Can I put "Users" on SD storage device card?

[robinpe]

Windows 8.1
On the Desktop in File Explorer can I switch "Users" from my" Windows (C local disk to my Secure Digital Storage Device card to gain some space on my hard drive?
Thanks for any assistance!

 

[Cliff S]

I don't know if it's possible but on my system the users folder only uses 2.63 GB. Why not move the individual library folders to the other drive. I have my libraries on the second internal drive and the have a total of 450GB.

 

[robinpe]

Thanks Cliff F.
My "Users" folder uses 21.IGb, of that "robinp" uses that 21.1Gb. In "robinp", "AppData" uses 10.4Gb and "OneDrive" uses 10.5Gb. I know I could gain from right clicking "One Drive" and select "Make available online only" and eventually I may have to do that. However, at the moment I would prefer to leave it on my PC. Maybe I can just install "App Data" on my SD storage card if that is possible. What do you think?
At the moment I only have 10.4Gb left on my hard drive (C.

 

[Cliff S]

App data is a system file, it holds changes that will be made at next boot and .INI files that have program settings. See this article.

 

[Cliff S]

Have you tried using Disk Cleanup as an administrator? To clean more using windows clean-up:

• Start> Run then type or cut&paste:

• cleanmgr.exe sageset:10

• Press Enter
• look through what all can be cleaned in the window that appears and choose
• click Clean up system files

 

[adamf]

App data is a system file, it holds changes that will be made at next boot and .INI files that have program settings. See this article.

No, AppData is a hidden directory. If you use the mail app or Windows Live Mail it holds your e-mails and can therefore get quite big. You can't just copy it elsewhere but you could follow this tutorial http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4275-user-profiles-relocate-another-partition-disk.html

Slightly simpler for OneDrive you can right click on it and select Locations tab. This you can easily move to your SD card.

 

[Cliff S]

Thanks adamf for correcting, Yeah I meant directory, but there are files used by the system in there:
View attachment 56960

and there is a very good reason that it's hidden... so we don't mess with it!

 

[robinpe]

Thanks to both of you.
If I can't transfer "AppData" then I think you're might Adamf, I'll just put all my OneDrive contents on my SDcard.
However, if I do that, what happens when I select the OneDrive app on the Start screen? Will it show anything?

 

[RolandJS]

Guys, gals, if the OP moves certain Windows folders from default locations to nonDefault locations, won't that become a problem if Windows has to be rolled back to previous backed up factory-spec'd image, or earlier system restore point, or even with certain programs that default to certain folders? What about if OP educates all programs to save data onto OneDrive? And, moves created data from user appdata folders over onto OneDrive? To me, that would similar to having an OS partition and a data partition. Better in the longhaul, better for separate image back ups/restores?

 

[KYHI]

User State Migration Tool

 

[adamf]

User State Migration Tool

What about it? Does it move some things from %APPDTA% or are you recommending it? And plese turn off your typing avatar - there is no need for that.

 

[crawfish]

Windows 8.1
On the Desktop in File Explorer can I switch "Users" from my" Windows (C local disk to my Secure Digital Storage Device card to gain some space on my hard drive?
Thanks for any assistance!

Moving Users off the system drive is a bad idea. If your secondary Users drive fails, you won't be able to boot into Windows, which hinders troubleshooting and prevents you from using the computer until you fix the problem, meaning you can't use, say, file-based backups of your important documents. That was something I actually encountered in Vista, and I documented what happens in 7 here:

Windows 7 Help Forums - View Single Post - User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

I would assume it's the same in 8; Microsoft still recommends not doing this. OTOH, if you move Downloads, Music, and other large folders using the supported methods in the Windows UI, the computer will still be usable if the secondary drive fails, and you achieve the lion's share of space saving.

See this message for others such as Ed Bott who hold the same view and a link to the Microsoft TechNet article advising against moving Users:

Windows 7 Help Forums - View Single Post - User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation