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Using shortcuts between XP/2000

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  • 01-11-2003 4:44pm
    #1
    Magic Monkey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭


    I have Windows 2000 Server installed as my main OS, and XP Pro installed on a 15GB partition on the same drive, both using the NTFS filesystem. They multiboot fine, no problems.

    I'm wondering can I create shortcuts on my XP desktop to the programs installed on my 2000 partition, and vice-versa, or would this cause problems?


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    #2
    Giblet
    Registered Users Posts: 11,980 ✭✭✭✭Giblet


    It should be grand. Some programs that rely on system files might have problems, such as antivirus software, but most standalone stuff should work grand.


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    #3
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,785 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Depends on the program.

    If it is a small standalone utility it may work.

    If it is something like microsoft office then it won't.

    This is because in addition to putting files in the Program Files folder where you can put a shortcut to - the install routine also puts files in the common files folder, the windows & windows system folder, probably overwrites some system dlls, adds tons of junk to the registry , and liberly sprinkles other settings and files about the place (ini files , odbc files) etc. not to mention that all the settings files (.stf / .ini / registry etc. etc.) may all point to the wrong place - since it sounds like they are on different Drive letters / paths...

    You may have to reinstall the app again to get it to redo the settings in XP - Not sure if you can reinstall in the same program files folder or not.

    Note www.openoffice.com allows a network install
    actually it is recomended for NT/2K/XP setup.exe -net
    when setup finishes - go to the folder OO has installed in and run the setup icon there, for every OS / User you do this for it adds a Whopping 2MB of files :)

    Older versions of microsoft office allows you to do a "run from CD" install. copy the CD to a folder on the HDD and when you do the install set everything to run from CD ( the folder) repeat for the Other OS.. (Note this can be handy if you have win98 and store the CD files on an NTFS partition read with NTFSDOS or similar) - or the same trick with NT reading from FAT32..


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    #4
    Magic Monkey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭Magic Monkey


    Thanks fellas, just the following applications I've tried so far don't work:

    ACDSee
    Illustrator 10
    Photoshop
    Dreamweaver
    MS Office (thanks for the info Capt'n!)

    The other apps acted like it was their first time being executed, so it doesn't look like I have to reinstall anything just yet to redo the settings in XP.

    HEAnet have hosted OpenOffice (here), so I'll give that a go, see how it runs under Windows :)


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