Installing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

Nico,

     I had the same concern, but after some testing, it appears the directories referred to in C:\Users[username}\AppData\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe are a file system link called a Junction. This means that any thing "written" to these directories is actually written to another location to where the directory is linked (in this case, D:\WpSystem[usernameGUID]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages. The files are not written to the C:\ drive.

Because you specified the D:\ drive, all the files do indeed go to the D:\ drive. I recall reading something about Microsoft Store apps that they MUST reside on the same drive as the Windows OS. With hard links, junctions, and symbolic links, this can create the appearance that MSFS IS installed on the OS drive while still allowing you to store the data files on another larger drive.

Hard links, junctions, and symbolic links have been around for a long time with NTFS and Unix/Linux. They just aren't commonly used in everyday applications. I'm including a link to more information below if you are curious about what they are and how they work.

Hard Links and Junctions - Win32 apps | Microsoft Docs

In any case, If you selected the D:\ drive in your initial install of MSFS and allow the default directory to be used in the MSFS install manager, you'll see that during the package install, the free space on your D:\ will shrink, not the free space on C:.

I hope this helps.

Cheers and happy flying!

Brett

I'm in the same situation. How exactly do you move the folder to the 2nd drive? After moving do you delete the original path?

Exactly. I am in the same situation. I clearly chose to install it on the D drive, in both Steam and in FS2020; however it still is installing some stuff in C drive, in APPDATA. This is extremely frustrating because you should be able to install this anywhere, considering the large file size.

Guys,

I really like your enthusiasm, but thinking about something does not make it so! Also, negating or assuming also does not mean that it is true. You guys know what ASSUME stand for? ****-U-ME! You make and **** out of U and ME. No disrespect or any malice against you intended.

FS2020 installs into two directories: the main program goes on my D drive where I have asked it to be and then the aircraft, scenery and community folder is on my C drive under USERS APPDATA. I have moved this folder also to the D drive, but it MUST preserve the same structure as if was on the C drive. You vannot change the path in any way except for the drive letter or else FS2020 want to redownload all 91GB back to my C drive again.

I am not assuming this or thinking about it, these are the facts! It is like that on my hard drive and I can prove it! So please, guys, lets not make things worse by guessing.

When someone chooses to install FS2020 on his or her D drive, then the ENTIRE install must go on the D drive. NOT split between C and D!

Not possible. All but the simplest software integrates with the operating system, so they must be on the same partition. Optional parts of the software can be installed on a separate partition, but the core must be installed on the same partition as Windows. You're going to need a large  C: drive for Flight Simulator.

This is one of the reasons that computing is moving to the cloud. For example: Microsoft Office is now mostly in the cloud - Office 2019 is the last standalone edition - and Adobe Photoshop (now called Creative Cloud) is no longer available for download.