In 2019 in Windows 10 with small SSD’s as a C drive, the lack of an ability to select an install directory. I installed EmClient to trial it to replace Windows LIve Mail. It automatically installed on my C drive which is a showstopper for me given the lack of space on my SSD.
Please advise how I overcome this. I found a post from 6 years ago that requests he same but it is not implemented.
In Windows 10, Settings, System, Storage, you should have the ability to change the default location (drive) for various file types to save to including applications, music, pictures, etc.
This applies to MIcrosoft Store Apps and Universal apps. I does not override the installation of application executables like EMclient. That is build into the app. even MS Office asks where you want it installed. It is a deficiency
Yes. And I say again it is only for Windows 10 Apps and MS Universal apps. If I set it to d:, EMclient does not install there.
You’re right, I’m not generally a windows user, but happened to be playing around with that option this week and found it useful. I didn’t realize it only worked with universal apps but that makes sense. Thanks,
Hi Brian,
My answer will be partly on-topic and mostly somewhat off-topic
because it addresses the main problem you have - a small SSD.
The answer is Symbolic links. Windows already makes constant use of this.
“Move” your Program Files and Program Files(x86) and Program Data and your User Profile
to another drive - supposedly to an HDD.
This unloads a lot of GBs from the SSD.
When I wrote “Move” - you copy the folders, then make the link to the original folders,
which can then be emptied.
Result is that you can " install to C:\ " but that points eg to D:\
so nothing gets on C:
The operation has to be done outside Windows via a rescue CD or DVD with at least
a file explorer on it.
I found a good article describing this… it’s somewhat old, but the method is still valid.
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/1557e84f-591a-46bb-86c4-3b38af2003b0/can-i-replace-the-program-files-folder-with-a-symbolic-link-to-another-drive?forum=w7itprogeneral
If you’re up for it you can try eg LSE from
http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html
or any other symlink creator. It’s basically built-in in Windows and used via CMD line
Peter
Thank you. I have used links before for data and am familiar. I hadn’t considered that as a solution and will give it a try. Much obliged. The article refers to the whole program files directory. I only need a few apps so cmd line should work.I take full image backups so that will also work fine.
Great tip!
Thanks for the feedback.
Glad you’re at least familar with it.
Many others might have thrown in the towel…
Anyway - something to keep in mind…
The eM Client installation only takes about 200MB (I thought it was less but that’s what mine takes); not major disk usage by any standards. But as Brian commented above that changing the install location is dependent on Microsoft Store Apps, you can install eM Client from the Store and see if that helps.
The database can be quite large, and is by default in your %appdata% folder (which is on your C: drive by default) but you can change the location of that in eM Client settings. It is best to run that off the SSD though. Generally a computer that has a very small SSD is not going to have a high spec mechanical disk, and slow mechanical disks are a know bottleneck with databases.
Oh, and symbolic links are definitely an option.