Windows 7 and multiple HDDs

potato58

potato58

potato58

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27 Jul 2011
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120
Hi all.

I've just upgraded my PC from using a single HDD for everything to having two HDDs and an SSD. The SSD is for my OS and most of my programs, whilst the HDDs will be used for some programs (e.g. Steam, games, iPlayer), and all of my media and documents.

This is the first time I've ever used multiple storage drives with Windows and I wonder if you could give me some basic tips and pointers. (I'd rather not go down the route of partitioning drives simply because I've never done it, and find the idea of three drives quite confusing enough.)

For example:

1. What's the best way to tell Windows not to use C: for My Documents, Pictures, Music etc?

2. Is it okay for me to have most of my programs installed on C:, which is an SSD, but to have some of the big ones on another HDD (e.g. my Steam games)? If so, what's the best way to make this work? Is it simply to change the install path to a new folder on the other drive when running installers, or is it more complicated than that?

3. I have a 64GB SSD, a 500GB WD Caviar Blue HDD, and a 1TB WD Caviar Black HDD. How would you organise your stuff on those? I have at most about 300gb of media, so in reality I don't actually need much more than 500GB space all together. Should I use the 500GB drive for backing up my libraries? If so, what would be the best way to do that?

4. Anything else I haven't thought of? Doesn't matter how obvious!

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
1) I just re-mapped the Libaries to wherever I wanted to. Certain things will save to C/users/oli but oh well.

2) I have steam and the games installed on another drive, just changed the install location.
 
If you right click on documents, picture or music from the start bar on Win 7 and select properties you can change the path / add new folders for your documents.

As for the installed games / apps, I would suggest that any programs that are the core build of your OS be installed on C drive, and any games or major apps go on your other drives, that way if you need to rebuild your machine you dont have to worry about loosing saved games or app data.
 
Assuming you're on Windows 7 then the process is very easy. Almost too easy. I've been running mutiple drives in the style you're wanting to for many years, since XP's early days in fact. In 7 you simple need to do this.

1:
how2_1.png


- On the left side of Explorer right click one of the library folders, in my example I'm going to show "My Documents", all you have to do is remove the default inclusion which points to c:\ and include a new one on your other drive which points to the My Documents folder in there (step 4 on my screen).

Do the exact same for pictures, music and videos and you're all set.

Now whenever you want to access your stuff, just click on one of the library folders from any window and you'll be taken to the other drive containing that data.

You can get an overview of all folders under your account if you click Start > YourUsername as well, this shows everything that's relevant to your account.
 
Thanks very much guys - that's completely answered my questions.

Thanks especially for mrk for going to the trouble of providing screenshots. They were really helpful!
 
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