I have a 60GB SSD - Can I install everything to my storage drive by default?

[Linus]

This is a question from sean123h:

Hi, i just got a new pc, which uses a 60gb ssd for windows 7. The only problem is everything downloads/installs to it as default. Its quite annoying and sometimes i cannot change where programs install to. Is there anyway to make it so everything installs to my hdd by default.

Thanks

As far as I know any program should allow you to select the install directory. Sometimes you have to click "custom" setup though to get that option.

I don't know of a way to change your default installation directory though :(

[frontier204]

There is an extremely unreliable method which I never tried:
Microsoft does not support changing the location of the Program Files folder by modifying the ProgramFilesDir registry value
I've seen stories of people modifying the registry to change their default directories around, but keep in mind that any badly-programmed application (i.e. they hard-coded "Program Files") will crash.

That said, I'm using 48.6 GB on my SSD (partitioned 80 GB of it) and I installed Windows 7 and everything EXCEPT games on it. (including larger programs like Microsoft Office 2010, LibreOffice 3.4, and Eclipse IDE) There's no reason you need to put every single application on the hard drive unless you have one of the old stuttering SSDs.

As for your downloads folder, I use this method to put it on my hard drive:
Redirect a folder to a new location
It works with every folder with a special icon in your Users\<your user name>, but for some reason some programs get cranky if you move "Favorites" and "Links".

[Shadowmeph]

I can't remember exactly how I did this but I have mine setup so that none of my folders like My Documents my music and my videos are on my ssd and so when ever I download anything or save a document file they are saved automatically on a seperate HD , I will have to try to remember what I did to change this and I will post back.
Edit
I think that I followed the directions on here, it was so long ago ) but this will work also
User Folders - Change Default Location - Windows 7 Forums

Jusr to say i don't know what kind of programs are you try'in to install but some of them do make serious troubles when not installing in the OS drive (and then they make it impossible to change) but games and popular softwares all allow to change.
The download aren't a big trouble.Download and then cut to your storage drive (unless you have like humoungous files to download)
And i just wanted to say it's too kind from Linus to put someone's question in your forum.WOW your contact with community is just unbelivable .Respect man PEACE