How do I make programs install to my external hard drive?

I want to put programs like MSN Messenger, iTunes, Limewire, and Myspace IM on my external hard drive. If I do this can I just keep them on there and run them (without downloading it to my laptop)? And if so...how? I'm having trouble doing it with MSN Messenger...



---ALSO---

I saw this in another question...



';After you back up your registry, this is how you can change this default location.



1. Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion



2. Find ProgramFilesDir whose default should be C:\Program Files

3. Change this to whatever directory you wish. I changed it to D:\Program Files for example.



Remember you have to reboot for your changes to show.';



How do I ';back up my registry'; and ';Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion';?How do I make programs install to my external hard drive?
It would be easier to uninstall and then reinstall. When you are installing software it asks you where you want to install it, at that time just select the external hard drive. Just have to make sure it is always on so you can access those programs. Also make sure it is a high quality external or your programs will run slower.How do I make programs install to my external hard drive?
If you have to ask these questions do NOT touch the registry, not for amateurs. One wrong click can trash the machine. Many basic systems like MSN are such ingrained Microsoft ideas they never will install correctly on any drive but the system one. These do not take up much space on the drive anyway, and will run much slower from external. When you install the majority of the program is library files, all of which go to c:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32. You can not change this. The whole idea of external drives was originally just to be able to store data off the main drive, as data is the largest disk space consumer.

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