How to Install Programs on a Secondary Hard Drive

Whether your PC is running out of disk space or you simply want to store some applications you don't use regularly on an external device, Windows has you covered. In Windows 10, there is a simple setting that allows you to Install programs on a secondary hard drive or an external device.

As long as that drive is connected, it will function as it normally would on your laptop/desktop (keeping in mind the subtle differences in drive speed/version). USB). This represents a great advantage, since, with limited capacities, the storage space storage for applications it becomes scarce.

Keep reading and you will know how Install software on a second hard driveWe will also explain how moving the contents of the Program Files folder to a hard drive will free up many gigabytes of space. Pay attention to all the details.

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How to install programs on a secondary hard drive

The capacity of solid state drives (SSD) is growing and the price is coming down, but there is still a big gap between SSDs and traditional internal hard drives (HDDs). The problem is that games and other software take up a lot of space and you may not have room on your hard drive C: for all.

Below we will explain how to install programs on a secondary hard drive and even how to move the entire Program Files folder to another disk. It is very easy install a program on any disk hard drive connected to your PC.

All you have to do is look for the option of location during the installation process. Click the button Browse and tells Windows to install it where you want. The software does not have to be installed in the folder Program files, that's just a Windows convention.

Installing software on an external drive

If you have a small capacity SSD, you can install Windows and Store your files on a secondary hard driveIdeally, you need an internal hard drive, but external drives can be used if that's your only option - a USB 3 model is almost as fast as an internal one. Be aware that using an external drive can cause all sorts of problems.

You will need to make sure it is always connected when Windows starts up, otherwise programs may not load when you launch them. Also, if you don't have a laptop or PC with USB 3, you'll find that games and programs launch considerably slower than from an internal hard drive or USB 3.

How to move the contents of the Program Files folder

Even if you have a 128GB SSD, you'll soon fill it up with apps. At this point, it's too late to install them on a different hard drive, unless you want to go through and uninstall and reinstall programs individually.

It is possible to move the folder C:\Program Files to a different hard drive, but we don't recommend this because the folder is hard-wired to Windows and there will be problems if it's not where Windows expects it to be. Also, it's a very in-depth process to do it correctly using symbolic links.

For programs that are already installed on your drive C:, it is possible to move its subfolders that are stored in C:\Program Files. Please note that if you move programs from an SSD to a hard drive, you will lose the speed benefit of the SSD when launching that program.

Keep your most-used software on the SSD so it loads and runs quickly when you need it. However, you can't just drag program folders to a different drive.

So what should I do?

What you need to do is create what is called a symbolic linkIt's a bit like the shortcuts to programs, folders, and websites that litter the desktop, but they're more powerful. When Windows or any program tries to access the folder, the symbolic link redirects it to the new location. It's completely transparent to the software and Windows.

Symbolic links can be created manually and there is a command line tool. commands call mklink. Expert users can open a window of symbol of the system and enter mklink to see the options.

However, there is no need to resort to complicated commands and there is a simple and free utility that does everything for you: SymMoverThere are separate Program Files folders for 32-bit and 64-bit programs in 64-bit Windows, so you'll need to move subfolders of both if you have them. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Step 1: when installing SymMover, be careful, as you will also install things you don't want if you use the default options. Select Custom settings and rejects all extras.

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Step 2: When you install any software, it always asks you where you want to store it. SymMover can be stored on your hard drive instead of the SSD if you wish. Just click the button Browse and select the drive and folder.

Step 3: When the installation is complete, run SymMover from the Start menu or the Start screen. You have two halves and dividing them in half is a column of icons. We need to choose the folders of the origin and the final destination.

Step 4: set the destination folder at the bottom, such as E:\SymMoverclick the button traditional, select a program and click where it says Add folder. If a program does not appear in the list, click 'Folders on your PC' and select your folder in C:\Program Files.

Step 5: repeat the last step for each of the folders you want to move from the SSD to the hard drive. The left side of SymMover is populated with the folders you want to move. Make sure they are all checked.

Step 6: click on the green Arrow in the toolbar in the middle and SymMover will copy the source folders to the destination and replace them with symbolic links. Close and restart Windows afterwards. The programs will now run from the hard drive.

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Final thoughts

There you go, you now know how to install programs on a secondary hard drive or second drive. The process has its advantages and its risks, however, any computer procedure will always yield good results if you follow the proper procedure religiously.

Also, this is a fairly simple and beginner-friendly method, so if you've only read through it, sharpen your eyesight, get rid of your attention deficit and get to work. We wish you success and we look forward to seeing you again, don't forget to leave your comment at the end.