18 replies to this topic

[wevsspot]

This is really in response to one of our fellow forum members who is having trouble getting a game installer to put files in the temp folder - figured this might help. But it is also a great tweak for anyone running SSD drives.

Left Mouse Click on the Win7 Start Orb


Right Mouse Click on "Computer"


Left Mouse Click on "Properties"

[wevsspot]

Here's the screen you'll see............
Left Mouse Click on "Advanced system settings"


Make sure that you've selected the "Advanced" tab


Left Mouse Click on "Environment Variables"

[wevsspot]

And this is what you'll see;


By default the Variables "TEMP" and "TMP" will have a value indicating that they are installed on the same drive as Windows 7 - in most cases the path is;
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp

As you can see in the screenshot above I've already changed the "TEMP" and "TMP" file locations to a new folder on my "D" drive.

In order for you to do the same thing there are six more steps;

1. Create a new folder on another hard drive that doesn't contain the Operating System (i.e. any drive other than your SSD - assuming that's where Windows 7 is installed) I chose to use the same file path as Windows would use if the folders were on the OS Drive - so I created my file folders on my spare drive accordingly.

2. After you've created your file folder(s) - go back to the "Environmental Variables" menu and highlight "TEMP", then Left Mouse Click on "Edit"




3. Edit the user variable by entering the file path to the new folder you created on your spare drive.



4. Click "Ok" to save the changes.

5. Repeat the same process for the "TMP" variable

6. Reboot

[wevsspot]

Above we have modified the TEMP and TMP file locations for the user variables. You would probably want to do the same for the "System Variables".

1. Again, create a new folder on your spare drive

2. Use the scroll bar to the right of the System variables options box and scroll down to TEMP and TMP. You will see that by default this folder is on the same drive that Windows 7 was originally installed on.

3. Repeat the same editing process as before by changing the file path and pointing it towards the folder you created on your spare drive.

[wevsspot]

Hopefully I've covered everything in accurate and sufficient detail. If you see something I've missed please feel free to chime in.

Regards,

Wev

[dr_bowtie]

Nice Guide Home Skillet....

[bishop245]

Nice guide Wev and since bowtie didn't do it I will hehe

Pinned

[Waco]

Good guide! I set this up every time I install Windows - I put all my temp files on my scratch RAID array.

I get to it a bit easier though (assuming you have indexing enabled) I just type "env" into the Start menu and click on "Edit environment variables for your account" and change them all there.

[wevsspot]

Good guide! I set this up every time I install Windows - I put all my temp files on my scratch RAID array.

I get to it a bit easier though (assuming you have indexing enabled) I just type "env" into the Start menu and click on "Edit environment variables for your account" and change them all there.

Good point Waco. But many using SSD drives will say that Indexing is a no-no (I don't fit into that category by the way). I do have indexing running - even on my SSD. As well as Prefetch. Superfetch is disabled though.

[wevsspot]

Nice Guide Home Skillet....

You're one to talk Griller

[Waco]

Good point Waco. But many using SSD drives will say that Indexing is a no-no (I don't fit into that category by the way). I do have indexing running - even on my SSD. As well as Prefetch. Superfetch is disabled though.

Indexing in RAM will always be faster than searching an SSD. It doesn't cause *that* many writes since the index is only updated every once in a while.

I do leave Superfetch on though - what's the point in 8 GB of RAM if I don't use it to preload my commonly used programs?

[wevsspot]

You've got a great point on Superfetch. I'll admit that I've been kind of perversely hung up on wringing the best read speed out of my SSD. After much testing the Prefetch ON, Superfetch OFF, LargeDataCache ON yielded the best read speeds on the Marvel Controller. But in reality, whats the difference between random reads at 355 MB/s versus 371 MB/s - kind of like pissing into the wind really........................................