Store Apps that insist on system drive install

The number and type of apps that “require” being installed on the system disk is honestly ridiculous. Anything that isn’t a digital media app needs to get over itself. Even those are being total whiners.

The fsking OS won’t allow AppX packages from one user to be run by another user… Hell, it won’t let me move a thumb drive from one system to another without blowing away previously-installed apps. EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE TIED TO THE SAME ACCOUNT!

So seriously. What’s all the whine about?

My system drive is a 128 GB SSD. I don’t want everything installed there. Just Windows really. I want to install Store apps to fast USB3 storage and games to a relatively quick 7200RPM SATA3 drive.

One thing is certain, I won’t be putting any storage restrictions on anything I publish to the Microsoft Store.

Time for the rest of these cowards to get with the program.

Conversation 14 comments

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    31 December, 2017 - 5:06 am

    <p>I have never even looked into developing UWP apps, so I admit my complete ignorance of the process and how Visual Studio handles it up front.</p><p>That said, if Visual Studio defaults to building UWP apps so that they require installation on %SYSTEMDRIVE% and it'd take changing development setting from the defaults to allow installation on other drives, who's to blame? Developers or MSFT?</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      31 December, 2017 - 10:10 am

      <blockquote><a href="#233530"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>Nah, it’s an option set by the dev. I’m assuming it defaults off, since it’s honestly a minority of software, but Christ it seems like it’s everything I don’t want on the system drive. CBS All Access for one. The app isn’t big, but it’s cache is!</p><p><br></p><p>Honestly it’s just old businessmen being terrified of OMG piracy.</p>

    • skane2600

      31 December, 2017 - 2:15 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#233530"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>Gee, if only there were custom installers that would allow the user to make some choices concerning the installation and defaults for an application. I'm surprised that Microsoft didn't provide that capability a long time ago .. oh wait.</p>

      • hrlngrv

        Premium Member
        31 December, 2017 - 4:26 pm

        <p><a href="#233848"><em>In reply to skane2600:</em></a></p><p>It's part of the semi-lock-down UWP/Store installation provides.</p><p>Theoretically Windows 10 Settings can be changed to install software on other drives, but I take to OP at his word that there are some UWP apps which insist on installation on C:. Maybe MSFT needs to demonstrate to app developers that app security is no worse or better on other drives than on C:.</p>

        • skane2600

          31 December, 2017 - 5:13 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#233922"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>"It's part of the semi-lock-down UWP/Store installation provides."</p><p><br></p><p>Yes, that's the point. There's always a trade-off between safety/simplicity vs capability. Even if there were some settings available to change the default location globally it would still be less flexible than choosing on a per app basis and less obvious than presenting the option during installation.</p>

          • hrlngrv

            Premium Member
            31 December, 2017 - 8:47 pm

            <p><a href="#233946"><em>In reply to skane2600:</em></a></p><p>It's frustrating.</p><p>Windows used to be the middle ground between macOS/OS X and Linux, but it seems MSFT would prefer to make Windows 10 more locked down than macOS. As long as MSFT offers a choice between locked down Windows for Simpletons and wide open Windows Pro. fine.</p>

      • jimchamplin

        Premium Member
        31 December, 2017 - 10:45 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#233848"><em>In reply to skane2600:</em></a></blockquote><p>Meh, it's honestly a really minor concern in the end.</p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    31 December, 2017 - 6:20 am

    <p>Not that I've tried, but what happens if you copy all of C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository to an external drive, rename that folder, then make the original name a symlink (NOT a shortcut/.LNK file) or junction to the copied folder on the external drive?</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      31 December, 2017 - 10:07 am

      <blockquote><a href="#233537"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>That <em>should</em> work. I’ve considered mounting a drive in that location, but that honestly felt like overkill.</p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    31 December, 2017 - 10:47 pm

    <p>In the end the more annoying situation is that it doesn't detect a removable drive with apps tied to your account.</p>

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