XPost: alt.comp.microsoft.windows, alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt   
   From: marianjones@helpfulpeople.com   
      
   If you care about something, then (my advice is to) never install it in the   
   hierarchies that Windows (or external programs) expects it to be in.   
      
   Below is an example, from today, for the advice to never store anything you   
   care about where Microsoft (& other programs) "expect" it to be stored.   
      
   Starting yesterday (when I created the Windows 10 recovery media) and   
   finishing today, I helped recover a teen age grandkid's Windows 10 PC.   
      
   Interestingly, everything in the locations Microsoft "expects" software and   
   data to be, was wiped out in the process, but everything stored "where it   
   belongs" (which you define!) was preserved.   
      
   Specifically, since the registry was rebuilt from scratch, all the programs   
   installed where they belong in C:\app\{1 dozen folders for all computers!}   
   were still there, and working, while all programs that owned dumb   
   installers which installed into the Program Files hierarchies were wiped   
   out. All they needed was to be run once, to re-establish registry keys.   
      
   Worse, all data in C:\users\ was apparently wiped out, but all the data   
   stored where it belongs (which YOU define!) was preserved in C:\data.   
   That included all the software installers in C:\data\software too!   
      
   In summary, by storing software archives, data and installed software   
   OUTSIDE of the polluted Microsoft hierarchies, they were preserved in this   
   recovery.   
      
   The lesson here is, if you care about something, then never install it in   
   the hierarchies that Windows (or external programs) expects it to be in.   
      
   It's counter intuitive, but it's sheer genius because it works beautifully.   
   --   
   Just one person paying it forward with clear lessons for a better PC.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)