Install Windows 8 on SSD and Program & Users on HDD

I have been dealing with a few problems while installing Windows 8 on my computer. On my old configuration, I had Windows 7 installed on my 60 GB SSD, and my programs and user data on my 1TB HDD, thanks to relative links.

Yet, while installing Windows 8 on my SSD, it made a small partition on my HDD called "System Reserved".

I read a lot about optimizing Windows 8 for SSD, putting Users on another drive, and very similar situation that didn't quite correspond to what I was trying to achieve.

Here's what I tried:

  • http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4275-user-profiles-relocate-another-partition-disk.html Booting on Audit mode and using an XML to relocate Users didn't work as the specified version in the file is a test one, and I don't what to enter if I'm using RTM.

  • Booting with the install DVD in repair mode to do a copy of the User and create a relative link, resulting in an error on the logon screen while entering my password saying that "The profile can't be load" (average translation of my error from French to English)

Do anyone know how to do a clean separated install of Windows 8, with the OS on one drive and data on a second drive?


I would install Windows as normal, and use the features available to move part of the user folders off of the SSD, but not the entire Users folder.

Using this technique, I would move the largest folders like Downloads, Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos and Saved Games.

Downloads Folder Location

That is I would right click on the the folder, click the Location tab, and then use the Move... button.

For desktop programs, I would install them as normal, but making sure to change C:\ to D:\ (D:\ being the slower drive) in the install path.

For Windows Store apps, it's been suggested that by using symlinks, we can get those apps off of the system drive, but I haven't (won't) tested this.

I might also move the temp folders off of the SSD by changing the Envionment Variables in System Properties (Advanced tab).

I would keep App Data on the faster drive, as well as the pagefile, unless you can't afford the space.


Back in Windows 7 days, I managed this through going into regedit,opening HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, (this might sound dodgy, but it worked) searching "C:\Program Files (x86)" and "C:\Program Files", replacing those values with "D:\Program Files (x86)" and "D:\Program Files".

As for Users, I forgot (teehee~).

I am about to upgrade to Windows 8, and am searching for that orignal guide right now.

EDIT: Found it: http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/seans-windows-7-install-optimization-guide-for-ssds-hdds

As for moving the Program Files, it wasn't in his Win 8 guide, so dunno if it works. Test on dummy install before committing.