Options while installing software!

When I install some software in my computer, sometimes, it gives me 3 options to choose between: 1) will be installed on local hard drive 2) Entire feature will be installed on local hard drive 3) Entire Feature will be unavailable and we have select any 1 of the option. Can anyone please let me know the difference between first and second? Has anyone encountered this with any software?

1) will be installed on local hard drive 2) Entire feature will be installed on local hard drive Difference: Lets say you have more than one hdd or its partitioned now when you instal with selection 1) to local hard drive that is not your main one then it may be some files that will go to you main drive ((your windows instalation is on C:local hard drive you want to instal program to D:Local hard drive and you chose first option then maybe there will be some files that will go to the C:Local hard drive too.) but with option nr2 it would install it only to D:Local hard drive.) I hope it helps

1) will be installed on local hard drive
2) Entire feature will be installed on local hard drive

Difference:

Lets say you have more than one hdd or its partitioned now when you instal with selection 1) to local hard drive that is not your main one then it may be some files that will go to you main drive ((your windows instalation is on C:local hard drive you want to instal program to D:Local hard drive and you chose first option then maybe there will be some files that will go to the C:Local hard drive too.) but with option nr2 it would install it only to D:Local hard drive.)

Nope that is not what it means at all! C or D drive have NOTHING to do with it. The location of the install is determined during a different part of the install routine.

Let's say you are installing Microsoft Office. Office has many features. Some features are common and most people use them. Some are not so common.

Option 1 installs the most commonly used features.
Option 2 installs all the features (whether you will ever use them or not)
Option 3 allows you to block an option. For example, you want Office, but maybe you don't want to install PowerPoint so you can block PowerPoint from being installed.

Thanks Digerati, Lets say, I choose 1st option for word while MS Office Installation. Which feature will it skip which it will will install if I have selected 2nd option instead of 1st option?

I don't which but you can always go back and install it later. Or if you attempt to use it, the program may prompt you to run the install again.

Cool. Thanks Digerati. However, are you sure that the difference that you told is correct as I think there is a different option for that thing that if you try to use any feature, that feature will be installed at the time of first using that feature?

However, are you sure that the difference that you told is correct as I think there is a different option for that thing that if you try to use any feature, that feature will be installed at the time of first using that feature?

That depends on the program and the installation options. You only said 3. There may indeed be a 4th - Install feature on first use.

Software Install options vary from program to program, but I've never seen this one -

3) Entire Feature will be unavailable

Many programs will give you the option of "custom install".
Always a good one to choose, especially if it is a freeware program as they often contain Ask or Google Toolbars, or other add-ons which you (mostly) don't want anyway.

By choosing "custom Install" you can protect valuable real-estate by unticking (your choice) "add to Start Menu / Program list / Make Homepage / Shortcut to Desktop / Taskbar / Quiclklaunch". Some programs will add the lot unless the custom install option is chosen. Prime real-estate as mentioned is a place most software wish to be. It's far too valuable to be left to the choice of software programs and needs to be distributed judiciously.

Do you really want a crowded desktop looking like this (extreme) example?
[attachment removed]

Personally I add all software programs to C; as that is where a lot of various program files are going to end up (including Registry entries), regardless of which drive they are installed on.
No program can run entirely from within a drive that does not contain the Operating System. The result is files all over the place and inefficient resource usage.

Another thing worth considering is Drive Imaging.
I do a C; drive ISO image once a month that is stored on a separate HDD. All my active software is on that drive. I don't have to worry about bits and pieces or a program ending up on D: (for instance) that is not in the ISO Image I made. D; is for personal Data that is also backed up, but separately and I don't want software mixed in with it.

Fot the life of me, I can see no logical rhyme or reason to install any software (except maybe large games on their own partition) or drivers anywhere else except on a small C: drive partition (20GB to 50GB). Fragmentation is then kept to a minimum and the HDD itself works with the least effort and maximum efficiency.

Cheers,
Lee

I am still not clear about the difference between option 1 and 2. Can someone confirm what Digerati said is correct as it doesn't seem logical Option 1 installs the most commonly used features. Option 2 installs all the features (whether you will ever use them or not) @ Digerati - Please do not misunderstand me that I am doubting over your knowledge. It is just that this answer doesn't seem logical to me.

Hi vijay.gupta. Lets try looking at this a slightly different way…. 1 Tell us what application you are trying to install 2 then tell us the options you are given 3 Then tell us the options you want to install and we will do our best to help Regards paws

Paws, I installed QTP (automation tool) where I got these 3 options mentioned above for its various plug-ins while installation. I got these options before also for few softwares, in which I remember, these options came while installing MS Office. That time, I ignored these options but now, when I got these options again, I asked this due to curiosity (just for information sake) as I did not get answer after googling it.

Ok I understand.. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with the QTP you mention, but have installed Microsoft Office on countless number of customer's machines over the years. Digerati our own WTT expert and Microsoft MVP has been 100% accurate in what he has said (as you would expect) Let me try and give you an example of how it works with say Microsoft Office 2003 as an example. Let us suppose that you want to install the whole Office suite and include everything…then the complete installation is what you want. However if (for example,) you don't want to install Outlook then you select a custom install and only install the products that you want….. Word, PowerPoint, Excel Access etc….. you can still install Outlook at a later date if you wish so its not a once and for ever decision…and in a similar way you can remove individual component parts of the Office Suite if you want to at any time Once you have decided what individual products you want to install, you can install all the individual features that are available for them if you have plenty of hard drive space, or select the particular features that you need, if you are getting short on hard drive space…… it usually better (in my opinion) to install all the features from the beginning if possible for you. the only time I pare the installation down as far as I can is if the customer is so short on disc space that its the only way….( and then I'd connsell him on getting a bigger disc! Hope this helps regards paws

Thanks Paws for the reply. I also understood what you are saying, however, my query is: Difference between these 2 options: Option 1 installs the most commonly used features. Option 2 installs all the features (whether you will ever use them or not) As told by Digerati (above), I want to know if there is any way to know, which features will be installed using option 1. Is it documented somewhere?

Hi vijay.gupta, No for example on the MSOffice 2003 I don't think its documented anywhere…… as to spell out each individual item would involve many pages…so I think you will only be able to find rough headings but that should be sufficient to enable you to make a decision. If you make an installation using the commonly installed features….. and then try to use a facility that has not been installed then MSOffice will ask you to insert your disc and then the required feature will be installed. Hope this helps Regards paws

If you make an installation using the commonly installed features….. and then try to use a facility that has not been installed then MSOffice will ask you to insert your disc and then the required feature will be installed.

Exactly, this is the issue. How do I know that this particular feature is not installed so that I try to use that feature and windows will give me this prompt to insert the disc?

I am asking so as this has not happened to me ever and I always install using option 1. Is this happened to someone else?