I recommend, at a later date, you install, (using PC Magazine InCtrl to keep track of exactly what is added) just those you need, one by one (and use PC Magazine's Change-of-Address to put them exactly where you want them). +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Windows 98 Setup Wizard | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Select Components | | | | Components: | | [ ]Accessibility | | [ ]Accessories | | [ ]Address Book | | [ ]Communications | | [ ]Desktop Themes | | [ ]Internet Tools | | [ ]Multilanguage Support | | [ ]Multimedia | | [ ]Online Services | | [ ]Outlook Express | | [ ]System Tools | | [ ]Web TV for Windows | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ ============================================================================ 6) One by one, install the needed programs. Note: Most programs are like very rude movers -- they'll lazily plop all furniture, including the kitchen sink, in the front doorway to your house if you let them. They'll put themselves all over your menus (what the heck are readme & help & register shortcuts doing in the start menu anyway?) And, they'll put themselves on the desktop. DON'T LET THEM BE RUDE! a) No directories but the file top-level directories go in C:\ b) No files whatsoever go anywhere but in the separate directories c) All user-customized settings go in a separate home directory (Admittedly, one needs to be an expert to follow thru completely.) NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A HOME DIRECTORY! For example, Eudora executables go in: c:\bin\mail\eudora\ But, forevermore, all actual mail and settings go in: (assuming single-user systems with multiple ISP accounts) c:\home\mail\eudora\ c:\home\mail\eudora\ c:\home\mail\eudora\ That means things like: c:\home\mail\eudora\/mail (your mail) c:\home\mail\eudora\/filters (your filters) c:\home\mail\eudora\/attach (incoming attachments) c:\home\mail\eudora\/settings(preferences & settings) c:\home\mail\eudora\/temp (temporary files) c:\home\mail\eudora\/plugins (plugins like PGP) etc. Do the same for browsers such as Netscape: For example, netscape executables go in: c:\bin\browser\netscape\ But, forevermore, all cache, settings, certificates, etc. go in: (assuming single-user systems with multiple ISP accounts) c:\home\browser\netscape\ c:\home\browser\netscape\ c:\home\browser\netscape\ That means things like: c:\home\browser\netscape\/cache (cache) c:\home\browser\netscape\/bookmark(bookmarks) c:\home\browser\netscape\/setting (preferences) c:\home\browser\netscape\/plugin (plugins like PGP) c:\home\browser\netscape\/temp (temporary files) c:\home\browser\netscape\/cert (certificates) etc. Maintain complete snapshots of your file system before & after each installation -- at the very first day in the life of your computer, run: a:\> dir /s/a/l/on/b c:\ > c:\sys\archive\virgin\salonb.txt And, then, forevermore, use a system snapshotter such as PC Magazine's InCtrl4 to snapshot all installations so that _every_ subsequent file and registry change is 100% identified in the history hierarchy: c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0001.txt (move 'program files' to bin) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0002.txt (move 'my documents' to doc) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0003.txt (move 'common files' to common) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0004.txt (move windows 'temp' to c:\tmp) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0005.txt (eliminate all MS net-crap) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0006.txt (install in-control) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0007.txt (install change of address) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0008.txt (install winzip) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0009.txt (install clean-it) c:\sys\archive\history\rpt_0010.txt (install ms office) etc. On the first of each month, make a backup of your most important files: mkdir c:\sys\archive\000101 (backup as of the 1st of January, 2000) mkdir c:\sys\archive\000201 (backup as of the 1st of February, 2000) mkdir c:\sys\archive\000301 (backup as of the 1st of March, 2000) etc. (Note: The naming convention assures proper sorting by name.) And, again, run a monthly snapshot (using "salon" or "salonb" switches): a:\> dir /s/a/l/on/b c:\ > c:\sys\archive\000101\salonb.txt Note: When copying, use the "keify" switches, e.g.: xcopy32 /k/e/i/f/y c:\path\dir c:\newpath\newdir ============================================================================ **************************************************************************** End of: Some recommended steps for maintaining the perfect Win95/98 PC hierarchy: ****************************************************************************