Can't run programs from second HDD.

[eduardocross35]

Hi community, I made a change of hard drive( had 1TB HDD) and got myself a 120GB SSD and put the Windows 10 OS in there to use it to boot. Now I use both hard drives, the problem is that all my programs on the old HDD aren't accessible, when I go to control panel the only programs that are shown are the ones in the SSD, and when I go to File Explorer and open the old HDD I can see that the programs are there but can't run them, or they start but then crash. Is it better to just format the 1TB HDD, make a new partition, and download the programs again?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Practically ALL known programs need to be installed to the same drive, C:, as the operating system.

The only real exceptions to this would be portable applications that run directly from the executable and don't require supporting files and dynamic link libraries, and game files.

If you want to run those applications, you will almost certainly need to reinstall them. You can install Windows on a separate drive and then run the applications you HAD installed on a different one, unless, and except for, some applications and games that allow you to install the core files to another drive but that still needs to be done AFTER Windows is running, so that the necessary links and supporting registry entries all point to the correct location.

So yes, download and install your applications fresh. You can try installing them to the secondary drive, but usually they work a lot better, or in some cases, at all, when installed to the same drive as the operating system.

 

[eduardocross35]

Practically ALL known programs need to be installed to the same drive, C:, as the operating system.

The only real exceptions to this would be portable applications that run directly from the executable and don't require supporting files and dynamic link libraries, and game files.

If you want to run those applications, you will almost certainly need to reinstall them. You can install Windows on a separate drive and then run the applications you HAD installed on a different one, unless, and except for, some applications and games that allow you to install the core files to another drive but that still needs to be done AFTER Windows is running, so that the necessary links and supporting registry entries all point to the correct location.

So yes, download and install your applications fresh. You can try installing them to the secondary drive, but usually they work a lot better, or in some cases, at all, when installed to the same drive as the operating system.

Sadly I only have 120GB of SSD so it's not enough for all my programs, should I keep the old HDD as the boot drive then?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, the SSD is going to be a heck of a lot faster to have the OS on. Windows itself should only use about 25GB MAX after you install and then cleanup the installation. That leaves at least 80GB after the OS and overprovisioning of the SSD. I can't imagine having more than 80GB of INSTALLED programs, unless you're using some incredibly large, high end applications.

Keep in mind, SOME programs will likely let you install some of the core files onto the second drive, but not all. Also, any game files you have, steam files etc., those CAN be installed onto the hard drive to save space on the SSD.

I have a ton of high end applications installed, I mean a LOT, maybe thirty different applications including the entire Adobe creative suite, Paint shop pro, web development tools like Dreamweaver, and a lot more, and I'm only using about 80GB even with the OS.

How much space is being used on the SSD right now, with only Windows installed?

 

[eduardocross35]

Well, the SSD is going to be a heck of a lot faster to have the OS on. Windows itself should only use about 25GB MAX after you install and then cleanup the installation. That leaves at least 80GB after the OS and overprovisioning of the SSD. I can't imagine having more than 80GB of INSTALLED programs, unless you're using some incredibly large, high end applications.

Keep in mind, SOME programs will likely let you install some of the core files onto the second drive, but not all. Also, any game files you have, steam files etc., those CAN be installed onto the hard drive to save space on the SSD.

I have a ton of high end applications installed, I mean a LOT, maybe thirty different applications including the entire Adobe creative suite, Paint shop pro, web development tools like Dreamweaver, and a lot more, and I'm only using about 80GB even with the OS.

How much space is being used on the SSD right now, with only Windows installed?

I wil do that then, thanks!

 

[Jesse_20]

I regularly install programs to a storage drive. Such Programs include Office, Antivirus, and games typically.
The reason your programs are crashing from the storage drive is because they are trying to use the OS they were installed on (located on the storage drive also), which is not the OS being used (the SSD OS), so the crash appears.
Re-installing the programs in the new windows environment, to the storage drive, will work almost every time.

 

[Darkbreeze]

If you want to clean up Windows first, take a look at this. You should be able to free up a decent chunk of space.

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2825881/cleanup-windows-upgrade-clean-install.html

 

[Darkbreeze]

Like I said, you CAN install SOME applications to other drives. Some programs will NOT allow it though. Also, those applications WILL run slower if you install them to the HDD rather than the SSD. Whole point of an SSD is to make things faster, so it kind of defeats the purpose to install your applications somewhere else. For games, it's not a big deal because generally they only access stored files when starting up or accessing levels/textures, etc.

Which is why most people tend to install their steam files on a secondary drive, since they are usually so big.

 

[eduardocross35]

I regularly install programs to a storage drive. Such Programs include Office, Antivirus, and games typically.
The reason your programs are crashing from the storage drive is because they are trying to use the OS they were installed on (located on the storage drive also), which is not the OS being used (the SSD OS), so the crash appears.
Re-installing the programs in the new windows environment, to the storage drive, will work almost every time.

Ohh okay, that makes sense, thanks.

 

[eduardocross35]

Like I said, you CAN install SOME applications to other drives. Some programs will NOT allow it though. Also, those applications WILL run slower if you install them to the HDD rather than the SSD. Whole point of an SSD is to make things faster, so it kind of defeats the purpose to install your applications somewhere else. For games, it's not a big deal because generally they only access stored files when starting up or accessing levels/textures, etc.

Which is why most people tend to install their steam files on a secondary drive, since they are usually so big.

then I will keep the programs that I mostly use in the SSD and the other and game files in the HDD. Thanks.