W10 writes into my D: partition...?


  1. Posts : 35
    W10
       #1

    W10 writes into my D: partition...?


    Hello,
    I hope someone has some insight into this strange thing...

    I have for years had my HD split into two partitions, one C:\ for windows and D:\ for my own data, not the stuff that windows insists on writing to C:\Users\<myname>\ but files that I create myself and want to keep track of myself. I also set most apps to read and write from and to the folders on D:. This has worked very well for me ever since Windows NT, maybe even before that.

    So now I have W10x64pro on a Surface Pro 3, all brand new. I re-partitioned the SSD into C:\ and D:\ which worked fine. I haven't used the Surface Pro much to install apps or create any files, basically only emailing, surfing, watching videos. Now I discover that W10 has created a lot of files on D:\, some folders that I even cannot access. There is one folder named as my username that includes empty Documents and Downloads and Videos etc folders. There is one folder named "WindowsApps" that I simply cannot access, there is a folder "WpSystem" which includes "AppData\Local\Packages" folder with what looks like app settings, usage logs etc, and there is a fourth folder on D:\ WUDownloadCache which contains strange named empty folders.

    Does anyone have a clue what on earth W10 has to do with writing on my D:\. I definitely did not set my Users folder to D:\, it is still under C:\Users. Windows should not write haphazardly all over the disks, this is crazy!

    Does anyone know if I can just reformat D:\? And how do I stop W10 from writing there?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #2

    Since the Surface Pro 3 device isn't a desktop or laptop where some can see more then one hard drive and likely sees just one usb port when splitting the drive 10 is still likely seeing D as a System reserved area. The Windows Apps folder sounds like that could be the AllApps location on the drive and will be unavailable being a system protected folder to start with.

    Now you best move for seeing things backed won't have been splitting the drive up into two partitions but having used either a good size flash drive or external drive to hold things which would have left the MS configuration intact. Unlike laptops where you can nuke the drive and customize things the compact devices typically have a unique configuration and why you are running into this.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #3

    You will get WindowsApps directory on D if you set apps to be stored there. What it will do is save apps you download from the store there instead of in C:\ProgramFiles\WindowsApps. WpSystem and Users directories seem to be linked to this setting also according to here and here

    You could check your setting as described here Apps Save Location - Change in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums.

    I got an empty WindowsApps on D by changing the setting back and forth couldn't delete it at all even with built in Administrator (had to use Linux in the end) so perhaps you may have changed it at some point even if it isn't set now.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,367
    W10 Pro x64/W7 Ultimate x64 dual boot main - W11 Triple Boot Pending
       #4

    Talking Ownership is another option to consider as long as there are two as lx07 has pointed out in order to see the extra on D removed as you would the Windows.old folder. Booting live from a distro or having a dual boot of a previous version(7, 8, 8.1 in particular) will make it a bit easier to see done since none of the system processes would be running. While booted into 7 at the moment I can't show you the dropdown list next to each item set to C by default but this is where to make any changes when planning to see any made.

    W10 writes into my D: partition...?-save-locations-settings..jpg
      My Computers


 

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