installing programs to HDD when Windows is on a SSD

[HAVOC]

Is there a way to install programs to the HDD instead of the SSD?

 

[VistaUltimate]

There is,as long as you keep it connected while you use your programs.

 

[HAVOC]

I'm keeping everything attached. Just didn't want my 512GB SSD needlessly have stuff installed to it when it's not necessary.
Can I install programs to the SSD and have them save files to the HDD's? Is there a setting in Windows for this?

 

[Pauly]

Just need to manually point to the spinner when saving or installing

 

[HAVOC]

My HDD's come in today. Will all programs give you the option of installing to a drive other than C?

 

[Golden]

Most will.

 

[Alejandro85]

When installing programs, most installers ask for a destination folder for it, typically suggesting "program files" as a default option, but that can be changed to anywhere you like really.

That said, there are a few rogue installers that place files where they want without even asking the user. There is not much you can do about them, save for moving the files afterwards and hopping everything still works.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

With a 512GB SSD, you should have way more than enough room to put your programs on the SSD (unless you have a really large number of really large games). You will still be able to save any data generated by your programs to an HDD. By installing your programs on the SSD, program loading time will be reduced. Programs that used to take 30 seconds or more to open will open almost instantaneously.

I have a 128GB SSD in my daily driver and, even with an abnormally large hyberfil.sys file (24GB) and some large productivity type programs (for example, Adobe Acrobat Standard and Finale Music Notation, both around 1GB each), I'm still only taking up 64.9GB of the 119GB available on the SSD.

 

[HAVOC]

With Windows 7 Professional installed with all the updates and a couple programs, I have 328GB free of 476GB. This is about 148GB. Is that "normal" for an install?
I was able to install the games to the D: drive. The games I have are from Steam and I just installed Steam there and the games followed. The Steam folder is 36GB.

148 + 36 = 184GB. It looks like I could install everything to the SSD and just have the HDD's for save games and files/documents.