SSD and Hard Drive, but everything goes on SSD, why?

[Dom Walker]

I recently built a computer. I installed a Hard Drive and an SSD. The SSD has very little memory and was for the purpose of installing windows only since the Hard Drive has a considerably greater capacity. However, I have noticed that after a couple of weeks use, everything is on my SSD and nothing is on my Hard Drive. My SSD is nearly full and I have 2TB free on my Hard Drive. In Windows 8.1 how would I put everything on the Hard Drive and ensure everything goes there first in the future? I know this isn't hardware but I can't find an answer anywhere and you guys are great!

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you all very much!

 

[Agera One]

What do you mean by "Everything goes onto my SSD"? Can you elaborate?

 

[unksol]

When you install a program YOU chose where to put it. If you didn't tell it to install on the HDD its not going to. When you download or save things YOU choose where to save them. Stop putting everything on the SSD and then everything won't be on the SSD

 

[Agera One]

+1.. Yes, if you have your OS in SSD and try to install softwares/applications without changing the install directory, everything will go to the default directory (that is where the OS is installed)

 

[Dom Walker]

+1.. Yes, if you have your OS in SSD and try to install softwares/applications without changing the install directory, everything will go to the default directory (that is where the OS is installed)

So how to I change the install directory? Is it fairly straightforward? Also, when my SSD is full will everything else just go onto the HDD automatically?

 

[Agera One]

While installing a software/game first it asks for administrative permissions, then it asks to accept license agreements, then it will asks where to install by showing a box like this:

If your SSD is named "C" and your OS is installed in SSD, then the default directory will be shown as in the image above.. If your HDD is named D or E or F etc, then click that browse button, choose where to install (in which part of your local disk you want it), then proceed the installation..

For your second question, when is SSD is full, nothing will automatically go in to your HDD, you have to choose manually as said above to make them go into your HDD..

 

[Dom Walker]

While installing a software/game first it asks for administrative permissions, then it asks to accept license agreements, then it will asks where to install by showing a box like this:

If your SSD is named "C" and your OS is installed in SSD, then the default directory will be shown as in the image above.. If your HDD is named D or E or F etc, then click that browse button, choose where to install (in which part of your local disk you want it), then proceed the installation..

For your second question, when is SSD is full, nothing will automatically go in to your HDD, you have to choose manually as said above to make them go into your HDD..

So what about things that aren't programs? What about files such as music and documents? When I download them/make them, when my SSD is full they go to the Hard Drive? Can I move existing ones to the Hard Drive?

 

[Agera One]

No, they won't go automatically to HDD unless you've specified the directory to save in. For example, in google chrome-->settings--> advanced settings under download section, there'll be a box with directory (as in the image i provided in previous answer), you can click the browse button and change it to desired location.. YES,
you can move the existing files (documents, text files, images, videos, music files, software set-up files, etc) from your SSD to HDD without any problem.. the only thing you cannot move is the installed files (like those files inside the "Program files" or "Program Files (x86) files" folder).. Windows update will also consume space in your SSD (as your OS is in SSD).. The best ways to clean up this drive is given here http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/what-is-the-best-way-to-clean-up-a-small-ssd-c/08c43e95-224e-430c-b877-e484d6ed86de -Hope I helped