Questions on using my SSD and hard drive

visioncharm · Sep 22, 2014

I've installed my os on my ssd but now I just found that Ive been downloading and installing everything else as well on my ssd too. So Ive been sending all of that to my hard drive now, which I just formatted. Is it okay if I just delete all the files in my ssd now that theyre in my hard drive(except my os)?

Also, is there a way I can make my hard drive my primary storage drive so that my ssd has only my os, and the hard drive will have everything else?

RealBeast · Sep 22, 2014

Sorry, your post is not entirely clear on what you have done after the install of the programs to the SSD so I may suggest things that you have already done.

You should uninstall the programs from the SSD (not just delete installed programs as you need to allow the OS to make registry entries for the removal) and then reinstall selecting the HDD as the install location.

While it is not recommended by Microsoft you can change a few registry entries and have stuff automatically install to the HDD. You will then need to reinstall them after uninstalling from the SSD.

I can give you the specific registry key changes. Windows XP, Vista, 7, or 8?

RookieOfTheYear · Sep 22, 2014

Yes, you can delete downloaded files if you already have a copy of it on your HDD. But you cannot delete the installed programs from you SSD. When you install programs, you need to install them to the HDD if that is where you want. Every program will ask you where you want to install it to. But you should install your most frequently used programs to your SSD. That way you get to utilize the benefits of a SSD.

You can go to your browser and set the location of your downloads. In your case, just make it your HDD. And any other programs you are using that download things to have the ability to change the location where files are downloaded to.

How big is your solid state drive?

swifty_morgan · Sep 22, 2014

you should make a file pointing to whatever it is you're downloading on your hard drive. then before the download starts pick a location. that location would be that particular file......... ( if downloading avg anti virus....... file on HD would be avg ) and so on and so forth.

anything you save you need to point to a location so your ssd doesn't fill up.....

the stuff on the ssd. you do not have to delete it. drag it to your HD. simple as that. ( use the "move" command ) the only problems you might encounter are exe files. for your programs.

visioncharm · Sep 22, 2014

My ssd is 120 gbs, I have windows 7 ultimate.
Ill try uninstalling the programs right now and see if theyll work when i re install them from my hard drive.

RealBeast · Sep 22, 2014

To make programs install by default to a drive other than the OS drive you need to make two sets of registry changes. I recommend that you first backup your registry before making any changes.

First you need to edit a couple of registry keys from C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (X86) -- you will find them under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version and they are the two keys called ProgramFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir (x86). Just change them to X:\Program Files and X:\Program Files (x86), where X = the drive letter where you want them to go. (To edit the registry for this step use the registry editor that you will find by typing regedit in the start button search box.)

Once the first regedit is run, you need to do a second one. In the Start button search window paste: %systemroot%\sysWOW64\regedit and run it. Then change the same two keys ProgramFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir (x86) by changing the registry key value to X (where X = your desired destination drive) from C. Note that in this step both ProgramFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir (x86) both go to the same folder X:\Program Files (x86).

After those two changes, newly installed programs will install to the drive where you direct them instead of the C: drive.

edit: and changing the destination for downloads is simple. Just change the default location for downloads in Firefox or whatever browser you use from the Downloads folder on the C drive to the other drive.

visioncharm · Sep 22, 2014

RealBeast :

To make programs install by default to a drive other than the OS drive you need to make two sets of registry changes. I recommend that you first backup your registry before making any changes.

First you need to edit a couple of registry keys from C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (X86) -- you will find them under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version and they are the two keys called ProgramFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir (x86). Just change them to X:\Program Files and X:\Program Files (x86), where X = the drive letter where you want them to go. (To edit the registry for this step use the registry editor that you will find by typing regedit in the start button search box.)

Once the first regedit is run, you need to do a second one. In the Start button search window paste: %systemroot%\sysWOW64\regedit and run it. Then change the same two keys ProgramFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir (x86) by changing the registry key value to X (where X = your desired destination drive) from C. Note that in this step both ProgramFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir (x86) both go to the same folder X:\Program Files (x86).

After those two changes, newly installed programs will install to the drive where you direct them instead of the C: drive.

edit: and changing the destination for downloads is simple. Just change the default location for downloads in Firefox or whatever browser you use from the Downloads folder on the C drive to the other drive.

Do I change the common files too?

RealBeast · Sep 22, 2014

Only make the changes that I listed -- nothing else.

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