Make Windows wait to open programs on HDD?

Hey everyone :)

I had a thought. I use a ssd as my c drive, and a 1tb WD black drive for other programs and media and stuff. I often want to launch 2 programs at once (like Photoshop/Lightroom) that are on the HDD, but this makes the hard drive have to try and read 2 places at once and it slows down the launches. It also makes the disk make a lot of working noise (no bad noises, just normal noises). I assume this is because the head has to be moving back and forth quickly. I can launch PS and LR individually in under a few seconds for each, but at the same time, it can take up to 30 seconds longer.
Is there a way I could make windows load one program and then the next after the first is done loading (even though launching them at the same time)?

That would be great. thanks :)

What's the over-riding reason you aren't installing applications on the SSD?

If I wanted Windows to "load one program and then the next after the first is done loading", I wouldn't launch them at the same time, but that's just my possibly silly idea.

ignatzatsonic said:

What's the over-riding reason you aren't installing applications on the SSD?

If I wanted Windows to "load one program and then the next after the first is done loading", I wouldn't launch them at the same time, but that's just my possibly silly idea.

It's a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro. I prefer to keep the drive without unnecessary writes, so I've been reluctant to install programs on it that cache huge files (like photoshop, i know i can specify it to cache elsewhere, but i don't trust it).
I had a capacity problem for a while, i found out the hibernation file, page file, indexing, and unnecessary system restore was taking up about 30 gigs. Adjusting those gave me back that space, so now it's 51GB free.
I'd like to put photoshop and lightroom on the ssd, but that would require a re-installing, and i don't know if my extensive settings/plugins will transfer, or if photoshop's/lightroom's secret caching will be tamable.

Sure, i'll just do it slowly :/. it's just me nit-picking.

I just enjoy logging in after a 10-second boot and opening all the programs in my taskbar that i use. but i end up listening to the hard drive spazzing trying to open 6-10 programs on it at once.

Well, the recent consensus re writes to an SSD suggests that the nervousness about it is way overdone unless you are in a very, very rare situation for a home user (e.g. not running a corporate database). You can Google for SSD torture testing to find out how long they actually last.

I figure SSDs are tools like any other and I don't want to be unable to benefit from the SSDs primary advantage: speed. Excessive writes/"wearing it out" is way way down the list of most likely reasons for SSD failures as far as I can tell.

But I'd understand if you didn't want to change your mind.

ignatzatsonic said:

Well, the recent consensus re writes to an SSD suggests that the nervousness about it is way overdone unless you are in a very, very rare situation for a home user (e.g. not running a corporate database). You can Google for SSD torture testing to find out how long they actually last.

I figure SSDs are tools like any other and I don't want to be unable to benefit from the SSDs primary advantage: speed. Excessive writes/"wearing it out" is way way down the list of most likely reasons for SSD failures as far as I can tell.

But I'd understand if you didn't want to change your mind.

I've seen the results of those torture tests. It seems like at worst, my ssd could handle being written fully every day for at least 10 years.
I've been aware of this, but my other concern was seeing the capacity of the drive fluctuate by 5-15 gigs over the course of months even without installing or storing anything on it myself. I was worried I'd run out of space. Now i'm good though with the background windows file storing under control.

...soooo does photoshop have a settings file i could back-up/restore to if i change the installation to the ssd?

I use Photoshop, but am not highly skilled with it and don't know if its settings can be backed up at all. I pretty much use defaults and don't do anything intensive or generate large files.

Used space on an SSD can move around for various reasons. You can use something like TreeSize Free to find out what folders are using the most space. And I'd use both Windows Disk Cleanup and CCleaner to maintain the disc and keep unnecessary files beaten down as much as possible.

I've never personally had occupied space move around by 5 GB in a month---maybe 2 or 3 at most. Could be Photoshop or Lightroom files for all I know.

I don't often add new programs, but my C partition has crept up from 30 occupied to 38 occupied in 3 years. I'd guess that's mostly due to Windows updates.

My favorite thing these days is Symbolic Links

Charkzilla, it should be real easy for you to test it. The tutorial is MKLINK – Create and Use Links in Windows

- Copy/paste the photoshop folder(say, D:\Photoshop) to SSD (C:\Folder\Photoshop).
- Rename the folder left on HDD to something else (Photoshop_bak)
- open cmd
- mklink /d D:\Photoshop C:\Folder\Photoshop

The OS will think the Photoshop folder is still on D. And everything should work.

GokAy said:

My favorite thing these days is Symbolic Links

Charkzilla, it should be real easy for you to test it. The tutorial is MKLINK – Create and Use Links in Windows

- Copy/paste the photoshop folder(say, D:\Photoshop) to SSD (C:\Folder\Photoshop).
- Rename the folder left on HDD to something else (Photoshop_bak)
- open cmd
- mklink /d D:\Photoshop C:\Folder\Photoshop

The OS will think the Photoshop folder is still on D. And everything should work.

Ok i tried this, and it seems to be working :)
i keep the caching and catalog and library files on the HDD, and put the program folders "Adobe Photoshop CC 2014" and the lightroom one the c drive.
But in doing the command prompt part, it said the syntax was incorrect. I removed the spaces in the name of the folder and it worked. There's a shortcut without spaces, and the original one the HDD now. Is that normal?

If there are spaces then you need ", command looks like this to work:

mklink /d "D:\Photoshop Folder" "C:\Folder\Photoshop folder"

GokAy said:

If there are spaces then you need ", command looks like this to work:

mklink /d "D:\Photoshop Folder" "C:\Folder\Photoshop folder"

https://www.sevenforums.com/attachmen...dd-linking.png

it's not working? :/

at first the no spaces seemed to work, but then you posted to use ""s and so i trashed the link files in the old folder and tried again