Windows 7: How to change LOCATION of a directory in Win 7

I just finished installing Win 7 on its own drive (for the 2nd time) and on a separate partition. The problem is that I can't point "Program Files" to its partition. I watched the video by W.H. Schroeder but when i click on "Properties" for the file folder "Program Files" Win 7 does not show a "Location" tab so could change it from C: to M:. There must be a way because others have multiple partitions in Win 7 but it seems to be eluding me.

You can move the User folders if you want.
Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Podcasts

In fact, I would recommend do this, keeping User DATA seperate from the OS.

1) It keeps fragmentation down
2) I makes creating a system Image/Backup much faster.
3) In the even you must reinstall Windows, all of your User DATA in these folders will remain on the selected hard Drive, so you do not loose it by formating.

But you can not move "Program Files" or "Program Files (x86)"
And why would you want to?

If installed programs are not with the OS and you must restore a image or backup to a time BEFORE a certain app was installed, it may no longer work.

If you re-instal Windows, those applications on the other drive may no longer work either.
You will still have to re-install them.

Installed programs should be with Windows.

If for Some reason you want an Application installed to a different drive (separate from the OS) you can simply make a Folder on that drive for those programs.
Then manually choose the install directory.


Perhaps I am misunderstanding your question here.

You summed that one up correctly! Wishmaster

With a second fresh install and not having wiped the first out entirely with a reformat you should have seen the Windows.old folder created. For simply clicking on a sample video included with WMP12 the image below shows where that will be found.

Was the "video by W.H. Schroeder" something you downloaded/watched separately or one of the sample files? That would be found under "C:\users\user account name\My Videos" or "C:\users\user account\MyDocuments\My Videos" when simply found and played in WMP.

When booted into a particular installation of Windows as we previously explained on another thread that will see itself as being on C not M or any other drive letter. I'm assuming you still are seeing a Vista/7 dual boot with 7 on a second drive.

I recommend two and only two partitions, one for windows, program files, program data and the other for your normal data, such as documents, pictures, videos.

If you want complications, then by all means put the program files on another partition. If you want complications, then by all means put the ProgramData folder on another partition.

This is the voice of experience talking to you.

I have to partitions, d: and D:. I do not relocate douments, pictures and so forth to another partition as described in one of our tutorials. Incidentally, the tutoriail is excellent. My preferred approach is to create on D: a Pictures folder and add that folder to the the pictures library. I do the same for music, documents, and so forth. This gives me one small partition, c:, and one large partition d:. Libraries are handled properly by all MS software and thus I have no problems. I can make a system image backup of C using Windows Backup and Restore. I use SyncToy to backup my folders on D: to my backup drive.

I hear numerous people planning or have custom installed everything onto other partitions or drives and end up wondering how to get things running again later if Windows is reinstalled. I have to agree right off on the complications part!

Why make more work for yourself when it doesn't actually see much of anything in the way of any benefits overall?

As far as the original question I have a feeling that BarrieNoodles had downloaded and watched a video while the first install of 7 was seen and now watched it again on the second install but on a different partition or the video was on the host Vista drive?

Depending on the player you use the playlist created is what is directed to any file or folder on any drive. Once the playlist is opened the player will then be directed to that particular location.

Thanks for all the help..
Wishmaster, if my Program files stay on C:\ with the OS what size should the partition be. I have 1TB drive with 100GB as C:\, I have only installed Win 7 so far so it's easy to reconfigure the partition size.

Another thing that is bugging me is, if I unplug the computer, will the assigned letters remain when I plug it back in. I had all my drive/partition letters set up and working but I had to get back into the computer so I had to unplug it, when I turned it back on the drive letters were reset. If that is the case I would have to re-assign drive letters each time I had to unplug the computer.

Your drive letters won't change unless you plug in a new drive or unplug one already in or go as far as creating a new partition and then use the Add New Volume wizard where in that case a drive letter may be bumped.

When going to add in a second hard drive while the optical drive is set as D that may get bumped to E. If you unplug and then replug a drive often it will still be the same letter again once set at other times. Simply shutting the system down and unplugging the ac cord doesn't effect the assigned drive letters.

User Folders - Change Default Location

Data Partition

Thanks Night Hawk. I unplugged my C:\ drive to install Win 7 on the new drive. I'm learning something new every day.

In case Wishmaster doesn't get back to you on the other question I can show how much is used here on the 1tb host drive if that helps. You probably won't have many programs there as seen here but you still will want to allow some free drive for any C primary to avoid the "out of memory" error typically seen when a drive or partition runs out of room for the paging file.

100gb is the reasonable bare minimum until you start adding things on later. A good 200-250gb C primary leaving the rest for a storage partition is generally a good size to work with on a larger capacity drive.

Every little bit you pick up on always helps!