Redirecting Program Files and Program Files(x86) in Vista/Win7.
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C0RR0SIVE
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Not really... Your C: drive should never shrink in size, only gain additional space, but, there are folders (hidden) inside both your program files directories that windows still seems to use, as I can't flat out delete either of my default directories.
roberttk01
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I may have overlooked it, but I am wondering if there is a way to do this with the program files that you don't use as often like games and keep the programs that you use every boot like antivirus, outlook, etc. Pretty much, I want to have the option of anytime I install something new having the option of choosing whether to install on the SSD or the HDD in almost identical folders, just ones for common programs vice occasional. I was doing what one of you guys were talking about and just typing "D:\" every time I did a new install, but it started to concern me that, as is seemed to have been fixed with this tutorial, the registry could have a higher chance of corrupting or that I had to manually prior to install make a new folder for the new program.
There is no way to have the option to choose unless the Application itself gives you the option to choose where to install. As I noted earlier there are plenty of apps out there that dont give you the option to choose where to install it to. They default to the Program Files folder automatically. So you would have no choice but to install it to the SSD over the HDD, even if you wanted to choose the HDD.
There also isnt a way right now to mirror the installs to both devices either. Not to mention that wouldnt really do any good for the user. All it would do is eat up twice the amount of space for the same app. Since using the shortcut will only execute the one in the directory that the short cut links to. Meaning that if you had the same app installed to the SSD and the HDD, but the short cut on the desktop linked to the executable file on the SSD drive, then every time you used the app via that short cut you would automatically be using the one installed on the SSD, even if you wanted to use the one on the HDD at that point in time. So you would have to create twice as many app short cuts. 1 for the SSD location, 1 for the HDD location.
The Registry doesnt have any higher of a chance getting corrupted when switching the install locations. It could be corrupted just as easily if you didnt touch it. Really the only thing to know is this. If you are uncertain of the entries or what you are doing in the Registry, dont mess with it. This technique is not for everyone as you could easily change a setting and not realize it and end up with a system that doesnt function. So only touch the entries mentioned and make sure to back up first before making any changes. That way if something does go wrong, you have the ability to restore a backup from before any changes were made and have a functional system back without a reinstall.
There also isnt a way right now to mirror the installs to both devices either. Not to mention that wouldnt really do any good for the user. All it would do is eat up twice the amount of space for the same app. Since using the shortcut will only execute the one in the directory that the short cut links to. Meaning that if you had the same app installed to the SSD and the HDD, but the short cut on the desktop linked to the executable file on the SSD drive, then every time you used the app via that short cut you would automatically be using the one installed on the SSD, even if you wanted to use the one on the HDD at that point in time. So you would have to create twice as many app short cuts. 1 for the SSD location, 1 for the HDD location.
The Registry doesnt have any higher of a chance getting corrupted when switching the install locations. It could be corrupted just as easily if you didnt touch it. Really the only thing to know is this. If you are uncertain of the entries or what you are doing in the Registry, dont mess with it. This technique is not for everyone as you could easily change a setting and not realize it and end up with a system that doesnt function. So only touch the entries mentioned and make sure to back up first before making any changes. That way if something does go wrong, you have the ability to restore a backup from before any changes were made and have a functional system back without a reinstall.
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C0RR0SIVE
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Can a mod make an edit to the tutorial stating that this should only be done on a fresh OS install, as it can and will usually break any and all programs installed such as games if they are installed to the default drive prior to doing this tutorial.
patonb
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Would having a 120Gig drive benifit from this much?
This was wrote back when 60ish Gig drives were common..
Most my apps have selectible locations.
This was wrote back when 60ish Gig drives were common..
Most my apps have selectible locations.
A 120GB drive can still benefit from this. If your apps allow for you to select where they are installed, then this process is kinda null and voided. I know that between my install of Win7 and Win8 on my SSD, both of which is split to 60GB a piece, even using this I still only have about 15GB of free space for each OS partition. That is with removing the pagefile, shadow copies and everything else that I dont need.
In my honest opinion, even if you have a SSD large enough, you should still look to doing this. SSD's only have a limited lifetime. It isnt like the days where you could buy a drive and have it last you a decade or longer. Having constant use of the drive is going to kill it faster. having everything you do operate from the SSD is going to kill it faster than any mechanical drive out there. Even though it may take 5 or 7 years, it will still die and you might not be prepared for when it does. I would rather split my programs and other crap from my main OS files and have just those site on my SSD and have it take a nano second longer to access my Outlook than to have the SSD die on me when I least expect it.
In my honest opinion, even if you have a SSD large enough, you should still look to doing this. SSD's only have a limited lifetime. It isnt like the days where you could buy a drive and have it last you a decade or longer. Having constant use of the drive is going to kill it faster. having everything you do operate from the SSD is going to kill it faster than any mechanical drive out there. Even though it may take 5 or 7 years, it will still die and you might not be prepared for when it does. I would rather split my programs and other crap from my main OS files and have just those site on my SSD and have it take a nano second longer to access my Outlook than to have the SSD die on me when I least expect it.
