With two HDs - How to use SSD as install drive for Windows only?

[Hoggorm]

Hi,

I have a desktop computer that I plan to reinstall windows on in the next few days.

I have one the following hard drives:

- Samsung SSD 830 Series 128GB 2.5"
- Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB

I plan on installing only windows on the SSD (C drive) and everything else, software, music, pictures and so on on the Western Digital 2TB (D drive). I even plan on moving user files to the WD drive.

Now I wonder how to do this correctly? The reason I ask is because I planned this setup last year as well, when the computer was new, but for some reason lots and lots of files are installed on the SSD with limited space – even though I install everything on the Western Digital… Now the SSD has only a few GB left.

So how do I do install windows only on the C drive, and everything else on D?

Thank you!

 

[MilesAhead]

Have you looked at this tutorial?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html

Many programs store data in AppData for the current user. So it ends up on C: Some programs even put their installed folder there.

 

[AddRAM]

Unplug the hard drive, install windows and all your programs on the ssd, it has plenty of room.

Delete all the partitions on the ssd down to un allocated space during the install, then simply click next. This will delete everything on it and give you the maximum amount of space to use for windows on the ssd.

Keep all your data and games on the hard drive and you`ll never run out of space on the ssd

 

[Hoggorm]

Many programs store data in AppData for the current user. So it ends up on C: Some programs even put their installed folder there.

Yes, that is what I see too. Is there any way to stop this from happening? I'll take a look at the tutorial. Thanks.

Unplug the hard drive, install windows and all your programs on the ssd, it has plenty of room.

Delete all the partitions on the ssd down to un allocated space during the install, then simply click next. This will delete everything on it and give you the maximum amount of space to use for windows on the ssd.

Keep all your data and games on the hard drive and you`ll never run out of space on the ssd

I'm not sure what you mean... Do you have a step by step way of doing this? The problem appears to be that lots of software puts files in the AppData folder as mentioned above. So over time the SSD will be full...

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do you know how much space is being used by:

1: System Restore
2: Page file
3: Hibernation file

Each of those 3 items can be controlled in some way. The page file could be put on another drive if necessary. The hibernation file can be eliminated entirely if you do not use hibernation. You should be able to get by with no more than 5 or 10 GB of space devoted to System Restore--or even 0 if you don't use it.

Do you regularly use proper maintenance on the SSD with an application such as the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup or the add-on CCleaner?

 

[AddRAM]

What I told you is step by step.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[whs]

Don't worry about space on the SSD. A typical installation with a LOT of programs will be around 30GB. And if not, we'll tell you how to get it there.

Just make sure to unplug the HDD during the installation. Else you are liable to get a problem.

 

[Hoggorm]

Do you know how much space is being used by:

1: System Restore
2: Page file
3: Hibernation file

Do you regularly use proper maintenance on the SSD with an application such as the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup or the add-on CCleaner?

Yes, I use CCleaner. The System Restore is on the D drive (not the SSD). I'm not sure where the page file or hibernation file is. I can't remember having done anything to them, so I assume they still are on the SSD C: drive with Windows.

Don't worry about space on the SSD. A typical installation with a LOT of programs will be around 30GB. And if not, we'll tell you how to get it there.

Just make sure to unplug the HDD during the installation. Else you are liable to get a problem.

Hmm... Then I'm interested in knowing how I get there. As of now, I have a SSD with 128 GB. Only 5 GB is left.

All files and folders on the C drive (Windows, Program Files etc) use, as you say, only about 39 GB.
The Users folder however takes up about 50 GB alone (and that is even though all User files should have been moved to the D: drive). Out of that, the AppData folder takes up about 45 GB.

Now the strange thing that I noticed now, is that the SSD only holds about 39+50=89 GB of files. Still it says only about 5 GB is left on it... 128 (119 is shown) - 89 = 39GB (30GB)

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do you use hibernation?

If not, you can save many GB by deleting the hibernation file.

Go to an elevated command prompt and enter this command:

powercfg –h off

You can move the page file to another drive or change its size in the control panel at system/advanced system settings/settings button under "performance"/advanced tab/change

Those things will help, but you've obviously got something else going on in your users folder.

You can't really rely on adding up folder usage as shown in Explorer and then comparing that to drive size and supposed free space. There's a lot of hidden files.

I'd run Windows Disk Cleanup (including system files) in addition to CCleaner.

 

[AddRAM]

Check your page file, how many GB is that taking up ? With 16 GB of memory, you don`t need a page file at all.

 

[whs]

1. As was already said the hiberfile should be deleted and the pagefile set to 2GB

2. All user files should go on the HDD

3. 45GB of Appdata is not normal. Look what's in there.

4. You may have a lot of restore points. Check with this command:

vssadmin list shadowstorage

 

[Hoggorm]

I have now deleted the hibernation file. That gave me a few GB.

I have also changed the swapfile drive. That was 16 GB

2. All user files should go on the HDD

3. 45GB of Appdata is not normal. Look what's in there.

4. You may have a lot of restore points. Check with this command:

vssadmin list shadowstorage

2 - All user files have been changed to D, however there are still lots of files remaining. It seems that most software I install leaves some data under C:Users

3 - Nearly 40 out of the 45 GB used by AppData is placed in no more than 4 folders under iTunes - They are iPad and iPhone backups... It could sure help to move that data over to another drive! I've found a few guides on the web, but noone that seems very "professional".

4 - As far as I know, all backup and restore has been moved to a separate disk.

 

[whs]

Why don't you just delete those backup files.

 

[Hoggorm]

Why don't you just delete those backup files.

Maybe I misunderstand what you mean, but I keep the backups for a reason. In case they are needed. Hence deleting them is obviously not a solution.

 

[MilesAhead]

If the SSD is formatted NTFS WizTree will tell you what is using up the space in a few seconds. Do a scan of C: then click the tab that says 1000 largest files. The largest will be at the top.

It's freeware and has always worked well for me.

 

[gregrocker]

I run a 128gb SSD on my laptop and have plenty of space even with quite a few program, full hibernate and paging files.

Redirect your User folders to the HD either following the link which was provided or simply copying them there and rightclicking each to add it to it's Library, or create one for Downloads or others you want.

No need to cripple one of Win7's best features by turning off the Hibernate file, as Hibernate is a modern feature which works perfectly in Win7 and protects your RAM from sleep that has no escape otherwise. I time out to Sleep and then Hibernate so I can walk away for a day or a month without concern, then my work is waiting when I get back and the PC starts much faster with Resume instead of Starting Windows.