Clive Beaton
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What are the advantages in installing my application in C:\Program Files
What are the advantages of installing my application and backend database in Program Files and Program Data rather than my own Folder in the C-Drive?
Thanks in advance
Clive
Thanks in advance
Clive
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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The application should certainly be located in the standard location for Windows executables, which is either C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files(x86).
The database files you can put wherever you like, and there are both advantages and disadvantages to not keeping them on the Windows drive. Among those advantages is that Windows backups are smaller since the entire database isn't backed up when you back up the system drive. Among the disadvantages is that the entire database isn't backed up when you back up the system drive. Only you can judge what works for your application.
However.
If the database is going to be big or if there is going to be considerable ongoing disk traffic on the database, it is worthwhile to splurge $50 and buy a second hard drive to keep those files on a separate disk. That will allow continuous access to the database without impacting normal system operation, and vice versa.
The database files you can put wherever you like, and there are both advantages and disadvantages to not keeping them on the Windows drive. Among those advantages is that Windows backups are smaller since the entire database isn't backed up when you back up the system drive. Among the disadvantages is that the entire database isn't backed up when you back up the system drive. Only you can judge what works for your application.
However.
If the database is going to be big or if there is going to be considerable ongoing disk traffic on the database, it is worthwhile to splurge $50 and buy a second hard drive to keep those files on a separate disk. That will allow continuous access to the database without impacting normal system operation, and vice versa.
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I put 'normal' programs like editors in the 'standard' directories in C:\Programs... because that is where they are expected to be. I put programs that require a lot of external access into their own directories in C:. This include webservers like Apache and development apps like WAMP and XAMP. Note that IIS has it's own directories in C: for similar reasons. I have MS SQL Server in C:\Programs but the database files for web apps are in the web directories.
Placing db files in the web directory is unnecessary as access to files is granted by the application and is in my view a poor placement choice.
DBS should be separated and stored in locations accessible only by the application, MySQL, ms SQL...
DBS should be separated and stored in locations accessible only by the application, MySQL, ms SQL...
That's probably true with SQL Server. I started doing that with Access mdb's because that was the only was to open them.
ASKER
Thank you all. A great help.
Clive
Clive
You are very welcome and I was happy to help you.
You can install in any private folder you want if installer will allow you to do it.
Microsoft just created Program Files folder to organize all programs in one place.
Imagine if any programs would install in any folder,,,,, after 3-4 years of using computer you would have few hundreds folders on C drive.