Thank you. I now see that someone else posted about the same issue, but I overlooked it. My mistake.
Perhaps the topic author @tamalien an modify the instructions and include that point. I think that will be helpful for others.
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I just wonder: If itâs this easy to relocate the content data, why are so many people writing about creating symbolic links to cope with this ? Seems a bit overkill of a solution thenâŠ
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There are people in this Forum that have various technical backgrounds and experience in PC hardware and computer programming.
Many people just have the technical ability to install the FS2020 program and fly the planes. That is what is desired.
They exist on a technical level to only need to create a folder on the drive they want to move FS2020 to and then with the FS2020 App âMoveâ command, tell it where that folder is.
The other more technical experienced people keep their PC and its software configured in a more self controlled and desired manner that they want and know how to configure and
use it.
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Symbolic Links allow you to only load the addons you want to use during a session.
This decreases the loading time, and greatly reduces the chance of a CTD due to an addon confllict.
Just moving the Community folder to a different location does not do that.
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Symbolic Links
If I want to edit my UserCfg.opt file, I can use Notepad.
C:\Users\userid\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\UserCfg.opt
But the folder, Local Cache, is a Symbolic Link folder indicated by the arrow in the folder icon.
The actual physical folder and file is located on my D: drive
because I moved the âInstalled Packagesâ to the D: drive.
The Local Cache folder on D: drive.
D:\WpSystem\S-1-5-21-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache
This is a real physical folder and does not have the arrow in the folder icon.
Inside this folder is the real physical file, UserCfg.opt.
Note that I edit the file name on the C: drive but physically edit the file on the D: drive.
Why go to all of this trouble?
The FS2020 application can access the symbolic address.
It does not have to know or determine where you have moved the folder/file to and doesnât care where it has been moved to.
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Thanks for the explanation. I can see this is quite handy. Sorry if it sounded like I was rude, that was not the intention, I just didnât understand. I have had a long break from flightsim so getting into the new FS2020 is quite overwhelming, plus the install size. I soon realized that my system drive would be full in no time if I continued with the default install, so I was looking for a way to deal with that.
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After the final releade of SU10 changing InstalledPackagesPath is broken for me.
I moved all Official pakages to another drive and edited the path on UserCfg.opt. Then the Sim states at startup missing files and want to download again.
Before SU10 the method worked.
Does anybody else experience this issue?
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Just moving the content of the packages folder to a new path did not work for me too.
But zipping and unzipping the content into the new path did work.
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When the install screen appears, click the box that has the install location in it.
Then tell it where you want to install it.
Make a new folder if you donât already have it installed there.
driveletter:\FS2020
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How do I join the beta for flight simulator on pc play on Xbox games pass
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Here is a link to the instructions to join the Beta.
Read through to understand the program, the instructions are at the end.
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/read-first-welcome-to-the-sim-update-11-beta/548946
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Do you only move the âContents of the PACKAGES folderâ (e.g. Community folder and Official folders) and leave the âPACKAGESâ folder where it is? If so, I have done that and also updated my ADDONS Linker path and that worked but my PMDG and FENIX aircraft are not loading. Perhaps I have to reinstall them?
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No, it is the "packages folder with the other two folders in it.
Then point your usercfg.opt file to the new packages location.
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Ah ha! Thank you. MSFS ended up Downloading again and created the Package\Community and \Official folders so, I moved all the contents of what I had already moved into the new folders to overwrite what they installed. Should workâŠI hope.
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You certainly are welcome, it should work just fine.
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So, what is happening is only the Packages and subsequent Community and Official folders are placed in a custom location. The rest of MSFS remains in the default install location, correct? I assume this is the best of both worlds - meaning this method or a complete custom install in a path of our own choosing. I always like to defer to the recommendations of the Dev but with so much at risk (complete re-install if on Beta) it does make sense to at least have some files protected. I also use ADDON LINKER and now need to do some clean up.
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The other item I was wondering about are all the stuff we buy from the Marketplace. I would like to move the Airports to their respect folder in my ADDONS Linker structure so I can load what I want when I want. The files I am referring to are located in the \OFFICIAL\STORE folder. Would do this create an issues when MSFS updates these files?
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Most of FS2020 , 99% or around 170 GB), files are in the Official folder.
The rest is on the boot drive in Symbolic folders and doesnât affect this drive or your PC. Search Symbolic links.
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