Overclock.net › Forums › Components › Hard Drives & Storage › SSD › Make SSD inaccessible to user but able to be windows primary and boot?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Make SSD inaccessible to user but able to be windows primary and boot?

post #1 of 9
11/11/12 at 7:46pm
Thread Starter 
Did some searching and found some similar threads but nothing really answering the question I have.

Basically I'm building a PC for my parents and want to add in an SSD for windows boot and load times. However, I only want to buy a 64 or 128GB and don't want them able to put stuff on it. I obviously want to make it primary and boot drive for windows operating system.

I only want my parents to be able to save files, install programs and see HDD . Is this possible?
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #2 of 9
11/11/12 at 9:56pm
I would just install it along with the HDD and copy the "Users" directory over to the HDD. Then delete the original folder and create a symbolic link to the "Users" directory on the HDD. The command for creating the link would be the following, assuming E: is the HDD (You must run the command prompt as an administrator).
Code:
mklink /d "C:\Users" "E:\Users"
Anything saved to My Docs, pics, etc. will go straight to the HDD transparently. All installed programs will stay on the SSD.
Lord Hermitvader
(16 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Intel Core i5 3570k Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 16gb Corsair XMS3 
Hard DriveHard DriveOptical DriveCooling
128gb Crucial M4 Seagate 3TB LG DVD-RW ZEROTherm ZT-10D 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows 7 Home Premium Dell S2330MX Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 5000 Thermaltake Toughpower XT TPX-675M 
CaseMouseAudioOther
Silverstone TJ08-E Razer Orochi Creative SoundCore3D HP Card Reader 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Lord Hermitvader
(16 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Intel Core i5 3570k Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 16gb Corsair XMS3 
Hard DriveHard DriveOptical DriveCooling
128gb Crucial M4 Seagate 3TB LG DVD-RW ZEROTherm ZT-10D 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows 7 Home Premium Dell S2330MX Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 5000 Thermaltake Toughpower XT TPX-675M 
CaseMouseAudioOther
Silverstone TJ08-E Razer Orochi Creative SoundCore3D HP Card Reader 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #3 of 9
11/11/12 at 10:01pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the info. That's the best solution so far. However, I was also trying to keep the garbage programs they tend to download/install off the SSD as well. Just want windows on it and programs that I can install as admin or something.
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #4 of 9
11/11/12 at 10:05pm
Repeat the above process for the Program Files directories. The only downside is that all programs will have to run from the HDD unless you install them to a non-standard location. You could always create a new directory for programs you want to run from the SSD. i.e. C:\SSD\Program Files
Lord Hermitvader
(16 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Intel Core i5 3570k Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 16gb Corsair XMS3 
Hard DriveHard DriveOptical DriveCooling
128gb Crucial M4 Seagate 3TB LG DVD-RW ZEROTherm ZT-10D 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows 7 Home Premium Dell S2330MX Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 5000 Thermaltake Toughpower XT TPX-675M 
CaseMouseAudioOther
Silverstone TJ08-E Razer Orochi Creative SoundCore3D HP Card Reader 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Lord Hermitvader
(16 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Intel Core i5 3570k Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 16gb Corsair XMS3 
Hard DriveHard DriveOptical DriveCooling
128gb Crucial M4 Seagate 3TB LG DVD-RW ZEROTherm ZT-10D 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows 7 Home Premium Dell S2330MX Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 5000 Thermaltake Toughpower XT TPX-675M 
CaseMouseAudioOther
Silverstone TJ08-E Razer Orochi Creative SoundCore3D HP Card Reader 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #5 of 9
11/13/12 at 10:28am
Thread Starter 
Awesome! Thanks for all the help. Will be giving it a shot this weekend.
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #6 of 9
11/13/12 at 10:30am
You won't be able to do this while in the OS... You can't just move folders that are in use. You can copy them, but you won't be able to create the mklink files because of a name conflict. It's likely that you would have to throw the drives in another PC to do it.
Mein Comp (WC)
(14 items)
 
HTPC / Light gaming
(8 items)
  		 
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core i5-3570k Delidded @ 4.8GHz  ASRock Z77 Extreme4 EVGA GTX 690 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-24) 
Hard DriveHard DriveOSMonitor
Corsair Force GT SSD, 240GB RAID 0: 2x Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200.14 Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Nvidia Surround - (3x) 27" (Hanns-G HL272HPB) 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 Corsair TX850W Lian Li Lancool Dragonlord PC-K62 Logitech G700 
Audio
X-Fi Titanium 
View all
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
AMD A10-5800K ASRock FM2A85X Extreme4-M AMD Radeon 6670 - AMD Dual Graphics 4GB Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1866 
Hard DriveCoolingMonitorCase
320GB Western Digital 72k Xigmatek Loki SD963 92mm Logitech K400 Apevia X-QPACK-NW-BK/420 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Mein Comp (WC)
(14 items)
 
HTPC / Light gaming
(8 items)
  		 
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core i5-3570k Delidded @ 4.8GHz  ASRock Z77 Extreme4 EVGA GTX 690 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-24) 
Hard DriveHard DriveOSMonitor
Corsair Force GT SSD, 240GB RAID 0: 2x Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200.14 Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Nvidia Surround - (3x) 27" (Hanns-G HL272HPB) 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 Corsair TX850W Lian Li Lancool Dragonlord PC-K62 Logitech G700 
Audio
X-Fi Titanium 
View all
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
AMD A10-5800K ASRock FM2A85X Extreme4-M AMD Radeon 6670 - AMD Dual Graphics 4GB Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1866 
Hard DriveCoolingMonitorCase
320GB Western Digital 72k Xigmatek Loki SD963 92mm Logitech K400 Apevia X-QPACK-NW-BK/420 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #7 of 9
11/13/12 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Powermonkey500 View Post

You won't be able to do this while in the OS... You can't just move folders that are in use. You can copy them, but you won't be able to create the mklink files because of a name conflict. It's likely that you would have to throw the drives in another PC to do it.

So those steps will work in another pc? I feel like there should be an easier solution for this since SSDs came out and are still expensive for large drives.
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Clownshoe
(18 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsGraphics
Sandy Bridge 2500K @ 4301MHz @ 1.34v Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 XFX 5770 Sapphire 5770  
RAMHard DriveHard DriveHard Drive
Mushkin Redline Crucial M4 SSD Western Digital Caviar Blue  Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000  
Optical DriveCoolingOSMonitor
LG Lightscribe Thermaltake Frio push/pull Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Vizio E320VA 1360x768 
MonitorPowerCaseMouse
Asus AL2216W 1680x1050 Antec High Current Gamer HCG-750 Power supply  Cooler Master HAF 932 Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #8 of 9
11/13/12 at 10:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AMD_King View Post

So those steps will work in another pc? I feel like there should be an easier solution for this since SSDs came out and are still expensive for large drives.

It's possible, but a bit more convoluted and obnoxious.
You would have to create the mklink files using the original PC, but in another directory to avoid the name conflict. I believe Windows prevents you from making mklinks if the target directory is not currently valid. Assuming drive letters will change, this would avoid possible headaches.
Then you would have to switch both drives to another PC (or load a bootable disk with an OS. Linux has flaky NTFS support in most cases though) and move the directories over to the hard drive, and copy the mklink files to their proper locations.
Mein Comp (WC)
(14 items)
 
HTPC / Light gaming
(8 items)
  		 
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core i5-3570k Delidded @ 4.8GHz  ASRock Z77 Extreme4 EVGA GTX 690 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-24) 
Hard DriveHard DriveOSMonitor
Corsair Force GT SSD, 240GB RAID 0: 2x Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200.14 Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Nvidia Surround - (3x) 27" (Hanns-G HL272HPB) 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 Corsair TX850W Lian Li Lancool Dragonlord PC-K62 Logitech G700 
Audio
X-Fi Titanium 
View all
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
AMD A10-5800K ASRock FM2A85X Extreme4-M AMD Radeon 6670 - AMD Dual Graphics 4GB Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1866 
Hard DriveCoolingMonitorCase
320GB Western Digital 72k Xigmatek Loki SD963 92mm Logitech K400 Apevia X-QPACK-NW-BK/420 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Mein Comp (WC)
(14 items)
 
HTPC / Light gaming
(8 items)
  		 
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core i5-3570k Delidded @ 4.8GHz  ASRock Z77 Extreme4 EVGA GTX 690 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-24) 
Hard DriveHard DriveOSMonitor
Corsair Force GT SSD, 240GB RAID 0: 2x Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200.14 Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Nvidia Surround - (3x) 27" (Hanns-G HL272HPB) 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 Corsair TX850W Lian Li Lancool Dragonlord PC-K62 Logitech G700 
Audio
X-Fi Titanium 
View all
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
AMD A10-5800K ASRock FM2A85X Extreme4-M AMD Radeon 6670 - AMD Dual Graphics 4GB Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1866 
Hard DriveCoolingMonitorCase
320GB Western Digital 72k Xigmatek Loki SD963 92mm Logitech K400 Apevia X-QPACK-NW-BK/420 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #9 of 9
11/13/12 at 11:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Powermonkey500 View Post

You won't be able to do this while in the OS... You can't just move folders that are in use. You can copy them, but you won't be able to create the mklink files because of a name conflict. It's likely that you would have to throw the drives in another PC to do it.
I hadn't considered that. I've never tried to link the program files folders before. It may work in safe mode, assuming nothing from the directories in question is loaded.
Lord Hermitvader
(16 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Intel Core i5 3570k Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 16gb Corsair XMS3 
Hard DriveHard DriveOptical DriveCooling
128gb Crucial M4 Seagate 3TB LG DVD-RW ZEROTherm ZT-10D 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows 7 Home Premium Dell S2330MX Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 5000 Thermaltake Toughpower XT TPX-675M 
CaseMouseAudioOther
Silverstone TJ08-E Razer Orochi Creative SoundCore3D HP Card Reader 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Lord Hermitvader
(16 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Intel Core i5 3570k Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 16gb Corsair XMS3 
Hard DriveHard DriveOptical DriveCooling
128gb Crucial M4 Seagate 3TB LG DVD-RW ZEROTherm ZT-10D 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows 7 Home Premium Dell S2330MX Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 5000 Thermaltake Toughpower XT TPX-675M 
CaseMouseAudioOther
Silverstone TJ08-E Razer Orochi Creative SoundCore3D HP Card Reader 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: SSD
Overclock.net › Forums › Components › Hard Drives & Storage › SSD › Make SSD inaccessible to user but able to be windows primary and boot?