Failed Move From C to D Drive

[emmetwood]

So i attempted to move all of my files from my C drive (My ssd that was almost full) to my D drive (1 TB harddrive), because my D Drive was completely empty. I left the windows files, and moved everything else (Including Program Files and the Program Files x86). However, now all of my shortcuts are gone and I can't get most programs working. I already deleted what I moved off of my C drive. Help?

 

[Kryptkeeper]

thats probably because most of the files will have their original location written in them. ie when a program goes to find a file it needs it will look to where its told to which is where it was originally installed.

 

[R_1]

copying files as you did only copied the visible folders. windows hides some system folders. unless you were logged in as admin, and all system and hidden folders were visible would everything copy as you did.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-files/how-can-i-recover-deleted-files-with-shift-del/13b1eaad-d41a-4e77-91c5-f0bc9590de7d?auth=1

they go through different recovery scenarios that may help you recover the data

 

[Kryptkeeper]

if theres any steam games you just "reinstall" from steam but choose to install to the new location, as it starts the install process and realises there's already files there it checks what you already have and verifies them.

 

[USAFRet]

So i attempted to move all of my files from my C drive (My ssd that was almost full) to my D drive (1 TB harddrive), because my D Drive was completely empty. I left the windows files, and moved everything else (Including Program Files and the Program Files x86). However, now all of my shortcuts are gone and I can't get most programs working. I already deleted what I moved off of my C drive. Help?

That is soooo not the way to do this.
Programs can't be moved like that, as you have seen.

 

[SBMfromLA]

So i attempted to move all of my files from my C drive (My ssd that was almost full) to my D drive (1 TB harddrive), because my D Drive was completely empty. I left the windows files, and moved everything else (Including Program Files and the Program Files x86). However, now all of my shortcuts are gone and I can't get most programs working. I already deleted what I moved off of my C drive. Help?

To put this in simple terms... You did NOT perform the move correctly. I will tell you exactly what you need to do.

First, you said you relocated folders from PROGRAM FILES (both of them). Fine, that could be done... BUT you forgot something very important.. You forgot to CREATE new shortcuts for each program's EXE. So for example, say you moved the folder: AwesomeGame to drive D... you need to go into that folder and create a new shortcut to the AwesomeGame.EXE ... or you could simply EDIT the shortcut you already have.. so it points to the new location.

Your shortcuts aren't working because they're looking for the spot where the properties say they were originally located...

 

[CountMike]

So i attempted to move all of my files from my C drive (My ssd that was almost full) to my D drive (1 TB harddrive), because my D Drive was completely empty. I left the windows files, and moved everything else (Including Program Files and the Program Files x86). However, now all of my shortcuts are gone and I can't get most programs working. I already deleted what I moved off of my C drive. Help?

To put this in simple terms... You did NOT perform the move correctly. I will tell you exactly what you need to do.

First, you said you relocated folders from PROGRAM FILES (both of them). Fine, that could be done... BUT you forgot something very important.. You forgot to CREATE new shortcuts for each program's EXE. So for example, say you moved the folder: AwesomeGame to drive D... you need to go into that folder and create a new shortcut to the AwesomeGame.EXE ... or you could simply EDIT the shortcut you already have.. so it points to the new location.

Your shortcuts aren't working because they're looking for the spot where the properties say they were originally located...

But if they were INSTALLED on C: even that is not going to make program/games work. They have to be installed again but this time point your installation to D:/
For Steam games look at their site, there's a way to change install directory without loosing them.

 

[SBMfromLA]

So i attempted to move all of my files from my C drive (My ssd that was almost full) to my D drive (1 TB harddrive), because my D Drive was completely empty. I left the windows files, and moved everything else (Including Program Files and the Program Files x86). However, now all of my shortcuts are gone and I can't get most programs working. I already deleted what I moved off of my C drive. Help?

That is soooo not the way to do this.
Programs can't be moved like that, as you have seen.

Actually, that's not true... You can easily move program files to different drives... I do that all the time... you just need to edit the shortcut to reflect the new location.

 

[USAFRet]

So i attempted to move all of my files from my C drive (My ssd that was almost full) to my D drive (1 TB harddrive), because my D Drive was completely empty. I left the windows files, and moved everything else (Including Program Files and the Program Files x86). However, now all of my shortcuts are gone and I can't get most programs working. I already deleted what I moved off of my C drive. Help?

That is soooo not the way to do this.
Programs can't be moved like that, as you have seen.

Actually, that's not true... You can easily move program files to different drives... I do that all the time... you just need to edit the shortcut to reflect the new location.

Some do. A LOT do not.
Some that do, have issues later.

 

[SBMfromLA]

So i attempted to move all of my files from my C drive (My ssd that was almost full) to my D drive (1 TB harddrive), because my D Drive was completely empty. I left the windows files, and moved everything else (Including Program Files and the Program Files x86). However, now all of my shortcuts are gone and I can't get most programs working. I already deleted what I moved off of my C drive. Help?

That is soooo not the way to do this.
Programs can't be moved like that, as you have seen.

Actually, that's not true... You can easily move program files to different drives... I do that all the time... you just need to edit the shortcut to reflect the new location.

Some do. A LOT do not.
Some that do, have issues later.

Whoops.. accidentally clicked on Pick as Solution.... hahaha... that feature should be blocked so only the ask see and has that option.... but anyway..., I've never had any problems moving "program files". Just a small handful of programs don't like that and will stop working... but from my experience... over 90% of Installed Programs can easily be relocated.

 

[CountMike]

There are "Portable" programs that do not write in Registry and can be freely moved oor even run from a disk with different Windows versions.
Than there are programs that have a lot of registry entries and also some files in User and Windows folders and other places, without a lot of editing they are not going to work.

 

[SBMfromLA]

There are "Portable" programs that do not write in Registry and can be freely moved oor even run from a disk with different Windows versions.
Than there are programs that have a lot of registry entries and also some files in User and Windows folders and other places, without a lot of editing they are not going to work.

Yes and No... If you Move the "Program Files" to another drive AND perform a clean reinstall of Windows.. then YES, you will have to go to the hidden folders from AppData and Program Data and copy those files over (belonging to the program files you moved) into their respective locations in order for them to run properly. However, If you just relocate the "program files" to another drive... then there's no need to really bother with the folders in the hidden data because the C Drive where they're located isn't moved... and 9 out of 10 times.. the program will still work. I know.. Like I said I've done it lots of times over the years... There are a few programs that won't work.. like for instance.. something like Rosetta's Stone.. and perhaps a few utility programs or AV programs that dig deep into your system to prevent people from uninstalling and reinstalling when the trial period is over.. but for the most part... most Games will work fine. However, I will admit that one exception is Fallout. But other than that, never had any problems so it's fine to do that. And if one program out of ten won't work... no biggie.. just reinstall it.