Move a folder within the appdata/roaming folder to another location?

[xerxesaria]

Hi.

I have a boot drive which is 250gb (My C drive). I have Win 7 and some apps on it.
I have installed Steam on my other hard drive. So far most games have been cooperative and install their folders close to Steam!

However, one game in particular (Empire Total War) has installed one of its folders in "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly".

From experience from my old PC, I know this folder (The Creative Assembly) can grow to close to 20gb in a matter of a year. I don't want that to happen and therefore thought of relocating, moving, or redirecting this folder (The Creative Assembly) to another location.

How do I do that and is that recommended? (I could simply go ahead and do this right now, but I would rather get some expert opinions first before any instabilities in my system).

Thank you.

 

[Pauly]

If you attempt to move the folder any programs dependant on that folder would have to know where to look for it, if you do attempt it i would leave the original in situ and copy/paste to new drive then attempt to redirect program if it fails then you still have original

Im not familiar with steam but as long as you can redirect the games save file path to new location if you have that option then i dont see why you cant do it

 

[Kaktussoft]

C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly
Is that the only folder you want to relocate? You want it on another disk like D, E,F for exmaple?

 

[xerxesaria]

C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly
Is that the only folder you want to relocate? You want it on another disk like D, E,F for exmaple?

Yes. "The Creative Assembly" folder is the only folder I want to redirect or move (which ever makes more sense in your opinion).

 

[Kaktussoft]

C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly
Is that the only folder you want to relocate? You want it on another disk like D, E,F for exmaple?

Yes. "The Creative Assembly" folder is the only folder I want to redirect or move (which ever makes more sense in your opinion).

Please gave exact original source name and destination name

 

[xerxesaria]

C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly
Is that the only folder you want to relocate? You want it on another disk like D, E,F for exmaple?

Yes. "The Creative Assembly" folder is the only folder I want to redirect or move (which ever makes more sense in your opinion).

Please gave exact original source name and destination name

Ok. So: Source name as in my original post, is:
C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly

This means that I ONLY want to move or redirect the folder named "The Creative Assembly" out of Roaming on my C Drive which is my boot drive.

I want to either move or redirect it to my larger hard drive (my V Drive). On that drive, I have installed Steam and its associated apps and games. [The creative assembly is the ONLY game that keeps making a folder on the appdata/roaming folder].

So the path I like to move or redirect "The creative assembly" folder to would be almost certainly this:

V:\Steam\steamapps\common

I appreciate your help.

 

[Kaktussoft]

1. in windows explorer goto C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming
2. Move The Creative Assembly (the folder itself) for example to V:\example. Everything that was in C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly is now in V:\example\The Creative Assembly . C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly doesn't exist anymore.
3. MKLINK/J "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly" "V:\example\The Creative Assembly"
4. Make a new test file in "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly". Do you see same file in "V:\example\The Creative Assembly" ???
5. Delete the test file

If any program (even explorer) accesses C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly it is automatically redirected to V:\example\The Creative Assembly

works?

 

[xerxesaria]

1. in windows explorer goto C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming
2. Move The Creative Assembly (the folder itself) for example to V:\example. Everything that was in C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly is now in V:\example\The Creative Assembly . C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly doesn't exist anymore.
3. MKLINK/J "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly" "V:\example\The Creative Assembly"
4. Make a new test file in "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly". Do you see same file in "V:\example\The Creative Assembly" ???
5. Delete the test file

If any program (even explorer) accesses C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly it is automatically redirected to V:\example\The Creative Assembly

works?

Alright. I shall try this method and let you know about the outcome. I will probably need few hours to test this to make sure it is fail-proof! Thanks. Please stay tuned. I appreciate it

 

[Kaktussoft]

1. in windows explorer goto C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming
2. Move The Creative Assembly (the folder itself) for example to V:\example. Everything that was in C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly is now in V:\example\The Creative Assembly . C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly doesn't exist anymore.
3. MKLINK/J "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly" "V:\example\The Creative Assembly"
4. Make a new test file in "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly". Do you see same file in "V:\example\The Creative Assembly" ???
5. Delete the test file

If any program (even explorer) accesses C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly it is automatically redirected to V:\example\The Creative Assembly

works?

Alright. I shall try this method and let you know about the outcome. I will probably need few hours to test this to make sure it is fail-proof! Thanks. Please stay tuned. I appreciate it

But remember.... all stuff is actually in V:\example\The Creative Assembly.
Anything that accesses C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly actually accesses V:\example\The Creative Assembly

Try to make a test file in C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly
Try to delete that testfile.

 

[xerxesaria]

1. in windows explorer goto C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming
2. Move The Creative Assembly (the folder itself) for example to V:\example. Everything that was in C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly is now in V:\example\The Creative Assembly . C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly doesn't exist anymore.
3. MKLINK/J "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly" "V:\example\The Creative Assembly"
4. Make a new test file in "C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly". Do you see same file in "V:\example\The Creative Assembly" ???
5. Delete the test file

If any program (even explorer) accesses C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly it is automatically redirected to V:\example\The Creative Assembly

works?

Alright. I shall try this method and let you know about the outcome. I will probably need few hours to test this to make sure it is fail-proof! Thanks. Please stay tuned. I appreciate it

But remember.... all stuff is actually in V:\example\The Creative Assembly.
Anything that accesses C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly actually accesses V:\example\The Creative Assembly

Try to make a test file in C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly
Try to delete that testfile.

So it is done now . I am going to try and run the game in a few minutes. I was wondering if you could also kindly provide me with a method for undoing the junction as well....Just in case!

What has happened so far is that Windows (cmd prompt) confirmed that a junction was created. Then, when I looked in C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming, I saw a "shortcut" of the folder "The creative Assembly" created in it.

When I tried to go to your step 4, obviously Windows asked me if I wanted to replace the new created "The creative Assembly" folder with the one that was already there, i.e. the shortcut.
I am so far assuming that everything has gone fine.
I hope that you can still help me out in the next day if anything arises and I want to undo this, just in case (as I mentioned above)!!!

Thanks again.....over to the game.



.....15 minutes later:

I played the game with the shortcut in C drive and the main folder in V drive. I made couple of saves during the game; went back and saw that the game had saved both on the V drive AND the short cut!
So, I deleted the shortcut.
Went back and played the game and made couple of saves....guess what?

I looked in C drive and the game made a new folder on it!!! HAHAHAAHAHAH...it is just so very assertive to do what it wants.

Can I "unjunction" the original folder that I took to the V drive or can I just delete it? I think I'm going to have to live with the fact that this game likes my C drive very much.

(I contacted Sega and Steam as well.....they said they couldn't help me either).

 

[whs]

I would move the whole Roaming folder. It has a 'Location tab' in Properties. With that, you can safely move the folder and all the paths will be adjusted.

Unfortunately there is no location tab for the subfolders in Roaming. But check your folder anyhow - maybe it is different.

 

[xerxesaria]

I would move the whole Roaming folder. It has a 'Location tab' in Properties. With that, you can safely move the folder and all the paths will be adjusted.

Unfortunately there is no location tab for the subfolders in Roaming. But check your folder anyhow - maybe it is different.

Moving Roaming would make my day, but I have read more often than not that moving it causes many instabilities over time in Windows. Is your opinion/experience otherwise?
Thank you.

 

[whs]

It should not produce any problems when you move it with the Location tab facility. And if it does, you can always move it back.

Just a tip: Define a folder - e.g. 'Roaming2' or anything on the disk to where you want to move it and move it to that folder. The system will rename that folder to Roaming. Do not move it to the root of the disk. Then you may get problems with the Location tab.

 

[xerxesaria]

It should not produce any problems when you move it with the Location tab facility. And if it does, you can always move it back.

Just a tip: Define a folder - e.g. 'Roaming2' or anything on the disk to where you want to move it and move it to that folder. The system will rename that folder to Roaming. Do not move it to the root of the disk. Then you may get problems with the Location tab.

I would like to give that a try...in the mean while, can I use Run command and:

shell:UsersFilesFolder

And move the folder that way?

Would that be a bit more "secure" you think? I tried this method with "my document, my music, my videos, my pictures" and it worked fine.

Thanks.

 

[whs]

All that shell command gives you is access to the folders. But thru that path you do not get access to the location tab of the Roaming folder. So it is a no-go. You have to go via C:\

 

[xerxesaria]

All that shell command gives you is access to the folders. But thru that path you do not get access to the location tab of the Roaming folder. So it is a no-go. You have to go via C:\

I am sorry if I am misunderstanding you. I enabled viewing hidden folder first, then I opened run and typed in shell:UsersFilesFolder which brought up a view of users folder that does contain appdata (when I turn off viewing hidden files, appdata does not show up in shell command).

From there, I can go into appdata, roaming, and there i have access to moving the roaming folder to where ever I want.

So, you are advising me that is not a good idea, right? (sorry again for misunderstanding).

Thanks.

 

[whs]

Just open C:\ and go to C:\Users\Your Name\AppData and get the Properties of the Roaming folder from there. Then click the Location tab and navigate to the folder as explained on your other HDD - best browse with the Move button rather than inserting the path into the highlighted field - is safer.

Important: Make sure you mave it to a predefinjed folder on the other HDD - not the root of the HDD.

 

[Kaktussoft]

This will delete the junction point

rd  C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly

Don't delete it in windows explorer!

All files in V:\example\The Creative Assembly will still be there. So after that create folder C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly and move the files back. After that delete folder V:\example\The Creative Assembly

You want to move whole Roaming folder afterwards? If so...right click on Roaming->properties->location tab

 

[xerxesaria]

This will delete the junction point

rd  C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly

Don't delete it in windows explorer!

All files in V:\example\The Creative Assembly will still be there. So after that create folder C:\Users\XYZ\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly and move the files back. After that delete folder V:\example\The Creative Assembly

You want to move whole Roaming folder afterwards? If so...right click on Roaming->properties->location tab

Thank you.
Sorry I'm a bit conservative when it comes to my OS; I have done some research into moving the entire Roaming folder to another drive. My conclusion has so far been positive.
WHS also has mentioned to me that I can use location tab to move it. Is Roaming the only folder in AppData that can be moved without causing any instabilities?

 

[xerxesaria]

Just open C:\ and go to C:\Users\Your Name\AppData and get the Properties of the Roaming folder from there. Then click the Location tab and navigate to the folder as explained on your other HDD - best browse with the Move button rather than inserting the path into the highlighted field - is safer.

Important: Make sure you mave it to a predefinjed folder on the other HDD - not the root of the HDD.

Yes. I have already moved my other folders like my music from my C drive to my other drive as I mentioned before. I was concerned about instability issues while moving anything out of AppData folder. I did a bit of research and it seems moving the Roaming folder should be ok, right? ....Just still a bit concerned!!!