Windows 10: How Do I Change The Default Installation From C: To Another Drive?

Hi, I'm trying to change the default directory download from C: to another drive? My son's SSD is filling up and apparently it's "too much trouble" to delete C: and type in E: or simply browse to the desired directory like 99.99999% of us do. Aside from being too lazy to do this, he sort of has a point in asking why can't computer automatically switch to another directory when one is full, or rather ask you if you want to change to "insert drive letter" automatically. I actually did find a way to do this HERE. There's just one small problem. Yes, it does work, but then all previous programs originally installed on the C: no longer function. I want to find out how to do that without screwing up programs already installed on C:.

Thanks in advance,


:)

 

How do you change the default Installation Directory in Windows 10

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

I understand your concern and will assist you to resolve this issue.

I suggest you to look at the right side of the pane from the Current Version key that is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version at the right side of the pane from the Current Version key select and right click on
ProgramFilesDir select modify and change the drive letter to new HDD’s driver letter and check if it helps.

Refer the screen shot below and check if it helps.





Hope this information was helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance. We will be glad to assist.

 

Change default drive: How do I change the default drive that my system will install programs on?

Hi Ed,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. I understand the inconvenience caused to you and will assist you in solving the issue.

In order to change the default installation directory, please change the following in the registry.

• Press Windows key + X, type regedit and press Enter.
• Locate the following: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
• Right click on the value named ProgramFilesDir & change the default value
  C:\Program Files to the path you want to install all your programs in.
• Click OK and Exit.

Windows, by default, will now install your programs in the new drive or path.

Note: This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur
if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back
up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ )

How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

Hope the information is helpful. Keep us posted on the status for further assistance.

 

Hi, yes you can hack the registry, and years ago I used that hack. But it then causes problems later - e.g. in-place repair install upgrade won't work, and likewise a Windows upgrade would fail.

So your possible solutions are
a. Get a bigger drive and move everything on to that.
b. Move any very big programs off that drive - games?
c. As you say, manually specify the install path.

Beyond that, check what is using your drive space e.g. using
Windirstat (free) and enjoy the pretty 3d cushion picture.

You may find ways of saving some space.

At a more prosaic level, run Ccleaner (free) and Windows Disk clean-up from drive properties.

You can relocate the paging file- pagefile.sys

 

You can move your user folders to another drive to free up some space. Documents, pictures, music, videos etc. How much space you get back depends on how much stuff is stored there. I do it so my Data is stored on separate drive/partition so I can preserve it on a clean install.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...dows-10-a.html

 

If your secondary drive is formatted to NTFS you can also mount it to a directory under C: drive

 

Oh wait.....what. How do you do that? I guess you would have to go into Disk Management to do this? Whatever the case, I'd like to know how, please. Thanks!