How To Change Program Files Location In Windows 10

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  1. Posts : 5
    windows 10 pro
       #1

    How To Change Program Files Location In Windows 10


    i am kind of confuse with windows 10 on how to change Program Files Location. i know in windows 7 and windows 8 all i had to do is go to ''HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion'' and change ProgramFilesDir to the hard driver letter to the on that i prefer. same goes to the ProgramFilesDir (x86)

    now here is my real question... on windows 10 we still can do same as i mention above for both x86 and x64. but the problem is if i change the ProgramFilesDir (x86) on windows 10 most of the things on windows 10 stop working. if i change my ProgramFilesDir (x86) :C >>ProgramFilesDir (x86) : D i can't even open the run. and most of the other stuff doesn't response correctly either

    i don't know if other people are also having this issue. I've (install windows 10/clean install ) multiple times. after installing is done, every time i go change the ProgramFilesDir (x86). PC stops responding correctly, i was hoping if anyone could help me with this issue. please help me fix this problem. i would really appreciate any help
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  2. Posts : 14,046
    Windows 11 Pro X64 22H2 22621.1848
       #2

    I'm going to be sorry, but I have to ask :)

    Why are you doing this? If it's a drive space problem, get a larger hard drive.

    I can see (sort of) moving user folders like Documents, Music, etc but never system folders as important as the two you are talking about.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #3

    This is not normally done on any OS.
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  4. Posts : 5
    windows 10 pro
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Ztruker said:
    I'm going to be sorry, but I have to ask :)

    Why are you doing this? If it's a drive space problem, get a larger hard drive.

    I can see (sort of) moving user folders like Documents, Music, etc but never system folders as important as the two you are talking about.
    hello' thank you for the quick reply :) the whole reason for me to do this is i have 2 hard drive on my PC. my SSD hard-drive is 119 GB. and my : D hard drive is 2 TB. i have my windows 10 install on the SSD hard-drive

    the reason i change my ProgramFilesDir (x86) when i install a new software or a Game i want it all to Automatically install to my : D hard drive. instead of my : C hard drive. i know for a fact that this only happens on windows 10. if i now go to my other PC and install windows 8.1 on it and after the installation is done then i go change my ProgramFilesDir (x86). the PC has no problems it works perfect on windows 7, windows 8, windows 8.1

    i am having this issue only with windows 10
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  5. Posts : 2,799
    Linux Mint 20.1 Win10Prox64
       #5

    You can easily create a symbolic link.
    1. Move the whole "C:\Program Files" folder to "D:\Program Files" folder
    2. Open Admin Command Prompt and cd:\C
    3. Type: mklink /D "Program Files" "D:\Program Files"

    Install any programs/Games as normal, take the default install path as C:\Programs Files but all the installed files will be stored in D:\Program Files. This way you don't have to mess with registry or anything else.

    More Info on Symbolic Link: Link Shell Extension
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  6. Posts : 5
    windows 10 pro
    Thread Starter
       #6

    topgundcp said:
    You can easily create a symbolic link.
    1. Move the whole "C:\Program Files" folder to "D:\Program Files" folder
    2. Open Admin Command Prompt and cd:\C
    3. Type: mklink /D "Program Files" "D:\Program Files"

    Install any programs/Games as normal, take the default install path as C:\Programs Files but all the installed files will be stored in D:\Program Files. This way you don't have to mess with registry or anything else.

    More Info on Symbolic Link: Link Shell Extension
    thank you soo much for this information. i will go now and test what you said. and i will come back let yáll know how it went, thanks. topgundcp
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 5
    windows 10 pro
    Thread Starter
       #7

    I'm back. i got it fixed now after my last message i was browsing the web for little while about this issue and I found A Great You tube video About this issue. this guy did it different then what i normally did with windows 7, windows 8, windows 8.1. all i had to do was...


    1. create A Folder name Program Files (x86) on my Hard drive : D
    2. and then instead of going to ''HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion''
    3. i had to go here >> 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion''
    4. then change the ''ProgramFilesDir (x86)'' And ''ProgramFilesDir'' From :C to : D


    this Really worked for me. i am so.. happy now, everything on my PC works smoothly now whenever i install a software or anything everything automatically goes to ''D:\Program Files (x86)''

    I really do appreciate all your guys help. thank you so much for all the information you guys gave me. i even tried what
    [topgundcp] said and the salutation he gave me it works too but...
    when i did that my folders looks like a shortcuts i didn't really liked that look LOL so... i really wanna to find out way the old fashion way it didn't worked on windows 10 finally after hours and hours of searching. i found the salutation. still.. i really do appreciate all the help you guys gave me, my problem is now solved
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 2,799
    Linux Mint 20.1 Win10Prox64
       #8

    i even tried what [topgundcp] said and the salutation he gave me it works too but...
    when i did that my folders looks like a shortcuts i didn't really liked that look LOL
    Great. Whatever it works for you.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 5
    Windows 10 Pro
       #9

    When I change the Program Files / Program Files (x86) / ProgramData / Users Directory, to a another drive letter, the Built in Windows Apps, stop working, and wont open, anyone sorted this out ?

    SRIGGA said:
    I'm back. i got it fixed now after my last message i was browsing the web for little while about this issue and I found A Great You tube video About this issue. this guy did it different then what i normally did with windows 7, windows 8, windows 8.1. all i had to do was...


    1. create A Folder name Program Files (x86) on my Hard drive : D
    2. and then instead of going to ''HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion''
    3. i had to go here >> 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion''
    4. then change the ''ProgramFilesDir (x86)'' And ''ProgramFilesDir'' From :C to : D


    this Really worked for me. i am so.. happy now, everything on my PC works smoothly now whenever i install a software or anything everything automatically goes to ''D:\Program Files (x86)''

    I really do appreciate all your guys help. thank you so much for all the information you guys gave me. i even tried what
    [topgundcp] said and the salutation he gave me it works too but...
    when i did that my folders looks like a shortcuts i didn't really liked that look LOL so... i really wanna to find out way the old fashion way it didn't worked on windows 10 finally after hours and hours of searching. i found the salutation. still.. i really do appreciate all the help you guys gave me, my problem is now solved
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 201
    Kernel 4.x.x
       #10

    SignedAdam said:
    When I change the Program Files / Program Files (x86) / ProgramData / Users Directory, to a another drive letter, the Built in Windows Apps, stop working, and wont open, anyone sorted this out ?
    Did you first copy the "Program Files" and/or "Program Files (x86)" directories to the new location?

    cmd.exe as admin

    Robocopy "C:\Program Files" "D:\Program Files" /mir
    Robocopy "C:\Program Files (x86)" "D:\Program Files (x86)" /mir
      My Computers


 

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