Configuring SSD for OS and HDD for storage

[Deanyo2k7]

Hi, so if I have an SSD for my OS and a HDD for my storage. Could I configure it like this:

Could I cut and paste the C:\Users from the SSD to the HDD, and create a shortcut to it named "Users" on the SSD drive? And the same for the program file folders?

Then if I were to install a game or software onto C:\Program Files (as that is the default location) Would it really be installing on the HDD Drive, but using the shortcut through the SSD? Thanks

 

[djreedj]

Im not sure I would just install Windows onto the SSd, and whatever you wanted on your HDD just go to Disc Management select your HDD, right click New Volume, select a drive letter and save what you want to the HDD that way. Thats what I do it works fine.

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Im not sure I would just install Windows onto the SSd, and whatever you wanted on your HDD just go to Disc Management select your HDD, right click New Volume, select a drive letter and save what you want to the HDD that way. Thats what I do it works fine.

Yes, but my SSD is only 240GB for the OS. My HDD is 3TB and I want all the Users folders and Program files on that HDD, but to still function as if they exist on the C:\ Drive. Just tell me if that method mentioned would work please

 

[djreedj]

Like I said Im not sure, you can always try it, nothing bad will happen.

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Like I said Im not sure, you can always try it, nothing bad will happen.

Okay. Thank you, ill have to try it when my build is finished in a couple month

 

[djreedj]

Yea give it a go, sounds like it should work, if not, just reformat and start over with the method I suggested.

 

[USAFRet]

Hi, so if I have an SSD for my OS and a HDD for my storage. Could I configure it like this:

Could I cut and paste the C:\Users from the SSD to the HDD, and create a shortcut to it named "Users" on the SSD drive? And the same for the program file folders?

Then if I were to install a game or software onto C:\Program Files (as that is the default location) Would it really be installing on the HDD Drive, but using the shortcut through the SSD? Thanks

No.

1. Do NOT move your /Users/ folder to elsewhere
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/

2. Do NOT redirect your 'Program files' to be elsewhere.
Instead, when you install something, you select where it goes.

Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html

Steam games? See this:
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

 

[smgross]

Try the mklink command in windows
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753194.aspx

For C:\Program Files, it might just be easier to change the path during the installation of the application.

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Yea give it a go, sounds like it should work, if not, just reformat and start over with the method I suggested.

I will. Thank you for your swift replies

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Hi, so if I have an SSD for my OS and a HDD for my storage. Could I configure it like this:

Could I cut and paste the C:\Users from the SSD to the HDD, and create a shortcut to it named "Users" on the SSD drive? And the same for the program file folders?

Then if I were to install a game or software onto C:\Program Files (as that is the default location) Would it really be installing on the HDD Drive, but using the shortcut through the SSD? Thanks

No.

1. Do NOT move your /Users/ folder to elsewhere
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/

2. Do NOT redirect your 'Program files' to be elsewhere.
Instead, when you install something, you select where it goes.

Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html

Steam games? See this:
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

Thanks for that, but what will happen if I do move the Users folder and create a shortcut? Or use the "mklink" as mentioned above?

 

[USAFRet]

1. A 250GB SSD is plenty large enough for your OS and applications
2. Games can be installed, as per above, on whichever drive you want.
3. Move the /Users/ folder? Did you read the link I posted above?
3a. There is no need, spacewise
3b. Bad things will happen.

 

[USAFRet]

Or, you could go with the above comment:
"Like I said Im not sure, you can always try it, nothing bad will happen. "

 

[nukemaster]

Mklink can have some side effects. I also do NOT recommend moving parts of the OS.

And I say this as a person who has programs running from networks shares with symlinks(can be made with mklink) and junctions all over the place. Unless you are very careful it can break things and other side effects can happen. You want to move a game or program so it thinks it is on c : ? go for it, move parts of the OS? not so good.

I would recommend just telling programs to install on the other drive said above.

This is not saying it can not be done, it is just not recommended.

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Would this method be 100% safe and working? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unm3VMTMZu4

 

[USAFRet]

Would this method be 100% safe and working? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unm3VMTMZu4

I'm not going to sit through 23 minutes of this guy rambling, but no.

Question - Why are you looking to do this?

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Because I just want all my high capacity files like my videos, photos, movies, games, applications on the HDD and not the SSD, but without having to set the drive path every time I install something, because I will often forget to do so.

 

[USAFRet]

Because I just want all my high capacity files like my videos, photos, movies, games, applications on the HDD and not the SSD, but without having to set the drive path every time I install something, because I will often forget to do so.

"videos, photos, movies"
See the above tutorials. That does exactly that

"games,"
See the above Steam thing. This does exactly that.

Applications? They take up less drive space that you might think. A 250GB SSD can hold a whole lot of applications.
And if you have an SSD, you want applications on that. Otherwise, why have it?

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Is there a way to make the default programs location to D:\ though, since I will forget and end up installing things on the SSD in the long run

 

[USAFRet]

Is there a way to make the default programs location to D:\ though, since I will forget and end up installing things on the SSD in the long run

No.
And most applications you do want on the SSD. That's half the reason of having it.

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Is there a way to make the default programs location to D:\ though, since I will forget and end up installing things on the SSD in the long run

No.
And most applications you do want on the SSD. That's half the reason of having it.

But what about my high capacity programs like Power Director 14 Ultimate etc. Are they worth having on my SSD? Much difference?

 

[USAFRet]

Is there a way to make the default programs location to D:\ though, since I will forget and end up installing things on the SSD in the long run

No.
And most applications you do want on the SSD. That's half the reason of having it.

But what about my high capacity programs like Power Director 14 Ultimate etc. Are they worth having on my SSD? Much difference?

On my 250GB SSD (Samsung 840 EVO):
Win 8.1 Pro
Office 2013 Pro
Corel VideoStudio
Adobe Lightroom 5
Paintshop Pro (and a bunch of add-ons)
MS Visual Studio 2013
GIMP
A whole host of other applications and utilities.

Currently, 120GB used space.
Applications do not take up a lot of space. The files they generate...those do take up space. Have those elsewhere.

 

[Deanyo2k7]

Is there a way to make the default programs location to D:\ though, since I will forget and end up installing things on the SSD in the long run

No.
And most applications you do want on the SSD. That's half the reason of having it.

But what about my high capacity programs like Power Director 14 Ultimate etc. Are they worth having on my SSD? Much difference?

On my 250GB SSD (Samsung 840 EVO):
Win 8.1 Pro
Office 2013 Pro
Corel VideoStudio
Adobe Lightroom 5
Paintshop Pro (and a bunch of add-ons)
MS Visual Studio 2013
GIMP
A whole host of other applications and utilities.

Currently, 120GB used space.
Applications do not take up a lot of space. The files they generate...those do take up space. Have those elsewhere.

Okay. Thank you. Ill go with your suggestions

 

[nukemaster]

You can also save some space by turning off Hibernation.

This is done from the administrative command prompt by typing powercfg -h off.

You can trim down the page file if you want, but when it is used, you want it on the ssd just for the pure performance aspect of it.

The biggest space hog on my system is games(ok media recordings). Even at that it is not that bad.