The default installation location of most applications is in C: or the default Operating System drive. Overtime, this drive can run out from free space specially with the large hard disk free space requirement of new release applications.
The old way to move installed application is to uninstall the application and reinstall it to a new hard drive. Fortunately there is a better way to do it and it is by using a Windows built-in command line utility called Mklink (Similar to "ln -s" of linux). It is use to create symbolic links or symlinks and hard links in MS Windows. Mklink requires administrative privileges.
To move a Windows Application using Mklink, follow these steps.
1. Use Windows Explorer to cut and paste the application's directory. For example, cut and paste this folder "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio" to"D:\Microsoft Visual Studio"
2. Open the command prompt as administrator.
3. From the prompt, type: mklink /J "mirror folder" "current location of the files". For example, mklink /J "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\", "D:\Microsoft Visual Studio\".
4. If successful, the utility will display a result similar to this:
Junction created for C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\ <<===>> D:\Microsoft Visual Studio\
Remember that the application your moving should not be currently in use. Mklink is available in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
