hjacobson wrote:

> Trying to get Microsoft Installer and Microsoft Update to recognise
> symbolic links that redirect
> C:\WINDOWS\Installer --> D:\WINDOWS\Installer
> C:\MSOCache --> D:\MSOCache
> The Installer and Update in XP with SP3 removes the symbolic link,
> replacing with a folder which is then populated with the current
> install or update.

In that case, there is unlikely to be any way to get this to work. It wouldn't
be reliable anyway.

> For that reason I am experimenting with an
> ASUS eeePC 701. This eeePC has a 4 GB SSD and an 8 GB SDHC card
> configured as the 2nd fixed disk drive.

I'm not sure it will be practical to run Windows XP on a 4GB system drive. I
don't suppose you can boot to the SDHC card instead?

> I slimmed down, that is, removed extraneous functions from XP with
> SP3 using nlite http://www.nliteos.com/.

Don't do that. You can remove some system components using the Add/Remove
control panel, but pulling things out by their hair is going to leave you with
an unreliable system.

> To wit:
> (1) The folder C:\WINDOWS\Installer. The folder is currently
> almost 800 MB.

I don't think it should be quite that big on a fresh install. Did you integrate
Windows XP service pack 3 into your installation media, or install it manually?
What software have you installed?

> (2) The folder D:\MSOCache. Windows update nevertheless creates
> C:\MSOCache, populating with duplicates of the contents of D:
> \MSOCache.

This was created by Office, yes? You can tell Office not to create a cache in
the first place, although that does mean Office updates can't be installed
unless the installation media is present.

Harry.