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I've just installed windows on a friends PC, which is using an SSD for Windows and core apps (Photoshop etc), and a standard HDD for less critical apps and data.

To do this, I installed windows on the SSD, then used junctions to move the users & program data directories to the other HDD, which is working fine. However, in order to be able to run some apps from the SSD, but most from the HDD, I left the Program Files directories on the SSD, and created new directories on the HDD which I instructed Windows to use as default. This doesn't seem to be the right move, as nearly all Windows apps (photo viewer etc) are now having problems, and some things aren't installing right.

Is there some way to link the two directories together, so that C:\Program Files will also have links to D:\Program Files, or should I be doing something completely different to fix this?

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As the SSD is going to have very few apps on it, without many (if any) being installed later, I came up with a solution that requires a bit more work, but allows the system to run normally.

I copied the three directories currently in C:\Program Files to a new directory on the C: drive (called C:\Program Files (SSD) ). I then remove the existing Program Files directories from C: and installed junctions to D:. I then create further junctions from D: to the directories in C:\Program Files (SSD), allowing applications to be installed normally without problems. If another application needs to be installed to the SSD later, I can install it as I would normally, then copy it over and make a new junction.

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I'm pretty sure you can just have the SDD with Windows and some apps installed, then reinstall any apps that you want on the HDD and during the installations just explicitly set the HDD (whatever directory you want) as the installation location.

This would be an easy, sure fire way to make sure Windows could use everything that it currently has installed on the SDD and anything new you install to the HDD.

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    The only problem with that is that there are many poorly written installers out there that let you choose an installation directory, yet still go looking in C: for things later anyway. I came up with another solution, although it's not that elegant, but it favours minimal apps on the SSD with the majority being installed on the HDD.
    – Jim
    Jan 24, 2011 at 22:15
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Its ok u can install some programms witch loads fast on HDD and thouse who need speed install on SSD. Thats it. Linking somehow (no way how) will still make them be there where they are installed. Windows knows witch programm is installed where. Some programms might need to be run from place where installed while some u can just move but better to have clean nice system resintall slowest programms to SSD

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