Solved Moving Program Files folder to another partition

fourthofjuly

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Nobody is replying to my question in Seven Forums, I just need to know right away. Here it goes:

I am running a Win 7 OS on an SSD and I have some programs installed on a different hard drive. And I want to move this program files folder on the same hard drive but different partition. Is it possible to do this without breaking the program links? If so, can anyone please tell me how? Thanks.
 
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I am not sure I understand you completely. What do you mean by: Same drive F but different partition ?
 

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I am not sure I understand you completely. What do you mean by: Same drive F but different partition ?
sorry.. the "F" letter is just a sample drive letter. I want to move the program file folder within the same drive but different partition. I edited my post. Thanks.
 

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Your explanation still confuses the heck out of me.
Let say on a single disk drive, you have 2 partitions then each partition should have a logical drive letter assigned to it. In your case, you should have F assigned to partition 1, and may be G assigned to partition 2.
If my understanding is correct then you want to move F:\Programs Files to G:\Program Files. Do I understand correctly ?
 

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Your explanation still confuses the heck out of me.
Let say on a single disk drive, you have 2 partitions then each partition should have a logical drive letter assigned to it. In your case, you should have F assigned to partition 1, and may be G assigned to partition 2.
If my understanding is correct then you want to move F:\Programs Files to G:\Program Files. Do I understand correctly ?
You nailed it. That's exactly what I want to do.
 

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    External (network attached)- 1x2TB Seagate backup; 1x1TB ext. storage; 1x500GB,
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    http://tinyurl.com/cwj93pj
OK, then:
  1. Move F:\Program Files to G:\ => this will move everything to G:\Program Files
  2. Open elevated command prompt and type:

    mklink /J "F:\Program Files" "G:\Program Files" => Must include the quotes

    With this command, it creates a Junction Link for F:\Program Files so that it will not break any program links while physically everything is stored in G:\Program Files
 

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You are going to be faffing about with that endlessly, especially if there are drivers involved.

Anything that runs as an executable ( ie portably ) will be fine.

The rest will be easier if you just reinstall them to the partition you want.

If you have the installers it is easy enough.
 

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OK, then:
  1. Move F:\Program Files to G:\ => this will move everything to G:\Program Files
  2. Open elevated command prompt and type:

    mklink /J "F:\Program Files" "G:\Program Files" => Must include the quotes

    With this command, it creates a Junction Link for F:\Program Files so that it will not break any program links while physically everything is stored in G:\Program Files

Thanks I will try this. If something goes wrong (ie program not opening up properly), will system restore fix everything back?
 

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    Main PC - 2x Sony PS3 3D LED Displays + 1x 22" Philips; HTPC - 47" HDTV w/ 17" LCD secondary display
    Hard Drives
    Internal- 1TB on each system; 1x120GB SSD on main PC
    External (network attached)- 1x2TB Seagate backup; 1x1TB ext. storage; 1x500GB,
    Other Info
    http://tinyurl.com/br4uxrk

    http://tinyurl.com/cwj93pj
You are going to be faffing about with that endlessly, especially if there are drivers involved.

Anything that runs as an executable ( ie portably ) will be fine.

The rest will be easier if you just reinstall them to the partition you want.

If you have the installers it is easy enough.

I have that in mind. But if I ultimately have to do that (re-installing programs), I will just try some expert advise here first. If it worked, then I saved myself some time. Thanks!
 

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    External (network attached)- 1x2TB Seagate backup; 1x1TB ext. storage; 1x500GB,
    Other Info
    http://tinyurl.com/br4uxrk

    http://tinyurl.com/cwj93pj
You are going to be faffing about with that endlessly, especially if there are drivers involved.

Anything that runs as an executable ( ie portably ) will be fine.

The rest will be easier if you just reinstall them to the partition you want.

If you have the installers it is easy enough.

You and I posted the same time. The solution I gave will work whether it's portable or not. The environment does not change, just the storage is physically changed. However, I don't understand why OP wants to move things from one partition to a different partition on the same physical drive. I can understand if you want to move from one physical drive to another physical drive. An example is certain poor written game installer will not work if you install in different Drive/Folder other than the pre-defined one ie. under C:\ and if your SSD is small then you'll run out of space in C: drive soon in which case, you'd want to move it to different physical drive without breaking any links that the program requires to run.
 

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You may be ok .

I had some issues doing something similar a while back. Bit different, though, iirc i was moving to the os partition and have a lot of filesystem drivers. I also have quite a few os installed and move them aorund/reinstall quite often .

Can't recall the details, but it was a bit messy.

However, I don't understand why OP wants to move things from one partition to a different partition on the same physical drive. I can understand if you want to move from one physical drive to another physical drive.

Good question. Maybe he is trying to clear space on one of the partitions so he can install another os onto it, or similar.
 

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You are going to be faffing about with that endlessly, especially if there are drivers involved.

Anything that runs as an executable ( ie portably ) will be fine.

The rest will be easier if you just reinstall them to the partition you want.

If you have the installers it is easy enough.

You and I posted the same time. The solution I gave will work whether it's portable or not. The environment does not change, just the storage is physically changed. However, I don't understand why OP wants to move things from one partition to a different partition on the same physical drive. I can understand if you want to move from one physical drive to another physical drive. An example is certain poor written game installer will not work if you install in different Drive/Folder other than the pre-defined one ie. under C:\ and if your SSD is small then you'll run out of space in C: drive soon in which case, you'd want to move it to different physical drive without breaking any links that the program requires to run.

I wanted to move it because the folder is so embedded in some layers of folders. I just want to move the program folder alone in one partition.
 

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    Main PC - 2x Sony PS3 3D LED Displays + 1x 22" Philips; HTPC - 47" HDTV w/ 17" LCD secondary display
    Hard Drives
    Internal- 1TB on each system; 1x120GB SSD on main PC
    External (network attached)- 1x2TB Seagate backup; 1x1TB ext. storage; 1x500GB,
    Other Info
    http://tinyurl.com/br4uxrk

    http://tinyurl.com/cwj93pj
Can you be more specific?

I wanted to move it because the folder is so embedded in some layers of folders. I just want to move the program folder alone in one partition.
 

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Thanks I will try this. If something goes wrong (ie program not opening up properly), will system restore fix everything back?
You don't need to do system restore. Just delete the link and move back to where it was.

I wanted to move it because the folder is so embedded in some layers of folders. I just want to move the program folder alone in one partition.
In this case. It will work fine.
 

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Thanks I will try this. If something goes wrong (ie program not opening up properly), will system restore fix everything back?
You don't need to do system restore. Just delete the link and move back to where it was.

I wanted to move it because the folder is so embedded in some layers of folders. I just want to move the program folder alone in one partition.
In this case. It will work fine.

Hello, on elevated command prompt I am getting "Access is denied." after making the link. How do I get around this?
 

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    Hard Drives
    Internal- 1TB on each system; 1x120GB SSD on main PC
    External (network attached)- 1x2TB Seagate backup; 1x1TB ext. storage; 1x500GB,
    Other Info
    http://tinyurl.com/br4uxrk

    http://tinyurl.com/cwj93pj
Can you show me exactly what you type in command prompt?
 

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Can you show me exactly what you type in command prompt?

Ok.. I got it. I forgot to do one thing since you also didn't mention it. I forgot to run the elevated command prompt as admin. Everything is good! Thanks to you and to SIW2! Cheers!
 

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    Main PC - 2x Sony PS3 3D LED Displays + 1x 22" Philips; HTPC - 47" HDTV w/ 17" LCD secondary display
    Hard Drives
    Internal- 1TB on each system; 1x120GB SSD on main PC
    External (network attached)- 1x2TB Seagate backup; 1x1TB ext. storage; 1x500GB,
    Other Info
    http://tinyurl.com/br4uxrk

    http://tinyurl.com/cwj93pj
Ok.. I got it. I forgot to do one thing since you also didn't mention it. I forgot to run the elevated command prompt as admin. Everything is good! Thanks to you and to SIW2! Cheers!

Open elevated command prompt means running command prompt as Admin
 

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    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
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    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
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    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
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    Antec 1200
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    Danger Den H20
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Ok.. I got it. I forgot to do one thing since you also didn't mention it. I forgot to run the elevated command prompt as admin. Everything is good! Thanks to you and to SIW2! Cheers!

Open elevated command prompt means running command prompt as Admin
Sorry, not everyone knows all the computer language...like me..:D or maybe on some level I know it because I realized it in the end...hahaha.. thanks again! Cheers!
 

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    Main PC - 2x Sony PS3 3D LED Displays + 1x 22" Philips; HTPC - 47" HDTV w/ 17" LCD secondary display
    Hard Drives
    Internal- 1TB on each system; 1x120GB SSD on main PC
    External (network attached)- 1x2TB Seagate backup; 1x1TB ext. storage; 1x500GB,
    Other Info
    http://tinyurl.com/br4uxrk

    http://tinyurl.com/cwj93pj
You're welcome. Glad we could help !!!
 

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    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
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    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
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