diff --git a/code/CMakeLists.txt b/code/CMakeLists.txt
index eaaede806..630ff4414 100644
--- a/code/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -90,27 +90,11 @@ NL_CONFIGURE_CHECKS()
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #Platform specifics
 
+SETUP_EXTERNAL()
+
 IF(WIN32)
-  INCLUDE(${CMAKE_ROOT}/Modules/Platform/Windows-cl.cmake)
   SET(WINSOCK2_LIB ws2_32.lib)
 
-  FIND_PACKAGE(External REQUIRED)
-
-  IF(${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM} MATCHES "Common7")
-    # convert IDE fullpath to VC++ path
-    STRING(REGEX REPLACE "Common7/IDE/.+" "VC" VC_DIR ${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM})
-  ELSE(${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM} MATCHES "Common7")
-    IF(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} MATCHES "VC")
-      # convert compiler fullpath to VC++ path
-      STRING(REGEX REPLACE "VC/bin/.+" "VC" VC_DIR ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER})
-    ELSE(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} MATCHES "VC")
-      # Hack for Visual C++ 2010 
-      GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(VC_ROOT_PATH "[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\VCExpress\\10.0_Config;InstallDir]" ABSOLUTE)
-      # convert IDE fullpath to VC++ path
-      STRING(REGEX REPLACE "Common7/.*" "VC" VC_DIR ${VC_ROOT_PATH})
-    ENDIF(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} MATCHES "VC")
-  ENDIF(${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM} MATCHES "Common7")
-
   IF(WITH_MFC)
     FIND_PACKAGE(CustomMFC REQUIRED)
   ENDIF(WITH_MFC)
@@ -134,18 +118,6 @@ IF(WITH_STATIC)
   ENDIF(APPLE)
 ENDIF(WITH_STATIC)
 
-IF(WITH_STLPORT)
-  FIND_PACKAGE(STLport REQUIRED)
-  INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${STLPORT_INCLUDE_DIR})
-  IF(WIN32)
-    SET(VC_INCLUDE_DIR "${VC_DIR}/include")
-
-    FIND_PACKAGE(WindowsSDK REQUIRED)
-    # use VC++ and Windows SDK include paths
-    INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${VC_INCLUDE_DIR} ${WINSDK_INCLUDE_DIR})
-  ENDIF(WIN32)
-ENDIF(WITH_STLPORT)
-
 INCLUDE(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeModules/PCHSupport.cmake)
 
 IF(FINAL_VERSION)
diff --git a/code/CMakeModules/FindExternal.cmake b/code/CMakeModules/FindExternal.cmake
index 436997d99..fae4af92d 100644
--- a/code/CMakeModules/FindExternal.cmake
+++ b/code/CMakeModules/FindExternal.cmake
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # The following values are defined
 # EXTERNAL_PATH         - where to find external
 # EXTERNAL_INCLUDE_PATH - where to find external includes
+# EXTERNAL_BINARY_PATH  - where to find external binaries
 # EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_PATH - where to find external libraries
 # EXTERNAL_FOUND        - True if the external libraries are available
 
@@ -34,6 +35,13 @@ IF(EXTERNAL_PATH)
   SET(EXTERNAL_FOUND TRUE)
   SET(EXTERNAL_INCLUDE_PATH "${EXTERNAL_PATH}/include")
 
+  # Using 32 or 64 bits binaries
+  IF(TARGET_X64)
+    SET(EXTERNAL_BINARY_PATH "${EXTERNAL_PATH}/bin64")
+  ELSE(TARGET_X64)
+    SET(EXTERNAL_BINARY_PATH "${EXTERNAL_PATH}/bin")
+  ENDIF(TARGET_X64)
+  
   # Using 32 or 64 bits libraries
   IF(TARGET_X64)
     SET(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_PATH "${EXTERNAL_PATH}/lib64")
@@ -61,4 +69,4 @@ ELSE(EXTERNAL_FOUND)
   ENDIF(External_FIND_REQUIRED)
 ENDIF(EXTERNAL_FOUND)
 
-MARK_AS_ADVANCED(EXTERNAL_INCLUDE_PATH EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_PATH)
+MARK_AS_ADVANCED(EXTERNAL_INCLUDE_PATH EXTERNAL_BINARY_PATH EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_PATH)
diff --git a/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake b/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake
index 220e4132d..fbd70c842 100644
--- a/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake
+++ b/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake
@@ -496,3 +496,44 @@ MACRO(RYZOM_SETUP_PREFIX_PATHS)
   ENDIF(NOT RYZOM_GAMES_PREFIX)
 
 ENDMACRO(RYZOM_SETUP_PREFIX_PATHS)
+
+MACRO(SETUP_EXTERNAL)
+  IF(WIN32)
+    FIND_PACKAGE(External REQUIRED)
+
+    INCLUDE(${CMAKE_ROOT}/Modules/Platform/Windows-cl.cmake)
+    IF(MSVC10)
+      GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(VC_ROOT_DIR "[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\VisualStudio\\10.0_Config;InstallDir]" ABSOLUTE)
+      # VC_ROOT_DIR is set to "registry" when a key is not found
+      IF(VC_ROOT_DIR MATCHES "registry")
+        GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT(VC_ROOT_DIR "[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\VCExpress\\10.0_Config;InstallDir]" ABSOLUTE)
+        IF(VC_ROOT_DIR MATCHES "registry")
+          MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "Unable to find VC++ 2010 directory!")
+        ENDIF(VC_ROOT_DIR MATCHES "registry")
+      ENDIF(VC_ROOT_DIR MATCHES "registry")
+      # convert IDE fullpath to VC++ path
+      STRING(REGEX REPLACE "Common7/.*" "VC" VC_DIR ${VC_ROOT_DIR})
+    ELSE(MSVC10)
+      IF(${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM} MATCHES "Common7")
+        # convert IDE fullpath to VC++ path
+        STRING(REGEX REPLACE "Common7/.*" "VC" VC_DIR ${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM})
+      ELSE(${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM} MATCHES "Common7")
+        # convert compiler fullpath to VC++ path
+        STRING(REGEX REPLACE "VC/bin/.+" "VC" VC_DIR ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER})
+      ENDIF(${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM} MATCHES "Common7")
+    ENDIF(MSVC10)
+  ENDIF(WIN32)
+
+  IF(WITH_STLPORT)
+    FIND_PACKAGE(STLport REQUIRED)
+    INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${STLPORT_INCLUDE_DIR})
+    IF(WIN32)
+      SET(VC_INCLUDE_DIR "${VC_DIR}/include")
+
+      FIND_PACKAGE(WindowsSDK REQUIRED)
+      # use VC++ and Windows SDK include paths
+      INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${VC_INCLUDE_DIR} ${WINSDK_INCLUDE_DIR})
+    ENDIF(WIN32)
+  ENDIF(WITH_STLPORT)
+ 
+ENDMACRO(SETUP_EXTERNAL)