New PC w/ SSD+HDD, possible to have programs installed only on HDD?

Hey all. I need all your genius minds and help here.

Bought a new Dell PC running Win10 with 128GB SSD + 1 TB HDD. After deleting the bloatware (which was surprisingly minimal), I have about 60GB of free space. Tried installing a few basic programs but they all kept installing on C:\ drive. Even the ones that allowed me to "choose installation folder" on my 2nd drive took up some residual space on C:\ via User cache, App settings, etc.

After doing my research, I realize I have only a few ways to solve this problem:

1) Continue doing what I am doing now, which is doing my best to install as few as possible programs on C:\ and reserve HDD for media/data/games/other programs that let you store their content on that drive. Another option is to go straight to upgrading the SSD to a larger one, but I I find this impractical since my PC is basically new!

2) Use applications that act as Junction or Symbolic Link creators to divert installation and/or cache folders/files to my 2nd HD. This is actually problematic for me due to the sheer amount of programs I eventually would like to install but simply can't "Create a one-touch link of all Program Files" to the new HD. This method is also very confusing and tedious.

3) Re-installing Win10 with a clean installation without the Dell pre-configured stuff (which is not an issue since I do not have anything installed at this point), and maybe figure out a way to partition the SDD just for booting and minor storage purposes. Then using the 2nd HD with the User/Program Files, so every single program will be installed there? Or something like that. Not sure how this would work or what I would need to do to even make this possible. I don't mind this option at all since my PC has nothing on it and installing wouldn't take too long.

Or any other ideas? Thanks.

Hello Kabigon and Welcome to TenForums :)

You will find a lot of the information you need in the Tutorials. It is possible to move all the apps from C: (SSD) to D: (HDD) and change to this new location for all future installations of Apps. To get you started here is the first tutorial:

Move Apps to another Drive in Windows 10

At the end of the tutorial section you will see links to other related tutorials.

You will also need to change the location for where all your documents, pictures, downloads etc are stored:

Change Storage Save Locations in Windows 10

To keep space free make sure you turn on Storage sense:
Turn On or Off Automatically Free Up Space in Windows 10

Hope this helps!
Phil

Kinda defeats the purpose of having an SSD if you are going to run everything off the HDD anyway.....IMHO.

You could keep it simple and reinstall Windows and everything to the HDD and maybe just run the pagefile on the SSD.

Unfortunately this is the problem with SSD drives. They are still too expensive to have large sizes. So a user has to micro manage things. I got 500 gb for mine but even that is down to 180 left despite using my 3 TB mechanical HD for most installations.

A few years back I had a cache SSD and this was great. No need to micro manage. It was 128 gb in size and used 64 gb (with 64 gb allocated for over provisioning or something like that). It kept hot data on the SSD and the lesser used stuff on the HD and cleverly moved things around. It's a shame these things never really took off. Although not as fast as SSD they were still more than fast enough for everyday use. Way quicker than conventional hard drives. The only danger was (at least with my one which used software called dataplex to manage it) was unclean shutdowns could cause some problems.

Even with a couple of huge games installed and MS Office, I've never gone over 100GB used for Windows + Apps/Programs. The largest SSD I have installed is a 256 GB and it only has 88.4 GB used. If I was @Kabigon, I would just bite the bullet, get a 256 GB or 512 GB SSD and do it right.

Yeah I think 128 gb is a little on the small side. Prob best to change it sooner rather than later as I guess it'll mine a painful reinstall of windows and getting everything set back up.

On mine I made a couple of mistakes because everything by default wants to install to C: and you must remember to change it. Luckily my steam installation I made sure was on the conventional HD seeing as 95% of my games are from there.

philc43 said:

Hello Kabigon and Welcome to TenForums :)

You will find a lot of the information you need in the Tutorials. It is possible to move all the apps from C: (SSD) to D: (HDD) and change to this new location for all future installations of Apps. To get you started here is the first tutorial:

Move Apps to another Drive in Windows 10

At the end of the tutorial section you will see links to other related tutorials.

You will also need to change the location for where all your documents, pictures, downloads etc are stored:

Change Storage Save Locations in Windows 10

To keep space free make sure you turn on Storage sense:
Turn On or Off Automatically Free Up Space in Windows 10

Hope this helps!
Phil

I tried that but it only works with a few programs. I am fully aware of programs that let you choose installation directory and folders.
However, a lot of programs that I want to install (Chrome, Adobe, Office, etc.) will AUTOMATICALLY install to C:\ regardless. And even if there are options to change the installation directory/folder/cache, there is some residual files that must stay in the C:\ such as Users or AppData. If there isn't a way to completely migrate everything over from the beginning, then I'll have to accept choosing a happy medium where I will have to have some storage in the C:\ drive no matter what.

An install on C: of W10 Pro + MS Office should require less than 40GB. I agree you can't prevent some files ending up on C: but I had hoped the methods shown would help you keep things manageable.

Good Day all

just to say i don't install allot of items but i do do office 2010 and a very few others video players and editors and once as file is converted and such is moved to other drives (many others) music, movies, work and such. i do have the pri C 1tb but i keep it as clean as possible. and only use this.



no major games.

DME