# Installing Instant Rails over existing Ruby Installation

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-instant-rails-over-existing-ruby-installation/133970>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 5, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-instant-rails-over-existing-ruby-installation/133970 "2008-04-05T22:01:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![alexd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@alexd](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/alexd)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/installing-instant-rails-over-existing-ruby-installation/133970/1 "2008-04-05T22:01:47Z")

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I just installed Instant Rails on my Windows machine. I previously had  
Ruby already installed, and now I seem to have two copies of Ruby, one  
in the Instant Rails folder, and my original one in the Ruby folder. My  
question:

1. Is it necessary that I have two separate copies of Ruby?

2. If not, how do I effectively merge the Gems that I have been using  
with the first copy of Ruby into the copy that is in the Instant Rails  
folders. I would rather have just one copy to maintain and work with.

Thanks,

Alex