Paths for storing Windows utility programs - pros and cons

I've been doing this for several years, adding the location to %PATH% and syncing the directory across all my machines using Windows Live Mesh. I also include a load of other stuff, including scripts, other shells, Cygwin, portable Python and portable apps from PortableApps.com.

The location does get indexed once it is added to your %PATH%, in my experience (at least the contents appear in the start menu search box).

If you do not like putting them on the root of C:, you could put them in Public and then make a symbolic link pointing to then from the root of C:, using MKLINK.

To add the directory to %PATH% permanently, type:

setx PATH "%PATH%;C:\Utils"

To make a symbolic link pointing to Public from the root of C:, type:

mklink /d "C:\Utils" "C:\Users\Public\Documents\Utils"

If a utility doesn't balk at having a space in its path, I put them in C:\Program Files\Utils. Otherwise, I use C:\Utils.

If a utility is one that is run from the command line, I use C:\Utils and add that directory to my PATH so I don't have to have a space in it (although Windows doesn't care).

If a group of programs have something common, such as the Sysinternals suite, I will usually dedicate a directory exclusively to them.

My reasons are mainly organizational.

• How do I use them?
• What is their purpose?
• Do I use them together?
• etc.