Installing programs on Windows

Golden rules

• Store your stuff in the right place:
  • system data and programs on disk C:
  • all your user data (music, movies, photos, secret recipes, etc) on disk D:
• Install all your programs to C:\Program Files\<Program name>
• Note that most vendors propose directory names such as "C:\Program Files\<Company name>\<Program name>\<Program version>" - they are longer but not necessarily more useful or helpful, have no mercy when simplifying them.
• Keep the program installers in a separate location (be aware of the fact that the program's installer is not the same thing as the installed program itself)

Exceptions

• Some programs "just work" (usually they are called "portable programs"), it means that you don't need to install them - you can simply download the EXE and run it; or you can download a ZIP archive, unzip it and then run the EXE. An example is uTorrent - it is so small that having a separate installer for it would be a waste of space.