Why do many Windows programs install to `C:UsersAppData`?
Whenever I install Windows programs I always make the installation drive be something other the C-drive. However, the installer almost always puts many files to C:Users<username>AppData even if they put some of the files in the location I specified.
I want the operating system (Windows) on its own hard-drive with nothing else. That way if the operating system hard-drive fails, I only lose the operating system. I can always go get another copy of Windows. After I get a new drive and Windows, I still have all of my old files. Thus, I put my files on hard-drives I replace regularly or back-up, and software on drives I don't care about. It's fine to allow a hard-drive to fail if there are copies of the files on that drive somewhere else.
Why do many Windows programs install to C:Users<username>AppData even if the user provides another path, such as E:SOFTWARE ? Given that it's common practice, there must be some reason why.
windows hard-drive installation windows-installation windows-installer
asked Jan 6 at 21:32
IdleCustardIdleCustard
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Whenever I install Windows programs I always make the installation drive be something other the C-drive. However, the installer almost always puts many files to C:Users<username>AppData even if they put some of the files in the location I specified.
I want the operating system (Windows) on its own hard-drive with nothing else. That way if the operating system hard-drive fails, I only lose the operating system. I can always go get another copy of Windows. After I get a new drive and Windows, I still have all of my old files. Thus, I put my files on hard-drives I replace regularly or back-up, and software on drives I don't care about. It's fine to allow a hard-drive to fail if there are copies of the files on that drive somewhere else.
Why do many Windows programs install to C:Users<username>AppData even if the user provides another path, such as E:SOFTWARE ? Given that it's common practice, there must be some reason why.
windows hard-drive installation windows-installation windows-installer
asked Jan 6 at 21:32
IdleCustardIdleCustard
1
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"Almost always"? I've only seen 2 or 3 programs do that out of maybe hundred, and even those only do so because they put the whole program in there.
– grawity
Jan 6 at 21:38
To do what you want to do you need to redirect the user profile directory, which is more complex and cannot be completely done.
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:50
add a comment |
Whenever I install Windows programs I always make the installation drive be something other the C-drive. However, the installer almost always puts many files to C:Users<username>AppData even if they put some of the files in the location I specified.
I want the operating system (Windows) on its own hard-drive with nothing else. That way if the operating system hard-drive fails, I only lose the operating system. I can always go get another copy of Windows. After I get a new drive and Windows, I still have all of my old files. Thus, I put my files on hard-drives I replace regularly or back-up, and software on drives I don't care about. It's fine to allow a hard-drive to fail if there are copies of the files on that drive somewhere else.
Why do many Windows programs install to C:Users<username>AppData even if the user provides another path, such as E:SOFTWARE ? Given that it's common practice, there must be some reason why.
windows hard-drive installation windows-installation windows-installer
asked Jan 6 at 21:32
IdleCustardIdleCustard
1
New contributor
IdleCustard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Whenever I install Windows programs I always make the installation drive be something other the C-drive. However, the installer almost always puts many files to C:Users<username>AppData even if they put some of the files in the location I specified.
I want the operating system (Windows) on its own hard-drive with nothing else. That way if the operating system hard-drive fails, I only lose the operating system. I can always go get another copy of Windows. After I get a new drive and Windows, I still have all of my old files. Thus, I put my files on hard-drives I replace regularly or back-up, and software on drives I don't care about. It's fine to allow a hard-drive to fail if there are copies of the files on that drive somewhere else.
Why do many Windows programs install to C:Users<username>AppData even if the user provides another path, such as E:SOFTWARE ? Given that it's common practice, there must be some reason why.
windows hard-drive installation windows-installation windows-installer
windows hard-drive installation windows-installation windows-installer
asked Jan 6 at 21:32
IdleCustardIdleCustard
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asked Jan 6 at 21:32
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asked Jan 6 at 21:32
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asked Jan 6 at 21:32
IdleCustardIdleCustard
1
asked Jan 6 at 21:32
IdleCustardIdleCustard
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1
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"Almost always"? I've only seen 2 or 3 programs do that out of maybe hundred, and even those only do so because they put the whole program in there.
– grawity
Jan 6 at 21:38
To do what you want to do you need to redirect the user profile directory, which is more complex and cannot be completely done.
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:50
add a comment |
"Almost always"? I've only seen 2 or 3 programs do that out of maybe hundred, and even those only do so because they put the whole program in there.
– grawity
Jan 6 at 21:38
To do what you want to do you need to redirect the user profile directory, which is more complex and cannot be completely done.
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:50
"Almost always"? I've only seen 2 or 3 programs do that out of maybe hundred, and even those only do so because they put the whole program in there.
– grawity
Jan 6 at 21:38
"Almost always"? I've only seen 2 or 3 programs do that out of maybe hundred, and even those only do so because they put the whole program in there.
– grawity
Jan 6 at 21:38
To do what you want to do you need to redirect the user profile directory, which is more complex and cannot be completely done.
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:50
To do what you want to do you need to redirect the user profile directory, which is more complex and cannot be completely done.
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:50
add a comment |
2 Answers
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A direct answer to the "why" question is simple: your home directory is one of few guaranteed places where an app can store its files under a normal (non-admin) account. When you install something to a default location under C:Program Files, it has to ask you for admin privileges to do it. Now consider that an app has to store modifiable files (such as user settings). It can't do it in its home location (as it was typical in Windows 9x times): in case of C:Program Files it would need to ask your permission to write it every time it needs.
Furthermore, in case of several users of the same PC this mechanism gives a natural way to separate personal files of different users.
The implied question is how to store your user data on a non-Windows drive. Well, one option would be to move your home folder to drive E: as well (there are many instructions how to do it, such as this one or that one).
You can even consider putting your user folder under cloud synchronization, that's what I do to a certain extent, to keep personal files backed up.
answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
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This. When installed to Program Files it's an "all users" program, and even these will often save their per-user settings to App Data. Some programs don't need to be installed for all users and function just fine in the more limited permissions of the user's App Data directory and so will install themselves there
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:47
add a comment |
Because that is the equivalent of your "home directory" on a *nix machine, and so that is where personal settings for applications (think your profile, etc) are stored.
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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A direct answer to the "why" question is simple: your home directory is one of few guaranteed places where an app can store its files under a normal (non-admin) account. When you install something to a default location under C:Program Files, it has to ask you for admin privileges to do it. Now consider that an app has to store modifiable files (such as user settings). It can't do it in its home location (as it was typical in Windows 9x times): in case of C:Program Files it would need to ask your permission to write it every time it needs.
Furthermore, in case of several users of the same PC this mechanism gives a natural way to separate personal files of different users.
The implied question is how to store your user data on a non-Windows drive. Well, one option would be to move your home folder to drive E: as well (there are many instructions how to do it, such as this one or that one).
You can even consider putting your user folder under cloud synchronization, that's what I do to a certain extent, to keep personal files backed up.
answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
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rg_software is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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This. When installed to Program Files it's an "all users" program, and even these will often save their per-user settings to App Data. Some programs don't need to be installed for all users and function just fine in the more limited permissions of the user's App Data directory and so will install themselves there
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:47
add a comment |
A direct answer to the "why" question is simple: your home directory is one of few guaranteed places where an app can store its files under a normal (non-admin) account. When you install something to a default location under C:Program Files, it has to ask you for admin privileges to do it. Now consider that an app has to store modifiable files (such as user settings). It can't do it in its home location (as it was typical in Windows 9x times): in case of C:Program Files it would need to ask your permission to write it every time it needs.
Furthermore, in case of several users of the same PC this mechanism gives a natural way to separate personal files of different users.
The implied question is how to store your user data on a non-Windows drive. Well, one option would be to move your home folder to drive E: as well (there are many instructions how to do it, such as this one or that one).
You can even consider putting your user folder under cloud synchronization, that's what I do to a certain extent, to keep personal files backed up.
answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
New contributor
rg_software is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
This. When installed to Program Files it's an "all users" program, and even these will often save their per-user settings to App Data. Some programs don't need to be installed for all users and function just fine in the more limited permissions of the user's App Data directory and so will install themselves there
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:47
add a comment |
A direct answer to the "why" question is simple: your home directory is one of few guaranteed places where an app can store its files under a normal (non-admin) account. When you install something to a default location under C:Program Files, it has to ask you for admin privileges to do it. Now consider that an app has to store modifiable files (such as user settings). It can't do it in its home location (as it was typical in Windows 9x times): in case of C:Program Files it would need to ask your permission to write it every time it needs.
Furthermore, in case of several users of the same PC this mechanism gives a natural way to separate personal files of different users.
The implied question is how to store your user data on a non-Windows drive. Well, one option would be to move your home folder to drive E: as well (there are many instructions how to do it, such as this one or that one).
You can even consider putting your user folder under cloud synchronization, that's what I do to a certain extent, to keep personal files backed up.
answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
New contributor
rg_software is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
A direct answer to the "why" question is simple: your home directory is one of few guaranteed places where an app can store its files under a normal (non-admin) account. When you install something to a default location under C:Program Files, it has to ask you for admin privileges to do it. Now consider that an app has to store modifiable files (such as user settings). It can't do it in its home location (as it was typical in Windows 9x times): in case of C:Program Files it would need to ask your permission to write it every time it needs.
Furthermore, in case of several users of the same PC this mechanism gives a natural way to separate personal files of different users.
The implied question is how to store your user data on a non-Windows drive. Well, one option would be to move your home folder to drive E: as well (there are many instructions how to do it, such as this one or that one).
You can even consider putting your user folder under cloud synchronization, that's what I do to a certain extent, to keep personal files backed up.
answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
New contributor
rg_software is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
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answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
answered Jan 6 at 23:45
rg_softwarerg_software
1313
1313
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rg_software is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
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This. When installed to Program Files it's an "all users" program, and even these will often save their per-user settings to App Data. Some programs don't need to be installed for all users and function just fine in the more limited permissions of the user's App Data directory and so will install themselves there
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:47
add a comment |
This. When installed to Program Files it's an "all users" program, and even these will often save their per-user settings to App Data. Some programs don't need to be installed for all users and function just fine in the more limited permissions of the user's App Data directory and so will install themselves there
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:47
This. When installed to Program Files it's an "all users" program, and even these will often save their per-user settings to App Data. Some programs don't need to be installed for all users and function just fine in the more limited permissions of the user's App Data directory and so will install themselves there
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:47
This. When installed to Program Files it's an "all users" program, and even these will often save their per-user settings to App Data. Some programs don't need to be installed for all users and function just fine in the more limited permissions of the user's App Data directory and so will install themselves there
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:47
add a comment |
Because that is the equivalent of your "home directory" on a *nix machine, and so that is where personal settings for applications (think your profile, etc) are stored.
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
add a comment |
Because that is the equivalent of your "home directory" on a *nix machine, and so that is where personal settings for applications (think your profile, etc) are stored.
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
add a comment |
Because that is the equivalent of your "home directory" on a *nix machine, and so that is where personal settings for applications (think your profile, etc) are stored.
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
Because that is the equivalent of your "home directory" on a *nix machine, and so that is where personal settings for applications (think your profile, etc) are stored.
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
answered Jan 6 at 23:26
ivanivanivanivan
1,19917
1,19917
add a comment |
add a comment |
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"Almost always"? I've only seen 2 or 3 programs do that out of maybe hundred, and even those only do so because they put the whole program in there.
– grawity
Jan 6 at 21:38
To do what you want to do you need to redirect the user profile directory, which is more complex and cannot be completely done.
– music2myear
Jan 6 at 23:50