tell Windows that Program Files is on another drive by default?

[Divergent Droid]

I know software installers typically give you options on where to install a program.. normally this is to C: Program Files or Program Files (x86) - Is there a registry tweak that will tell installers that the folders "Program Files or Program Files (x86) is on another hard drive?

You see, I'm looking for an easy way to do this without having to always spend time pointing installers to my other drive. - If not, someone should write this program/hack because there are lots of Win 10 tablets coming with tiny 32 or 64 gigabyte hard drives (eMMC type ROM) that will force people to use additional drives - it will be a Big Hit.

Thank you!

 

[Paul NZ]

I doubt it. And not all programs like being installed to anything else but C. And can / will refuse to run

 

[skit75]

I doubt it. And not all programs like being installed to anything else but C. And can / will refuse to run

I've never..... heard of that and can't think of a single example. Do you have an example?

 

[Paul NZ]

I think some Adobe programs used to do it. Photoshop I think.

Installing it on another hdd would work, , but if there were any updates for it, since it wasnt on C, it wouldnt install / or update Photoshop

 

[USAFRet]

I know software installers typically give you options on where to install a program.. normally this is to C: Program Files or Program Files (x86) - Is there a registry tweak that will tell installers that the folders "Program Files or Program Files (x86) is on another hard drive?

You see, I'm looking for an easy way to do this without having to always spend time pointing installers to my other drive. - If not, someone should write this program/hack because there are lots of Win 10 tablets coming with tiny 32 or 64 gigabyte hard drives (eMMC type ROM) that will force people to use additional drives - it will be a Big Hit.

Thank you!

There are ways to do it, but really, really not recommended.
Some things will choke not being on the OS drive. And many things you DO want on the OS drive, no matter how small it may be.

I have an Asus Transformer with a 32GB C drive. And quite a few applications on it as well as Win 10.

But if you must, investigate symlinks.

But I really don't recommend it.

 

[Divergent Droid]

I did find instructions for doing this via a registry hack for Windows 8 at this link - http://www.thewindowsclub.com/change-default-program-files-directory-windows

This may help some folks but I haven't tried it yet..

* It occurs to me that I would also have to find a way to by default use the other hard drive for "AppData" and or any folders for Save Games that games can create in Documents. In short, I'd want to point everything except critical system apps to the other drive, since i wont have room for them.. even the saved games.

 

[USAFRet]

I did find instructions for doing this via a registry hack for Windows 8 at this link - http://www.thewindowsclub.com/change-default-program-files-directory-windows

This may help some folks but I haven't tried it yet..

* It occurs to me that I would also have to find a way to by default use the other hard drive for "AppData" and or any folders for Save Games that games can create in Documents. In short, I'd want to point everything except critical system apps to the other drive, since i wont have room for them.. even the saved games.

And for moving the /User/ folders? Don't.
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/

 

[USAFRet]

Bottom line - Buy a properly sized drive for what you want to do.

 

[Divergent Droid]

There are ways to do it, but really, really not recommended.
Some things will choke not being on the OS drive. And many things you DO want on the OS drive, no matter how small it may be.

I have an Asus Transformer with a 32GB C drive. And quite a few applications on it as well as Win 10.

But if you must, investigate symlinks.

But I really don't recommend it.

I appreciate your caution, but I'm not worried about breaking anything. I'm an advanced tweaker. When I install any Windows system I normally gut it of any bloatware including most apps Microsoft pre-installs. I disable everything like Windows Updates and Defender., turn off UAC and disable all other security controls, uninstall all Metro or Modern Apps. I then permanently disable all processes and services save about 24 or so. The only thing that should run in my Windows system is a basic core system with internet and gaming abilities, not much else. Getting your system to only run say 30 services and processes also makes everything super fast. I last make a Macrium Reflex image backup to save so I can always reinstall if I need to, then I protect the system with Sandboxie and Rollback RX Home Edition, and I'm good to go. -

Ya see, after all that if I ain't got serious problems, I won't worry about the small stuff like Windows not liking the location of an installed program ! LOL

I don't suggest such steps to everyone but I been doing this since 1995. This was just meant to be a silly post, I hope you enjoyed it.

DD

 

[Divergent Droid]

Bottom line - Buy a properly sized drive for what you want to do.

Thank for the heads up on the Users folder.

I'd love to use a larger drive for the OS but the unit in question is a tablet with 64 gb for a hard drive.. no way I can replace that. The drive I'm planning to use to install programs and games to is a 1 TB mechanical via USB 3.0.

 

[USAFRet]

Bottom line - Buy a properly sized drive for what you want to do.

Thank for the heads up on the Users folder.

I'd love to use a larger drive for the OS but the unit in question is a tablet with 64 gb for a hard drive.. no way I can replace that. The drive I'm planning to use to install programs and games to is a 1 TB mechanical via USB 3.0.

And the vast majority of devices with 32 or 64GB drives are not games machines.
As said, I have a 32GB Asus transformer. And that drive is pretty slim. But drive size is not the LIMFAC on that as far as games.
It is simply a slow device, not a games machine. And there is a 64GB microSD plugged into the slot, for 'all that other stuff'.

 

[Divergent Droid]

And the vast majority of devices with 32 or 64GB drives are not games machines.
As said, I have a 32GB Asus transformer. And that drive is pretty slim. But drive size is not the LIMFAC on that as far as games.
It is simply a slow device, not a games machine. And there is a 64GB microSD plugged into the slot, for 'all that other stuff'.

I'm getting this unit specificity as a portable gaming machine / mini laptop. I've tested all the games I wanna play (about 100 of them, mostly FPS shooters or first person RPG's) including newer like FarCry 4 on similar hardware. The unit will have a quad core Intel cherry trail processor with Intel HD graphics at 1.84 ghz and 4 gigabytes of system ram. It will play em all at good frame rates i'm sure. I also have a 2 gig of ram tablet and it plays many of these games well also. Check out the Youtube gaming videos for Chuwi Hi10 10 inch tablet. That's the unit I'm waiting to arrive and the reason for this thread.

 

[Divergent Droid]

O.k. I have another thought on this - Perhaps I can re-flash the rom with Windows 8 (not 8.1) - Might my chances of getting everything to default to another drive be better since the OS won't contain Windows 10's silly restrictions?

Has anyone gotten everything migrated to another drive with Windows 8 ?

If so, you may be able to help. (Perhaps I should make a new thread on this in the Win 8 sub forum?)

Btw, USAFRet, I looked into SymbolicLinks and it's seems a little complicated for what i wanna do. I can learn it but I was looking for a simpler solution. This method looks like a real pain in the backside.

 

[USAFRet]

O.k. I have another thought on this - Perhaps I can re-flash the rom with Windows 8 (not 8.1) - Might my chances of getting everything to default to another drive be better since the OS won't contain Windows 10's silly restrictions?

Has anyone gotten everything migrated to another drive with Windows 8 ?

If so, you may be able to help. (Perhaps I should make a new thread on this in the Win 8 sub forum?)

8, 8.1, 10...no real difference.
If you can find Win 8/8.1 drivers for that, you could probably install it.

The problem is that drive is simply too small.

 

[Paul NZ]

Wont matter what you use. It wont be a restriction in Win10. It wont happen in any version of Windows

 

[Divergent Droid]

8, 8.1, 10...no real difference.
If you can find Win 8/8.1 drivers for that, you could probably install it.

The problem is that drive is simply too small.

Wont matter what you use. It wont be a restriction in Win10. It wont happen in any version of Windows

Guys, I have to keep plugging away at this - there HAS to be a solution. It is not fair, in fact it's irresponsible for Microsoft to allow the selling of these tablets including their own Surface junk with tiny drives you can get no practical use out of - and on top of that they cripple the only solution that would help.

If Linux would play all my apps and games, I'd leave Microsoft in the dust. I'm pretty sure you could do all these things with Windows 7 - If I have to, I'll install that.

 

[USAFRet]

It's not 'crippled'. You can go with the whole symlink solution.
Personally, I don't recommend trying to force ALL applications to be elsewhere. Some you DO want on the OS drive.

AV and other small utilities.
And there is built in functionality to install games and applications to install on other drives.

So, if you were to force it to always be elsewhere, for those applications you DO want on the OS drive, you'd have to do exactly the same thing...tell it where to install, instead of accepting the default.
You gain nothing.

The problem is, you are buying a device with a drive that is too small for your purposes.

Can you do what you seek? Sure. Look up the symlink concept. But heartily do not recommend it.
Forcing everything to be elsewhere is pure laziness. Just choose where things get installed, instead of relying on a bogus workaround.


As I said earlier, I have a 32GB Asus Transformer. Works just fine with Win 10. It's a great little travel device.
A fully updated Win 7, however, would not fit.

 

[USAFRet]

Oh, and if anything is crippling this, it is not Microsoft. It is all the application and games developers, that default the install to the OS drive.
Why do they do that? Because most people have a drive of a reasonable size. Or know what not to do.

The OS does not care, as long as you tell it where during the install. As almost every application allows, during the install.