How to gain access to WindowsApps folder not in C?


  1. Posts : 93
    Win10
       #1

    How to gain access to WindowsApps folder not in C?


    Hello guys. I followed this guide to gain access for WindowsApps folder, and it worked.
    Now, I changed default drive for WindowsApps, to install Gears of War and Quantum Break(in future) in a larger drive. But the method to gain access to the WindowsApps folder, seem to not work if the drive isn't C, the default one.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 201
    Kernel 4.x.x
       #2

    Be careful changing permissions of system directories and files. You probably shouldn't unless you really know what you're doing and know how to reverse any changes you've made. Recursive permission modifications are very indiscriminate. You can easily find yourself with a non-functional OS which is beyond your ability to repair. :)

    Now changing permission on your own files (files folders Windows does not create itself) is totally ok and encouraged to learn how NTFS permissions work.


    Anyway onto your issue. Changing permissions works for any NTFS filesystem. Are you using NTFS on the partition which you're trying to install your games to?
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 93
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Hydranix said:
    Be careful changing permissions of system directories and files. You probably shouldn't unless you really know what you're doing and know how to reverse any changes you've made. Recursive permission modifications are very indiscriminate. You can easily find yourself with a non-functional OS which is beyond your ability to repair. :)

    Now changing permission on your own files (files folders Windows does not create itself) is totally ok and encouraged to learn how NTFS permissions work.


    Anyway onto your issue. Changing permissions works for any NTFS filesystem. Are you using NTFS on the partition which you're trying to install your games to?
    Yes, is a ntfs partition. It's same SSD where is C.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 487
       #4

    With Microsoft seemingly starting to take their store more seriously now and starting to include proper games in the Windows Store, one of the things I've wondered about is the game file management. SSD's in larger sizes are still quite pricy and re-downloading huge game files when buying a new computer really isn't going to be any fun at all. So I think a lot of people will want to do the same as you and store their games on a non-system drive. But it sounds a bit more tricky with Windows apps/games than it is with Steam's steamapps folder for example, due to them being more locked down.

    As you mentioned, to choose a drive that future games are saved to go to Start > Settings > System > Storage and choose the drive that 'New Apps' are saved to. This will mean future apps/games will then be stored there.

    But for games that you've already installed and want to move to another drive as well, I wonder whether the following method will work, as I agree with the other poster that changing file/folder permissions isn't an ideal solution.

    Go to Start > Settings > System > Storage > [Drive where they are stored] > Apps & Games > Click the game and then choose 'Move'.

    How to gain access to WindowsApps folder not in C?-untitled-1.jpg


    In the above screenshot the 'Move' button is greyed out, but it's just an example. I don't have any Windows Store games installed to try, but does this give you the option to move your games to your other drive?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 487
       #5

    I apologise, I've just re-read your post and realised that I misunderstood what you were asking.

    With regards to your question, in the past I was also unable to gain permissions to the Apps folder after creating it on another drive. For me I decided that it would be quicker to move all the data off the drive, format it to get rid of the Apps folder, then put the data back on the drive. It's a bit overkill, but once you move the apps folder to another drive, the Apps folder Windows creates is rather persistent and a nightmare to get rid of.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 93
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       #6

    ARC1020 said:
    I apologise, I've just re-read your post and realised that I misunderstood what you were asking.

    With regards to your question, in the past I was also unable to gain permissions to the Apps folder after creating it on another drive. For me I decided that it would be quicker to move all the data off the drive, format it to get rid of the Apps folder, then put the data back on the drive. It's a bit overkill, but once you move the apps folder to another drive, the Apps folder Windows creates is rather persistent and a nightmare to get rid of.
    Don't worry. You explained an useful thing.
    Anyway, it's really weird that just items on C can be allowed to access.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 22
    Windows
       #7

    You can use a Linux bootable USB Drive to delete/move/write easily the WindowsApps folder.

    How to create a bootable USB stick on Windows | Ubuntu
      My Computer


 

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