Using external USB 3.0 HDD as programs installation folder

JorgeIcarus · Mar 19, 2015

Hello,
I hope my question is clear: I am running low on space on my internal SSD HDD and I would like to move (uninstall and reinstall) the currently installed programs (and 2 games) on my external HDD (a Seagate 2TB Slim 2TB HDD).
What would the main downsides be, if any?
In terms of speed, reliability, decreased life span of the external HDD (probably not engineered to be spinning all the time as an internal HDD?)
I would also like to keep using part of the external HDD as my data storage: would you recommend creating two different partitions, one for the programs and one for the data?

Thanks

giantbucket · Mar 19, 2015

if you're feeling adventurous, you can avoid the un/re-install fiasco and just move the folder to the external drive and then make a symbolic link that re-maps it back to where it came from. windows will not know whether "\ProgramFiles" is on the C: drive or on the X: drive as long as ProgramFiles is a symbolic link.

downside is that everything falls apart when you remove the drive.

of course, you don't need to do this on the entire ProgramFiles folder. you could do it on subfolders instead.

start here, and google some more after that
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux

JorgeIcarus · Apr 6, 2015

giantbucket :

Hello.
Thanks for your answer. My problem is not to uninstall and reinstall the programs I currently have on the internal HD (they are just a handful).
My main doubt is about the reliability of an external HDD as the storage where to keep programs and games as opposed to documents and media files.
Will the continuous access to program and games files and folder be a problem for an external HDD? lifespan reduced, for instance?

Eggz · Apr 6, 2015

Spinning won't be a problem, but USB is less stable than SATA. You can always take the drive apart and put the drive in your computer, unless the manufacturer did something weird to the connectors (probably not but maybe).

JorgeIcarus · Apr 7, 2015

Eggz :

How 'less stable'? And why?
This HDD is the only device attached to the USB 3.0 controller. It does not share bandwidth with anything else.
Mouse, keyboard, joystick, external audio interface and pen drives are attached to USB 2.0 slots.

Eggz · Apr 7, 2015

The stability isn't bad, but USB has little bugs that cause weird things every now and then. SATA is rock solid and just works. If you're only doing games and media-related stuff, you'll be fine. If will just have a little more latency and generally slower. I don't know the technical details of why USB is a little fuzzier, but the same thing happens when you plug a drive into an ethernet cable. It's just a little funky and has more latency (i.e. not as responsive).

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Using external USB 3.0 HDD as programs installation folder

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