Hi Mike,
Have a look at what has been written about installation of PD in this topic here:
https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/78985.page#325213
In brief:
You install following the order in which the files were give by Cyberlink. You start with the .exe files. There is no reason to install the 32bit versions on a 64bit operating system, unless you have other applications that potentially would make use of the 32bit programs because they are 32bit themselves.
There are members who like to keep their Windows drive as empty as possible and setup another online drive to hold supporting files, like for titles and sounds etc. Have a look at:
https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/81553.page#335572
and
https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/81752.page#336502
(You see that searching this forum is really very helpful.)

I would strongly recommend to keep the installation files somewhere safe. You don’t need them when using the application. You would only need them in case you have to re-install the application e.g. after change of PC, or reinstallation of Windows and the like.
If you are using the Application Manager, it will detect whether an application has been installed and if not allows you to download and install it from within the Manager.
In all cases I would also recommend to sign in as a member, so that you have access to a list of the products you have obtained, together with your license keys and option to download (older) versions.
Have fun
Warry

Quote There is no reason to install the 32bit versions on a 64bit operating system unless you have other applications that potentially would make use of the 32bit programs because they are 32bit themselves.

Thanks, Warry, this was very helpful. I take your point re Search and I confess to not using the option as often as I should. In my defense, I often get too many hits from a search (which probably means my search query was not well-thought-out) and too many of them are irrelevant. Even when I use quotes or another Boolean syntax.

I do like to keep my C: drive clear, mostly so I can leave my computer "in the shop" and not worry about losing my date; but program files of different.

I will check out the links you sent to see if I can run the exe files from my E: drive; so that those files stay on the E: drive while the program installs, and runs, from my C: drive, even if E; is unplugged?

Again, thanks for taking this question.

Quote I will check out the links you sent to see if I can run the exe files from my E: drive; so that those files stay on the E: drive while the program installs, and runs, from my C: drive, even if E; is unplugged?

I'm not quite clear on what you're asking. If you use the App Manager to install programs or content packs to your E: drive, then E: has to be connected in order to run any programs or access any installed content residing there.

If the App Manager is installed on your C: drive, then it will continue to run even if your E: drive is disconnected; however if your E: drive is removable you may have very low transfer speed which can negatively impact your editing experience. Make sure you have USB 3.0 hardware and a suitable high speed disc or flash memory drive. This article may help.

I would strongly advise you to only use an alternative disk that is always online. Unpluggable disks tend to have lower transfer speeds, and if your disk management is not carefully managed and other disks may also be seen as e:disk, you likely will get problems, also you never know if and when the link to e: has to be, will be used!!

It may be better to install a large secondary internal hard drive to avoid any of the problems mentioned. I do recall and have one of those seagate expansion drives that does the click of death because it overheats in a plastic case. My newer external drives are reported as bad with Crystal Disk Info so I use them only for backups. Don’t trust external drives for constant use that are not cooled by large fans like inside a pc.

Thanks:

I think I will just install it on my C; drive, and not complicate things.

But I didn't know about the App Manager. I must go in search of that. Michael
Lr, Ps, PD365, Canon 60D and 70D, Speedlite 430EX II

Quote But I didn't know about the App Manager. I must go in search of that.

Oh, no that was my mistake. The App Manager is used for the subscription version so it's not necessary (or even usable) with a perpetual PD18 installation.

Apologies for muddying the waters, and I'm glad to hear that you've decided to keep things simple!

Quote I have downloaded all the files in the v18 package. I assume I will not need the 32-bit files, as I'm running Win 10.

But where do I put all these files?

Can I install them on an external SSD and run them from there; or is that not a great idea?

I understand I should run the main exe program file first, then run each of the others, in no particular order files. Will I need to keep all the files that come with the package, after I've run all the exe files? Are some just installation files, that don't need to be kept?

Along with your download of files you should have something similar to the attached pic. The instructions at the bottom of your download links describe the approach.

So you install PD with the first basic file as described. Once PD is installed, you simply need to install whatever addons were part of your purchase. Adorage, Vitascene, possibly menu packs, possibly font packs, possibly audio files.... so on, it really varies with what may have been a promo bundle at time of purchase.

PD18 is only a 64bit install, not sure why the 32bit files were even offered for perpetual license, https://www.cyberlink.com/support/faq-content.do?id=24373

Jeff

Quote

Oh, no that was my mistake. The App Manager is used for the subscription version so it's not necessary (or even usable) with a perpetual PD18 installation.

Apologies for muddying the waters, and I'm glad to hear that you've decided to keep things simple!

No Problem, you just saved me from a wild goose chase.

At this point I am planning to simply copy all the App files to my C: drive and install them from there.

So here's how I imagine it will go.

The exe file will run, and install the App in the C:\Program file\Cyberlink folder or the C:\Program Files 9x86)/CyberLink

folder.

I expect this will happen with each exe file I run and then I should be able to remove all the files I copied to my C: drive. since the program will be installed in the Programs folders.

Quote The exe file will run, and install the App in the C:\Program file\Cyberlink folder or the C:\Program Files 9x86)/CyberLink folder.

I expect this will happen with each exe file I run and then I should be able to remove all the files I copied to my C: drive. since the program will be installed in the Programs folders.

Yep. You can place the installation files in your backup external drive for safekeeping after the installation is successful.

Quote

Yep. You can place the installation files in your backup external drive for safekeeping after the installation is successful.

Ok, makes sense.

Now, my original question was about installing the App from an ext drive, without moving those files to C: and having to delete them. Instead, runing them from my E: drive, where they are stored. I figured there would be a location prompted.

That would be easier them copying them to C: running the exe files, then deleting them.

Yep. This is even better. You can install any software from the external drive. It should also be successful.

Quote Yep. This is even better. You can install any software from the external drive. It should also be successful.

Excellent! Thanks Michael
Lr, Ps, PD365, Canon 60D and 70D, Speedlite 430EX II

Quote Yep. This is even better. You can install any software from the external drive. It should also be successful.

I clicked on all the exe files from the PD18 download, as advised, but now I see a couple of programs that appear to be unrelated: ProDad and Adorage

There is also something called "Manage Activation" and "Manage Activation 64". I assume they have something to do whit activating PD, but I've done that but these two items are still on the new apps list. Can I delete them now?

I'm not sure about Screen Record 2. PD 18 installed with a new icon but there was no new icon for Screen Recorder. I'm guessing there's nothing new there.

Looks like v18 doesn't do any housekeeping, like removing the old version and those "Activation..." files. Can I delete or uninstall then all, Oh, and I don't need the "Wedding Pack". That shows up as a program in file management, can I simply uninstall it? It's taking up a lot of space.

Tnanks Michael
Lr, Ps, PD365, Canon 60D and 70D, Speedlite 430EX II

ProDAD and Andorage are “plugins” to PD. They give you a bunch of additional effects and transitions. After installation, you will find both in the effects room AND the transitions room. If you think you don’t need them, you can ignore installing them.
Maybe it is a good idea to just go and install them, if only to check whether you would need them. Note: you need to drag the icon from the effects or transition room into your time line, either over a clip (to make them applicable to the clip), or to the effects (fx) track. Once they are there you can click on them to see the modify option right above the timeline. Clicking on modify and you will see the stand-alone button. Clicking on that will open the (stand-alone) plugin, within which you can select the effects desired.
If you don’t need them you can simply uninstall them. I would never delete the installation files. I would store them with the rest in case you would need to reinstall PD on a new PC, or after the crash etc.
That also applies for the “manage activation” files. Although I have no idea what these activation files are for. I did not see them in my installation package… (I would be very cautious running files like that unless I was absolutely sure that they came with the package. I would look at instructions to see whether reference is made to them….)
Indeed, Screen Recorder 2 comes with the installation. Nothing new here in principle. Maybe there are patches and bugfixes with the new installation, or even the connection with the new PD version. Always good to have a fresh installation.
If you don’t need the wedding pack, you simply uninstall it. Again, I would recommend keeping the installation file(s); just in case.
In general, it is good to have the installation files and for that matter even the installations of older versions at hand. Suggest that you keep the installation files somewhere safe on a separate drive… But indeed, that leaves you with the manual housekeeping after installation. I think that many of use prefer it that way.
We have requested Cyberlink repeatedly to give us the option of maintaining the previous version(s) and allow to go back to these, in case the newer version has bugs or features that were dropped. The current Application Manager does not work like that, it overwrites previous versions and leaves us with no other option then to not upgrade or to backup and restore the whole systems drive (worse case).

Mikecox - It does sound like that you may be having a free space issue on your internal hard drive. You can use that external ssd for video editing. Place all your photos, videos, and other assets on it that you will use. Produce your work to it too.

Other users in this forum have used an external drive in the same way. Just remember to plug in the external ssd before you open your PD18. See this blog: http://www.vfxpro.com/best-external-hard-drive-for-video-editing/ . You can run portable programs from the external drive too. Portable means programs that does not have to be installed in Windows.

Quote ProDAD and Andorage are “plugins” to PD. They give you a bunch of additional effects and transitions. After installation, you will find both in the effects room AND the transitions room. If you think you don’t need them, you can ignore installing them.).

Thanks for explaining those two files. I was afraid they were apps that come with some software downloads that have that have nothing to do with the software that was downloaded. There's a name for that stuff but I can't recall it right now.I will effeminately check them out. Thanks for explaining what I need to do to do that.I will keep my installation files on my E: drive, from where I installed PD to my C: drive.I just noticed a new icon for Screen Record, it has a bight red dot on it, the old icon didn't have that. So the icon is different, maybe this represents the version with patches.I will "uninstall" the Wedding Pack from the Task Manger, now that I know it's safe to do so and keep the installation file with the others, on E:You referenced the "Application Manager" and how it overwrites the previous version. That is what I expected to happen when I installed v18 but I never discovered the "Application manager" so installed v18 manually. That means I still have v17 on my computer. I thought I should delete it but, "in case of bugs" in 18 I'll keep it.

Quote You can use that external ssd for video editing. Place all your photos, videos, and other assets on it that you will use. Produce your work to it too.

Thanks for contributing to my questions.

I take your point about being sure my SSD is plugged in, I learned that the hard way when I tried booting Lr when it was unplugged. Michael
Lr, Ps, PD365, Canon 60D and 70D, Speedlite 430EX II

If you have work depending on working software it is always good to preserve a working version. In your case you have version 17 next to 18. I think that most of use have older versions at hand. My reference to the application manager was that newer versions of the 365 software are overwritten. I presume that keeping the older 17 next to the newer 18 is not possible in a 365 situation. Not being able to go back to a previous (sub-) version in case the latest release will not work or has bugs, withholds some to install the newer software despite eagerness to try the new.