2 Seperate Program Files Folders on HDD and SSD

[iPaperKillz]

Hi guys, I'm going to build a new PC soon, and I was wondering, is it possible to have 2 seperate program files folders, one on my HDD and another on my SSD so programs which I use often (e.g. League of Legends, Skype) will go on the SSD's Program Files folders while programs which I use less often will go on the HDD's Program Files folders.
Example:
SSD - Program Files, Program Files (x86)
HDD - Program Files, Program Files (x86)

 

[USAFRet]

You can install applications and games wherever you want. You don't even have to call the parent folder "Program Files (x86) "

It can be whatever. Call it "MyStuff", or "MyPrograms"

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Simple answer: AS YOU INSTALL a program, DON"T CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK through it, slow down and READ IT. You will always see a OPTION or CUSTOMIZE which will let you select things like, what path (where to install) you want the program to install to (i.e. default is C:\program files(x86)\Steam\Common\nameofgame). You just change it to what you want it to be on the 'non default' drive.

Now I do need to address what you said, and I believe your doing it backwards, and would cause more problems then solve with how your design is. Please take a moment to understand, a SSD is limited space and when you get over 75% of filling it up it starts to 'slow down' and not perform like a SSD normally does. The fastest way to fill up a SSD is with games, especially as only LOAD SCREENS benefit from SSD, SSD do NOT improve the game FPS or load faster, etc. It is just the way ALL games are designed are not taking advantage of SSD that way (YET!).

So normally the OS goes on SSD, with all main apps (Skype etc.) but when you get to other stuff (Steam, Games, etc.) you install those (as I noted above) to the LARGER HDD. What I mean by larger is HDD is 1TB+ SSD is usually 256GB and under. If your brave enough to buy a 512GB+ SSD = goes nuts man! and install a couple games (no waiting during loadscreens) for your pleasure on the SSD

Hope this helps.

 

[iPaperKillz]

Thanks for the replies. I have another question though. Is there a way to launch Steam from the SSD and keep my game folders on the HDD? So when I click Steam on my desktop, it fires up quickly due to it being on the SSD, but the large game folders are still on a seperate HDD.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

No it doesn't "fire up quickly due to it being on the SSD", and would hamper the way Steam is designed. See when STEAM starts up it isn't the icon, it is actually the program which then calls back to STEAM and checked the licenses, copies you have, updates, yada yada and does all this (as your saying) from the HDD anyway (keep my game folders on the HDD) so it doesn't "speed it up".

SSDs is to make WINDOWS not SLOW down games by taking it's time "looking" how to move the mouse, how to "make a explosion", how to "write those words" on the screen and so on. That is the main benefit of SSD, by taking the 'lag' Windows causes doing it's job.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the replies. I have another question though. Is there a way to launch Steam from the SSD and keep my game folders on the HDD? So when I click Steam on my desktop, it fires up quickly due to it being on the SSD, but the large game folders are still on a seperate HDD.

If the game data still lives on the HDD, it won't load up any faster with Steam living on the SSD.
It still has to read all the game data from the HDD.

Now....most games really don't benefit much from living on the SSD. Level loading times, but that's about it.

Lastly, though...unless you have a really large SSD, put the games on the HDD, to conserve SSD space. The Steam and Origin clients have built in functionality for having games on what ever drive or folder you want.

This is my Steam folder from a while ago:

C is an SSD, F is an HDD, G is a different SSD.