Would like to know how people have their SSD with HDDs set up

[WillSK]

Hi all,

Have just purchased a 120gb SSD and a 1TB HDD and would just like to find out how people have their's set up.

Want to see if i can gauge what is the best way to work with 1 SSD and 1 HDD as i'm still a tad confused as to how easy it is to make sure some programmes are HDD based and more frequent ones are SSD based.

thanks in advance

 

[Grizzly]

Usually you'll want to install your OS on the SSD and have your programs default install to the HDD and perhaps your user profile on the HDD, you can mix them up dependent on what you want priority access to.

There are some threads that I keep bookmarked for this.

First was a response lasher gave to somebody asking a similar question: My link

This is a short guide on how to setup your programs to default install to a location of your choosing.

It's best you copy everything out of the current program files folder into the new location, if you don't you'll come across some broken links that you'll need to fix manually.

Because of this it is best to do this on a fresh install so you don't have as many programs troubling you.

You will only need to change the path on install for programs you want going on the SSD then.

The only thing I would add to that is if you're running a 64 bit operating system you'll want to change the registry value for ProgramFilesDir (x86) as well.

The other thread is this: My link

That is more of a guide on how to setup and maintain your SSD for best performance and longevity.

And this topic on sevenforums is about changing your user profile location: My link

Hopefully all that answers your question and gives you a head start on how best to go about it.

 

[WillSK]

Brilliant thankyou!

 

[WillSK]

1 thing actually. are you saying when i boot up for the first time i should copy and paste a duplicate of programme files and programme files (86) onto the HDD then do the steps you suggest??

 

[FragTek]

I am only running a 60gb SSD but I put all of my important programs on it to make them load quicky. Win 7 + Adobe Master Collection CS5 + Office 2010 Pro Plus + a few smaller apps and I have about 15gb free on the SSD.

I retargeted my user folders (My Docs, My Pix, etc) to my HDD.

 

[Grizzly]

1 thing actually. are you saying when i boot up for the first time i should copy and paste a duplicate of programme files and programme files (86) onto the HDD then do the steps you suggest??

I'd recommend it as some programs like internet explorer rely on the registry key you edit to find the program files folder.

For example the shortcut for internet explorer might be trying to direct you to "%ProgramFilesDir%/Internet Explorer" instead of "C:/Program Files/Internet Explorer".

If you change the registry key to a different location and there isn't a copy of the program in that location the shortcut won't work.

Doing it this way saves you editing all those shortcuts.

 

[S_I_N]

I put everything but games on my ssd. the hdd is used for games and storage and whatever I dont use alot program wise. I manually tell each app where to install. So much IMHO easier than trying to edit this and that to make it automatic lmao how often do ya really install something after you redid the drives?? Just how I do it not saying its better than other have said or worse just my way

 

[Game Over]

Tom Sent my PC with a SSD. The OS and all my main programs that I want to be snappy such as Photoshop, games, Video Processing, word processing etc are all installed and ran off of the SSD. I took my main HDD from my old pc and just pluged it right into the new rig and it instantly recognized it as another drive. I use the HDD basically for storage of everything else. Videos, Pictures, Torrents, and Programs that I do not use as often.

I have the same size SSD as you and it seems to have plenty of room for most of the stuff I use on a regular basis, Though I do not usually have more than maybe two games installed on it at any one time, If I am not actually playing the games they are just taking up space.