Install Photoshop on a secondary disk drive?

I want to experiment with installing Photoshop Beta on a secondary (non system) drive. Google only shows out-of-date info about this, but in Creative Cloud I found "Preferences" hidden under the "File" option under the Hamburger icon in the top left corner.

It has an Install Location option which offers all my logical disk drives. But no matter which drive I select I get a "Cannot install to a root drive" error, and the default location remains selected.

Has anybody successfully done this?

I haven't tried it.

I wonder if you need to install to a directory on the drive, rather than its root?

Redcrown said:

I want to experiment with installing Photoshop Beta on a secondary (non system) drive. Google only shows out-of-date info about this, but in Creative Cloud I found "Preferences" hidden under the "File" option under the Hamburger icon in the top left corner.

It has an Install Location option which offers all my logical disk drives. But no matter which drive I select I get a "Cannot install to a root drive" error, and the default location remains selected.

Has anybody successfully done this?

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that all Adobe software can be installed on a non-system drive. https://helpx.adobe.com/download-in...nge-install-location-creative-cloud-apps.html

When you get the error "Cannot install to a root drive", did it actually say that exactly, or did it say "Cannot install to a root directory" or "Cannot install to a root folder"?

Redcrown said:

I want to experiment with installing Photoshop Beta on a secondary (non system) drive. Google only shows out-of-date info about this, but in Creative Cloud I found "Preferences" hidden under the "File" option under the Hamburger icon in the top left corner.

It has an Install Location option which offers all my logical disk drives. But no matter which drive I select I get a "Cannot install to a root drive" error, and the default location remains selected.

Has anybody successfully done this?

Click to expand...

This may, or may not help.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements.html

A few weeks ago there was another thread, about ON1 PhotoRaw malfunction. OP installed the software on D drive.

It is up to you to decide about feasibility of such an installations

Thanks, and for the archive I figured it out. Finally found a decent video buried 6 pages deep in YouTube.

In the Hamburger_Icon/File/Preferences/Apps/Install Location, you click a Pencil Icon and see all your "Drives". When you click on one it highlights that drive. You then have a "Select Folder" and a "Done" option. Clicking either of these gets the "Cannot Install to Root Path" error.

Turns out you have to double-click on the drive. That opens an Explorer window where you select a folder. And you have to pre-create the desired folder before doing this. The CC dialogue won't create a folder for you. But then it does create a folder within that folder (Adobe Photoshop Beta in my case) and installs everything there. Works fine once you figure this out.

I've done this twice before for Topaz and an Android emulator called BlueStacks. Both those installs ask only for the drive and then create their folders automatically. In fact, they create a "Program Files" folder just like on the system C: drive (convention). So I was simply duped by a slightly unconventional CC process.

The Photoshop Beta installation, by the way, took 4.68 GB. Topaz takes 42 GB, and that Bluestacks thing takes 51 GB. My Windows system drive is only 86 GB without these 3 on it. The rest of Adobe (PS 2025, Bridge, Lightroom, Camera Raw) is 13.5 GB still on my system drive.

Why do this? I make weekly full image backups of my system drive, and keep about 6 weeks worth. I save a lot of backup time and disk space moving large applications off the system drive. In case of a disaster requiring a full system restore, after restoring the base system I'm going to do fresh installs of these large apps anyway. So I don't need to include them in system backups.

Redcrown said:

I want to experiment with installing Photoshop Beta on a secondary (non system) drive. Google only shows out-of-date info about this, but in Creative Cloud I found "Preferences" hidden under the "File" option under the Hamburger icon in the top left corner.

It has an Install Location option which offers all my logical disk drives. But no matter which drive I select I get a "Cannot install to a root drive" error, and the default location remains selected.

Has anybody successfully done this?

Click to expand...

Windows or Mac. Windows programs generally default to the Boot (C) drive but I always change that to a secondary drive because I don't want my boot drive cluttered with apps. All the programs I have installed allow me to choose what ever drive I want. I don't use Photoshop so it's possible that that program requires installation on the default drive.

tbcass said:

Photoshop so it's possible that that program requires installation on the default drive.

Click to expand...

This is not a requirement, Photoshop can be installed on any drive.

Redcrown said:

Why do this? I make weekly full image backups of my system drive, and keep about 6 weeks worth. I save a lot of backup time and disk space moving large applications off the system drive. In case of a disaster requiring a full system restore, after restoring the base system I'm going to do fresh installs of these large apps anyway. So I don't need to include them in system backups.

Click to expand...

This is the reason that it is inadvisable to install *any* software, or keep data, on the system drive.

Most apps don't need to be there although some programmers do not provide the option.

Of course, the other reason is "drive full".

Richard

Richard James said:

Redcrown said:

Why do this? I make weekly full image backups of my system drive, and keep about 6 weeks worth. I save a lot of backup time and disk space moving large applications off the system drive. In case of a disaster requiring a full system restore, after restoring the base system I'm going to do fresh installs of these large apps anyway. So I don't need to include them in system backups.

Click to expand...

This is the reason that it is inadvisable to install *any* software, or keep data, on the system drive.

Most apps don't need to be there although some programmers do not provide the option.

Of course, the other reason is "drive full".

Richard

Click to expand...

When they don't provide an option I simple edit the installation path to the drive I desire.

tbcass said:

All the programs I have installed allow me to choose what ever drive I want. I don't use Photoshop so it's possible that that program requires installation on the default drive.

Click to expand...

Clearly, YMMV. I have encountered numerous Windows apps that offer no option to edit the install location.

Richard

Richard James said:

tbcass said:

All the programs I have installed allow me to choose what ever drive I want. I don't use Photoshop so it's possible that that program requires installation on the default drive.

Click to expand...

Clearly, YMMV. I have encountered numerous Windows apps that offer no option to edit the install location.

Richard

Click to expand...

It is allowed to install Photoshop on a non-system disk.

Richard James said:

tbcass said:

All the programs I have installed allow me to choose what ever drive I want. I don't use Photoshop so it's possible that that program requires installation on the default drive.

Click to expand...

Clearly, YMMV. I have encountered numerous Windows apps that offer no option to edit the install location.

Richard

Click to expand...

I don't doubt they exist, I just haven't run across them.

dj_paige said:

Richard James said:

tbcass said:

All the programs I have installed allow me to choose what ever drive I want. I don't use Photoshop so it's possible that that program requires installation on the default drive.

Click to expand...

Clearly, YMMV. I have encountered numerous Windows apps that offer no option to edit the install location.

Richard

Click to expand...

It is allowed to install Photoshop on a non-system disk.

Click to expand...

Yes, I have been doing it for ever....

The quoted piece says "All programs..." and "I don't use Photoshop..."

That is the context of my response. Some apps do not provide any options.

Richard