Can’t edit shortcut target path

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I try to reserve my C drive for my OS (Win 7 Pro 64bit) and for any programs that don’t give me a choice of their installation location. My data is all on Drive D, and my other programs are on Drive E. Recently I installed Chrome to test as an alternative to Firefox. Chrome installed on C by default (no other choice). When I created desktop and taskbar shortcuts to chrome.exe the proper icons appeared in the proper place, but when I clicked on either one, the icon switched to a generic folder and I got an error message saying the Target path is incorrect – it points to E. If I go into the shortcut properties dialogue and attempt to change the target path to the correct one, and click apply or OK – it always reverts to E. I’ve tried several variations, have uninstalled and reinstalled chrome three times, but I cannot edit the Target path for the shortcut. Diving into various registry parameters has not helped either, but perhaps I’m in the wrong place. Do you have any suggestions?

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To create a shortcut to Google Chrome on your Desktop, click Start, type in chrome , right-click the Google Chrome that appears in the list and select Sent to > Desktop (create shortcut).

To pin Google Chrome to your Taskbar, start the same way but after right-clicking Google Chrome, select Pin to Taskbar.

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To create a shortcut to Google Chrome on your Desktop, click Start, type in chrome , right-click the Google Chrome that appears in the list and select Sent to > Desktop (create shortcut).

To pin Google Chrome to your Taskbar, start the same way but after right-clicking Google Chrome, select Pin to Taskbar.

I did all of that — sorry if my message wasn’t clear enough — but when I click on the shortcuts I get the error message about the wrong target path.

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Create a new shortcut, and browse to find Chrome when setting up the shortcut.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Create a new shortcut, and browse to find Chrome when setting up the shortcut.

Done that (several times) — the problem is in editing the Target in the properties dialogue — no matter what I do, it changes to E:…..chrome.exe when it should be C:…..chrome.exe.

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Which version of Chrome did/are you install? There is a standalone install if you aren’t onto that one; perhaps that one would let you do as wished. The default one does install rather unconventionally.

https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/index.html?standalone=1#eula

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Hi, I am having the same exact problem as OP. The Chrome desktop shortcut target is being changed to E:Program Files (x86) instead of C Drive where chrome is installed.
An earlier version was installed on my E Drive, but since updating, it has changed to C Drive.

I have tried manually creating a shorcut as suggested here, but windows changes the target within seconds to E Drive. If i copy the whole google chrome folder to E:Program Files (x86), I can create a working shortcut, but Chrome thinks it is a new install, and I have to login each time.

I have tried the standalone install as well, to no avail.

If anyone has an answer or a workaround, I would appreciate it.
Thanks

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What happens if you uninstalled Chrome, clean up any left over folder, and then reinstall Chrome?

Joe

--Joe

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Hi Joe,
I Have deleted Chrome folders from C and E drives after uninstalling, then reinstalled, still same problem.
I have also searched for and deleted all references to e:program files (x86) …. chrome in the registry

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I have found out the problem with my particular issue with the Chrome Shortcut.

I had previously installed an SSD, and installed windows on that drive, and because it was only a 128GB drive, I was using E drive for most of my installs. I had Set the ProgramFilesDir and x86 values in ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion in the Registry to E:Program Files where applicable, and because Chrome auto installs now to C Drive, Windows somehow got confused and kept changing the shortcut target to E Program Files.

I have since changed these values back to C Program Files in the registry in the 3 applicable places, and the shortcut target does not change anymore, problem solved.

Hope this helps for anyone with a similar problem.

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Glad you got it resolved. Thanks for posting back.

Joe

--Joe

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