After reformatting SSD, none of the files on HDD are being read

[oPiruz]

I posted I was having problems with OBS due to windows 10 a few days back and as per advice of another user I unplugged my HDD (D: at the time) and factory reset my SSD (C:) to get a clean install of win10. It's worth mentioning that I had moved all my personal files (Desktop,Documents,Pictures, Downloads, etc) onto my HDD as to not take up extra space on my SSD, now that I have factory reset the SSD and replugged in my HDD (now E: instead of D:) windows sees none of it. Windows sees everything on the HDD itself but now I have 2 desktops, 2 documents etc with one of them on my SSD (C:) and the other on my HDD (E:), so I would first like to know how to merge these onto my HDD (E:), Now comes the fact that all my programs installed on my HDD no longer have shortcuts anywhere and if I want to launch something I have to navigate to where the .exe is stored inside the HDD itself, how do I redo all of this stuff.. any help?

[Matt420740]

As for your pictures and documents, click the start button, file explorer, then right click on pictures, go to properties, then location, and add the location of your pictures on the HDD.  You can do the same with documents.   This will point windows to the files on the HDD also instead of just looking at the pics and docs from the OS drive.

 

As for the shortcuts to your .exe files on the HDD, that is as simple as right clicking on the .exe file, and create shortcut, then place the shortcut on your desktop. 

 

In the future when you install programs you'll be able to select the install location as your HDD, and a shortcut will automatically be placed on the desktop for you.

[oPiruz]

As for your pictures and documents, click the start button, file explorer, then right click on pictures, go to properties, then location, and add the location of your pictures on the HDD.  You can do the same with documents.   This will point windows to the files on the HDD also instead of just looking at the pics and docs from the OS drive.

 

As for the shortcuts to your .exe files on the HDD, that is as simple as right clicking on the .exe file, and create shortcut, then place the shortcut on your desktop. 

 

In the future when you install programs you'll be able to select the install location as your HDD, and a shortcut will automatically be placed on the desktop for you.

When I try to change location of personal files it gives me an access denied error, and I'm talking about adding shortcuts to menus, if I were to search lets just say SKYPE for this, nothing comes up in the search menu even though I have it installed on my HDD which is now plugged in.

 

edit; I have full control over both areas im trying to access, but it still access Denied's me.

[Matt420740]

When I try to change location of personal files it gives me an access denied error, and I'm talking about adding shortcuts to menus, if I were to search lets just say SKYPE for this, nothing comes up in the search menu even though I have it installed on my HDD which is now plugged in.

 

edit; I have full control over both areas im trying to access, but it still access Denied's me.

No, not change the location, point windows to the proper location.  To do that you'll need to follow the steps I outlined above.   When you go to the pictures folder, Windows considers that to be on your OS drive, you have to manually point windows to the location of your pictures on the HDD, by going to properties, then location, and adding the location of the files on the HDD.  

 

You did a clean install of the OS on the SSD.  So its only going to recognize the files on the SSD until you point windows in the right direction.  Thats just how it is.

[oPiruz]

No, not change the location, point windows to the proper location.  To do that you'll need to follow the steps I outlined above.   When you go to the pictures folder, Windows considers that to be on your OS drive, you have to manually point windows to the location of your pictures on the HDD, by going to properties, then location, and adding the location of the files on the HDD.  

 

You did a clean install of the OS on the SSD.  So its only going to recognize the files on the SSD until you point windows in the right direction.  Thats just how it is.

Ok I have gotten all the personal files back onto the HDD, but how do I get windows to see all these programs that are still on my HDD?

[Matt420740]

Ok I have gotten all the personal files back onto the HDD, but how do I get windows to see all these programs that are still on my HDD?

In some cases you'll be able to right click on the .exe of the program, create a shortcut, and use that to launch the program from the HDD via your desktop. 

 

However, with a lot of programs, critical files are stored in the users folder of your OS drive.  When you did a fresh OS install, all those files from the User folder were lost.  So the only way to get some of those programs working correctly is to re-install them.  You'll choose the location of the install as the HDD, and windows will install it to your HDD, and you'll be able to launch from menus or desktop just like normal.

[oPiruz]

In some cases you'll be able to right click on the .exe of the program, create a shortcut, and use that to launch the program from the HDD via your desktop. 

 

However, with a lot of programs, critical files are stored in the users folder of your OS drive.  When you did a fresh OS install, all those files from the User folder were lost.  So the only way to get some of those programs working correctly is to re-install them.  You'll choose the location of the install as the HDD, and windows will install it to your HDD, and you'll be able to launch from menus or desktop just like normal.

When I launch files they show up in the menu, for example if I were to run skype (which I have) i can now search it up in the menu and it shows up.

 

edit; What I was thinking of is start menu