Help on how to redirect data on two drives

Topic

New Reply

I have a desk top with a 1 Tera byte drive (disc 0) and another 250 meg ( drive disk 1). At the moment windows 11 wants to store everything on drive one instead of sending files, pictures, songs, etc. to disk zero. What I wanted to do is have the smaller disk 1 store whats necessary for a fast start up a Windows 11 and everything else go to disk  zero with its terabyte of storage. I could merge the two disks but that would slow start up and if one disk dies it takes the other with it. Any suggestions on how to direct win11 to store data on the other disk?

also when I use settings to go to system storage, it only shows the smaller disk 1

thanks bill

Reply | Quote

Replies

Bill,

I don’t really know how to do what you want to do directly so I’ll give you my take on how to accomplish what you wish to do.

1. Take image backups of both drives just in case.
2. Check the Used Space on the 1TB drive and make a note of it.
3. Assuming the used space is less than 512MB I’d suggest purchasing a 512 2.5″ Samsung EVO SSD for around $50 on Amazon.
4. Replace the 1Tb drive with the SSD. Make sure your boot settings are set to ACHI!
5. Restore your Image of the 1Tb drive to the SSD using the features of your Imaging software. I’d recommend Macrium Reflect Free as I know it has the needed features. You’ll shrink the C: partition to fit the available space after doing the math based on the other partitions.
6. Boot it up and make sure it works!
7. Now replace the 250 HDD with the 1Tb HDD, or add it if your system allows.
8. Wipe all partitions from the 1Tb HDD and format it as a single partition.
9. Now you can use the Location Tab in the Properties of the folders under C:\USERS\[your user name here]\[Folder here] to move them to the drive letter of the 1Tb drive.

You’ll have now accomplished your goal of a quick booting system with your heavy data sitting on that large 1Tb HDD.

Another free tool that can help with some of the tasks is Niubi Partition Editor Free.

You’ll want to make bootable USB Thumb drives of both Macrium and Niubi so the tools are always available. Especially the Macrium as you’ll have to boot from it to restore your OS to the SSD.

Good Luck!

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

It sounds like you have an SSD as a boot drive and a 1TB HDD for storage, just not setup properly.  Before going any farther, open Disk Management, get a snip of that, and post it here.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

Screenshot posting instructions.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Here’s the is disk management shot. Pissed the computer wasn’t setup correctly at the factory.   Thanks all for the help. Bill

Reply | Quote

Windows doesn’t see disk 0 at all as well.

Reply | Quote

mccrusier wrote:

Windows doesn’t see disk 0 at all as well.

Windows Disk Management does indeed see your disk 0 in your attachment, labeled as drive D:.  My assumption was correct in that you have an SSD as your system and a 1TB data drive, which is a fairly common OEM setup.

The folders you want to move can be moved with the Location tab in their Properties.

You can see by the image that I’ve moved mine already.  Here’s how it’s done:

Click the Move button and browse to the location that you want to use.

 

 

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

Folder Redirection?
See https://www.windowscentral.com/how-move-default-user-folders-new-drive-windows-10

Reply | Quote

Your biggest issue is Windows (C drive) is out of space. (172MB free.)

You need to backup now, then install a new SSD of at least 500MB and expand C in the process. (Most restore programs allow you to resize partitions on restore.)

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Paul T wrote:

…install a new SSD of at least 500MB…

I had no idea that they made SSDs that “small”! 

Reply | Quote

That should be 500GB for the SSD.

Reply | Quote

bbearren wrote:

The folders you want to move can be moved with the Location tab in their Properties.

Paul T wrote:

Your biggest issue is Windows (C drive) is out of space. (172MB free.)

He’s got over 70GB in Music and Pictures, so moving those user folders to D: will free up a lot of breathing room on C:.

Granted, 256GB may not be ideal for Disk 1, but replacing it will be less urgent once he moves the user folders.

 

2 users thanked author for this post.

PL1, bbearren

Reply | Quote

dg1261 wrote:

Granted, 256GB may not be ideal for Disk 1, but replacing it will be less urgent once he moves the user folders.

256GB is fine.  I have Windows in a 100GB partition in a 256GB drive, I’ve moved all the personal User folders to another 100GB partition on another drive (what the OP is talking about).

The OP can also install programs on the larger drive for those programs/apps that allow a custom installation.

 

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

1 user thanked author for this post.

Alex5723

Reply | Quote

bbearren wrote:

The OP can also install programs on the larger drive for those programs/apps that allow a custom installation.

Even if a program/app doesn’t allow a custom install to another drive, you can use a Symbolic link to move any program/app to another drive and have it function.  With 124 GB of installed apps Symbolic links could free up a lot of space.  Combined with moving the Music files, moving a few apps will free up almost half of his drive.

HTH, Dana:))

Reply | Quote

Drcard:)) wrote:

Even if a program/app doesn’t allow a custom install to another drive, you can use a Symbolic link to move any program/app to another drive and have it function.

I use Application Mover from Funduc Software.  It’s $15/single user.  Of course, it does have limitations, but within those limitations it is very handy.  It makes all the necessary registry changes, as well as moving the program/app.  I’ve used it without difficulty, no hiccups, for programs/apps that don’t offer custom installation.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

The lack of space is still a major issue for an SSD. I don’t think there is enough space for a snapshot for backup.

Moving data is a priority!

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Paul T wrote:

Moving data is a priority!

Indeed, and here’s how.  First create a fresh drive image of C: drive.  Then open File Explorer, navigate to your D: drive, create a new folder and name it Users.  Next, click on D:\Users in the left pane, then create individual folders for all the users you have created on the PC.  Don’t worry about the “Administrator”,  “Default”, “Public” and other such Windows-created User folders.  Those don’t have much to worry about moving, and the subfolders don’t have a Location tab in Properties.  Just create new folders for the users you have created.

Go back to C:\Users and in the left pane, click on the username whose folders/files you want to move.  I’m using Admin here, a local account I created with Administrator privileges.

The alternative method is to not create any folders in advance, just click Move, navigate to D: drive, and type in the User\Folder structure as you go.  I found it simpler and easier to just create the new folders on the other drive in advance.

In the right pane, right-click on Desktop, and you’ll see something like this:

Click on the Location tab:

Now click on the Move button, and navigate to the new folder you created on D: drive (mine is K:, but it works exactly in the same way).

Now click on Apply (bottom right) and you’ll get this popup:

Click Yes, and all the subfolders/files will be relocated to the D: drive, and all future files/folders will automatically be stored there.  Your move will be reflected by the change in the Location tab.

Click OK on Properties, and repeat this procedure for all folders with a Location tab in their Properties.  Those folders will be the new default that Windows will use.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the help. Been off line the last couple days due to a big snowstorm with 2 1/2 feet of snow. I’ll try your advice tomorrow and let you know how it goes .

Bill

Reply | Quote

@bbearren, Windows will apply a restrictive security descriptor to a user’s profile when it is created.  For example, the folder tree at C:\Users\Bozo will be created with a security descriptor that grants Full Control of folders, sub-folders and files to the Administrators group, the SYSTEM account, and the Bozo account.  This ensures that other non-Administrator users (accounts) cannot access Bozo’s data.

Its been my experience that the file system of non-system disks (i.e., disk D:) have a root folder security descriptor that grants read/write access to all users for all folders, sub-folders and files.  When I tested the above procedure on Win10 22H2 relocating a user’s profile folders to that non-system disk created folders that inherited this significantly less restrictive security descriptor.  Consequently, those folders, sub-folders and files will then be accessible for read/write access by other users (accounts) on the system.

Reply | Quote

EricB wrote:

Consequently, those folders, sub-folders and files will then be accessible for read/write access by other users (accounts) on the system.

This is what one sees when trying to access another user’s relocated folder:

Unless UAC has been disabled, only a member of the Administrators group can allow access to a relocated user’s folder/subfolders.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

This is what I saw when I redirected the documents folder of a standard user (Bozo) to data drive d: and then accessed that redirected folder from another standard user account (Clown).

Bozo documents folder security before move –

Root folder security for data disk D:

Move Bozo documents folder from c: to d:

Bozo folder security after the move

Clown account attempting access to Bozo documents.  Access denied as expected before the move.  Successful access after the move

 

 

Reply | Quote

I’m looking paths under disk volume which allows access to D drive and I looked up the definition of NTFS which seems like a way to direct files to to D. However im not sure how to use it and if I’m not sure of the outcome I’m hesitant to do so. So any thoughts suggestions or enlightenment on how to use it or if I should?

Reply | Quote

Do NOT format D, it is already formatted.

Just move some large files from C to D using Windows Explorer until you have at least 5GB free on C.
Then you can perform an image backup to an external drive (or D if you don’t have an external drive yet).
Once this is done you can upgrade C and work from there.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Well this has been a frustrating day. Moved 10 GB to either a flash drive or D drive but win 11 still won’t let me backup C drive. Tried file explorer but clicking on backup doesn’t do anything so tried win 7 backup and that doesn’t work either. Thinking of taking it out back and putting a45 caliber round thru it unless someone has a better idea

Reply | Quote

Don’t use Windows backup, it’s poor.

Try any of our recommended free backup apps and backup to an external hard disk.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

So I used shadowmaker to backup c to d drive which worked. So I’d like to move music and pictures to D drive but file won’t let me do that. I’d have to move the entire desktop to D which I don’t want to do. Is there a way to get around that and move individual files to D?  When I’m on my desktop, am I looking at what’s on both C and D drives?  For example, if I move iTunes saved music to D drive , will the iTunes app on C  still be able to access the music on D?

On C drive, the system partition has a lot of space not being used. Should I shrink that partition and an add it to windows?  Also what’s on the other partitions and how do i see what’s in it.

Reply | Quote

The partition that contains C does not have spare space. This is your issue.
Either put a new disk in or move files to D.

The easiest in the short term is to move your Music files to D. This will free up around 60GB.

Open Explorer.
Right click on “Music” in the left pane.
Select “Properties”.
Click on the “Location” tab. You will see the location of your music files, e.g. C:\Users\Mccrusier\Music.
Click the “Move” button.
Navigate to drive D and create a new Music folder.
Click the “Select Folder” button and let Windows move the files for you.

Now you can buy (find an old unwanted one) an external USB drive to use to backup your PC. Minimum 1TB. This will be cheaper than replacing C and give you an external backup.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

It doesn’t give me that option unfortunately.  Any of your recommendationed backup apps that would allow me to move sub folders?

Reply | Quote

mccrusier wrote:

So I’d like to move music and pictures to D drive but file won’t let me do that.

Are you selecting the location tab and then changing the drive to D:\My Music?

Reply | Quote

Now I’m trying to back up my laptop top and for some reason it won’t. It stops at destination. Any ideas?

it worked just fine with the desktop

cheers, Bill

Reply | Quote

You need to have SM full screen so you can see the OK button at the bottom right.
The easiest is to double click on a blank area next to the title (4.6.0).

cheers, Paul

1 user thanked author for this post.

mccrusier

Reply | Quote

Finally got it done, really appreciate the help!

thanks, Bill

Reply | Quote

Have you got a backup as well?

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Backup to D drive and a SK Beetle X31 1 TB SSD external drive arrives today.

want to backup both the desktop and my laptop to the the external drive. I assume I need to create two partitions on the external drive to separate the backups?

Reply | Quote

Nope! One partition, multiple folders, multiple image file names. This allows you to have as many different backups as you have space.

What backup app do you use?
How are you backing up?

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Shadowmaker by mini tool  I’ll create to folders named desktop and laptop and backup into those folders.

cheers Bill

Reply | Quote

Yep, SM will allow you to use folders for the different backups.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote