Windows 10: Dual Drive Files Location

Hi,
New laptop with dual drives SSD/HDD. I changed files location in Settings>System>Storage to HDD. But in File Explorer I have in This PC another set of Library Files and Desktop folder(s). Their location is SSD should I remove them? or are they hidden files and location needs to be change also to HDD?

Thanks John

Any help with SSD/HDD file/folder set up would be deeply appreciated.

:)

 

Always booting from the wrong drive

Drive K is not a boot drive.

If dual booting Windows located on the drive K: it will be changed to C:

You have to do the dual boot from the BIOS.

Check post from Andre da Costa on Dual booting.

 

Error: Windows 10 couldn't be installed - Code:80070003

I dual booted Linux in the device I was trying to upgrade to Windows 10. Also I had 3 windows partitions on the drive. I had moved the personal files location from C:\User\<user>\... to D:\ drive.

I restored all of it. I removed dual booting. I restored all personal file locations. I removed the Linux partition and converted them to windows. I merged all partitions to one.

Installed Windows 10 Pro using USB created by MediaCreationTool. Windows 10 got installed successfully.

It was pretty much getting the machine to its unpacked state and installing Windows 10! I did not expect Windows 10 upgrade to be this complicated.

Thanks,

Arul

 

Hello, this may help:
https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/threads/set-save-location-for-library-in-windows-10.1918/

If you look down explorer's navigation pane you will see the library 'Documents' 'Photos' etc and also the 'real' folders 'Documents' 'Photos' etc. Superficially the same thing twice. But of course they need not be - they could have different names. And right click , Properties will show you different options for the library folder and the real folder. For example both can be relocated, but by different means.

Basically it's a good idea to move as much user data - including your desktop - off C: and onto another disk as you can.

You do not, in general, want to install programs to other than your SSD, although there is a case for very large programs, large in comparison with free space on the SSDs.

Some prefer not to use restore points 'cos of the extra writes to the SSD; pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys could usefully be moved to the HDD if worried about the lifetime of your SSD.

 

Thank You dalchina,
I moved the files location through Settings> System> Storage to D: a 1TB HDD Storage
In File Explorer>This PC> there were the 4 Library Folders + Desktop + Downloads which all had C: \SSD location. I changed them to D:\Users\xxxx\Documents (storage drive) and now have the original files and duplicates in "This PC "all in D:\ locations.
I was going to delete the duplicates and hide the remaining This PC files. The D: \ downloads was going to leave in "Quick Access"
All the files should now be directed to the D;\ storage files, Right? I still haven't changed all the users files, because there is concern about some that shouldn't be moved. I been reading on APP Data files and not sure if it should be moved.
Thank You for your Help! I will take any pointers or directions if you can on files to be moved.
John

 

Right.. I wouldn't bother about App folders and others under 'Users'. The more contrived and complex your folder structure is whether achieved by using controls exposed in the GUI, or registry hacks, the more likely you are to find you end up kicking yourself in the backside later on.

For example, if you do an in-place upgrade repair install, or the next upgrade like 10586 back in November, you could well expect a problem to arise with non-standard folder locations.

Considering that the standard Videos/Pictures/Documents\Music are filled with folders related to installed programs, I prefer not to use these personally. So to me it's not actually worth relocating these.

Now consider your browser. You will probably have favourites, might have passwords, perhaps other personal data associated with this.
Again, you may want to move this data away from the OS onto a different disk.

Then there's your downloads folder- how you manage downloads. I choose to keep many so this gets large. I have mine on E: which is all PC related folders, a couple containing info I've accumulated, the rest related to the use or but the original one remains on C:, for now at least.





Users only contains my Desktop
MyFiles&Folders contains my documents, somewhat like Documents, but only ones I've saved there and none related to a particular program.
Downloads is quite big, being programs and related items I've downloaded and installed (including some I've just collected and not installed and some I've uninstalled).

Other partitions contain specialised data, my photos, music.

 

Thank You Again dalchina,

I don't want to get myself in too deep and in trouble, that is way I ask. I read so many different approaches I started getting confused and nervous. The Laptop just came yesterday and 1st time dealing with dual drives. HP gave me a great deal, but very little in information how it was set up. No manual or user guide came with it and any manuals or guides are for multiple laptops online. I don't play games but do a lot of research for a Blogging, Sports Fantasy, Family Tree, Pictures , Music, Video Guitar Lessons etc..

I was trying to find a foolproof way so files go where they are suppose to. So I don't have to chose where they go all the time.
Right now putting everything back to where it was. I am having problems with files under user. Somehow I have them sub folders of My Documents
Thanks Again, John

 

Hi,
I thought I had it right but now have double library folders. Both folders are showing D:\ storage drive but got there through different paths.
One set was done through Settings > System > Storage assigned to D:\Name
The other was created through Users Files D:\This PC (made folder)
Now in Library have double of everyone.

Please Help !!!

Thanks John

 

Hi, not entirely sure what you've done as you've not exactly described the steps you took.

Given this description:
"A library gathers content from various folders. You can include folders from different locations in the same library, and then view and arrange the files in those folders as one collection. For example, if you keep some of your pictures on an external hard drive, you can include a folder from that hard drive in your Pictures library, and then access that folder's files in your Pictures library whenever the hard drive is connected to your computer."

Include folders in a library


I imagine you have under one library two occurrences of a folder of apparently the same name, but presumably from different locations.
If you identify the location of each of the apparently duplicated folders, you should be able to choose which to remove.

The above link has a helpful video on removing folders from a library.

(Caveat, I've not spent time to verify in detail this is accurate for Win 10, but you may wish to try to find a newer version of the page).

Screenshots may also be helpful if you still need help and someone else sees this. Good luck!

(Once you've got this sorted out, research disk imaging - a great backup technique that lets you restore your system to a previously working state in well under an hour and much faster with SSD and USB3 without technical help. Saves your PC and your sanity. E.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + boot disk + external backup storage)

 

Hi.
Somehow when follow instruction for Dual Drives and moving folders location off SSD to HDD, created double Library files. Both files having different locations and path before and after.


Is this right? How do I correct?

Thank You Very Much Again,
John

 

Hi, here's what I'd do.
Assuming you only want one occurrence of Music (the folder) in the library Music (the topmost one) I would
a. expand each of the Music folders so I can see what's in it
b. decide which I want in the library
c. right click on the Music folder I don't want in the library, and click 'Remove from Library'.

Repeat for the other cases.
That shouldn't delete any content (files and folders) - merely the inclusion of the folder in the library as a reference to the folder.

 

HI dalchina, Thank you for yor time and effort on these issues, I Deeply Appreciate it. I am homebound from work accident 18 years ago and the laptop is my link to the outside.
Will I lose the pathway to D:\ or just lose those Library Folders. Both D:\This PC (User) and Library Folders D:\Name - have different paths and locations to the D:\ Storage Drives?
Thank You , John

 

The items shown in libraries on the LHS of explorer (navigation pane) are only references- a shortcut.
In all cases back up.

See too:
Library - Remove Included Folder in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums