Win 10 on SSD - Data on 2nd drive

Hi All

I know there have been variants on this topic and a few Q's and A's answered within threads, but I was just wondering how many people have recently used an affordable SSD (256GB-ish) with a large spinny HD for storage. All I want to do is keep the OS and progs on the SSD (C:) and use the HD (E:) for data (Office docs, pictures etc).

I have tried this already and used the Win 10 "Change where content is saved" method where I've selected E: for Documents, Music, Photos + vids, and left Apps, Films +TV and Offline maps on C:

However, I ended up with a Program FIles folder and a WindowsApps folder on E: I have tried this twice from a fresh install on the SSD and re-formatted the data drive so as to start from fresh. All I want on E: is what I ask for (not these two system folders).

Does anyone know how I can simply make my data drive just for my data and not have any system related nonsense on it? I would even entertain a 3rd party program if it made life easy, as long as it was reliable. Alternatively, has anyone found this issue so insurmountable that they've found a policy method or used a script or something. I ask this as I can see other people having issues along these lines elsewhere. Cheers all.

I've kept Windows and programs on a small SSD and all data on separate drives for 15 plus years.

I cannot recall ever having your issue of program and windowsapps folders anywhere but C.

I've never used "Win 10 Change where content is saved". I don't even know what that is. I save directly to a separate D drive.

Are you doing clean installs with only C connected and paying attention to where you install new programs?

I am in the process of doing exactly what you describe, I am responding not to give advice about how to accomplish your goal but to tell you not to make the mistake I made.
After installing Windows 10, (new to this Windows 7 user), onto my SSD C drive I installed a 2 TB HDD for my data. The first thing I wanted to accomplish was to move all of the special system folders, My Documents, pictures, etc. kept in User folder on C drive to D drive using the location tab / move feature in properties. I ran into some very unexpected problems.
See the thread I just marked as solved today, titled “Documents Folder disappears from D drive after moving”

Thanks Ztruker and Spunk I'll try the non "Change where content is saved" method. ignatzatsonic, Thanks. I installed the OS on C: (no other drives connected) all updated and clean etc with all programs also installed to C:, then took an image which I've been using to test with. I'm with you though, not a problem for me to manually save everything in it's appropriate place on E: it's just that I'm hoping to do an PC build along the same lines for my mum, who's not great at file/ folder management etc.

Hotburgs - Thanks for the heads up. I look forward to reading your thread and will comment when I have a min but have to go for now (work tomorrow and early start).

Anyway guys, I'll have another go and update this with the conclusion.

Now that SSDs prices have dropped, I'd forego the HDD entirely. Get a 512 GB or 1 TB SSD and put everything there.

There's no longer a price benefit for running with an HDD. The latter are now for backups only.

Disk drive have been around for 60 years. I bid them a pleasant good-bye. :)

This is what I have and I think it's what OP is looking for.



Use Kari tutorial (attached) to move C:\Users (SSD) to D:\Users (HDD).
It's easy when installing but you can do on your system using Audit.cmd and then Sysprep.cmd + Relocate.xml

I have done it many times on many computers and I can guide you.

Ztruker, I've haven't seen any performance degradation, even opening big files as Outlook data files that are very big (1.5G).

Have nothing to complain. I only see advantages on having Users on another disk or partition.