About installing any program

Da Rossa

I'd like to ask a simple, but very important question.
WHY do all the programs, small or hugh, suggest us to close all other Windows applications during the installation process? What are the implications? Althought we can shut the running programs down, we cannot shut all the running processes at that time. Then, what's the big deal?
Thanks!

ocalhoun

I never follow that advice, and have never had a problem with it.
It's probably just so that you won't have two applications trying to write to the hard drive at the same time, that might cause fragmentation, yes?
Of course, if you're using windows, you'll invariably have to restart the computer afterwards, so why not just close the other applications sooner rather than later?

Stubru Freak

IIRC it's to update some shared libraries that other applications may be using. This isn't really necessary most of the time.

Da Rossa

Meaning that installing a program that other app is using might result in a out-of-date dll in the program folder and/or the system?

Stubru Freak

Da Rossa

Now I get it.
Thanks!