New SSD for OS only

robmol · 5 Dec 2015 at 13:36

Hi guys, made up a new rig as my parents PC and have installed OS on the new SSD all works fine but everything keeps defaulting to the new SSD not the mechanical drive.

Is there a way to have the SSD running windows just in the background so everything else (downloads, application installations etc etc) will default to the old HDD? Or do you have to manually change the drive address every time you install something? Probably a bad explanation as I'm well out of the loop when it comes to setting up new systems.

Just want it to be as efficient as possible without them clogging up the SSD with stuff like photos, he wants FSX installed too so it's going to fill up rather quickly.

Maybe I should start again and have the OS back on the large mechanical then dad can have the SSD for all his flight sim stuff.

Cheers

scotslad · 5 Dec 2015 at 17:53

Just create a folder on your mechanical drive and call it something like "my backup drive" or whatever you wish to call the folder, then when downloading anything just make sure to change the destination of where the stuff is going to be saved to, change it to the named folder that you just created, also make a desktop shortcut Icon of the created folder and move that onto your main windows homes page.

That way your stuff will download into the created folder on your mechanical drive and for fast access to the stuff you simple click on the shortcut icon on your desktop screen and it will take you straight there.

That way you will be able to work away in windows doing whatever whilst your downloads carry on in the background, but be aware that it will slow your internet speed down and also it does use up a bit of your computers resources, hopefully not a lot though if the computer is half decent.

Hope you understood that, lol, cheers mate.

TheVoice · 5 Dec 2015 at 18:03

Anything that's frequently-used (applications etc) should be on the SSD, otherwise what's the point?

You can change the target directory of folders like Documents, Downloads etc:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/redirect-folder-new-location#1TC=windows-7

Realistically that should be all you need to do.

Snookums · 5 Dec 2015 at 18:21

I have all my personal folders redirected to my mechanical same way ^ has linked. I have rerouted all my programs to download to a folder on mechanical called Downloads. Then I manual change all install locations to relevant folders in my HDD or if its important SSD.