Moved Prog files from C to D with SymLink now desktop shortcuts don't work

[Dicky-Art]

I moved a couple of Printer program files from my SSD C: to HDD D: to free some space and help my Garmin update as it needed 10Gb to update maps.

I used the Symbolic Link mklink /D"C:\Program Files\my prog" "D:\Program Files\my prog" (also for prog files x86) it showed that links were created OK.

I also changed the default location for installs from C: to D: to stop the SSD from filling up again. Using regedit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows Current Version and changing the ProgramFilesDir to D. Also for x86.

Now my desktop shortcuts keep saying D:\Program Files...... the specified path does not exist.

Have I messed up the symLink or maybe the save location?

Any advice most welcome, cheers

 

[ubuysa]

The symlink should have worked ok, for that one program. Unless of course it had elements in Common Files in which case you'd need a symlink for that too, but that may then cause problems for other programs. TBH the safest way to do this would have been to uninstall the program and then reinstall it on the D: drive.

Note that Microsoft does not support changing the program install files location via that registry hack. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/933700.

 

[Dicky-Art]

I only moved a couple of programs and they work OK so why are the shortcuts all trying to find them on the D: drive?
Also now all music and video files cannot be opened (although they preview OK). I get a message ...."class not registered"

 

[ubuysa]

I suspect your registry hack is not working as you'd hoped. As I said earlier, the best way to put programs on another drive is to uninstall them and then reinstall them specifying where you want them to go.

BTW. A 120GB SSD should be ample for Windows and all your programs, I too have a 120GB SSD as my C: drive and with Windows 10 and all my programs (and I have many installed) I'm using about 25% of the drive. There are several things you can do to recover a huge chunk of space on your C: drive. If you turn off hibernation you'll save 16GB in one fell swoop and if you move the paging file to your D: drive you'll save another few GB too. Take a look at https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?14728-SSD-Management

You mention that Garmin maps needs 10GB for it's maps, can you not tell the Garmin software to put the maps on the D: drive?

It would be much more sensible to move data off the C: drive than to move programs. Though I rather suspect that, unless you took a backup before you started moving programs, you may need a Windows reinstall to return to a stable system.

 

[Dicky-Art]

Thanks ubuysa, I've done all the Hibernation stuff (gained about 9GB) and those things recommended on here wrt SSDs.

I have 96 program files plus windows.

I have regained about 20GB from the above and reinstalling MS Office Pro and Adobe Pro onto D: drive

But was wondering if anyone else had similar issues from symlinking or changing default save path to D: drive
Cheers