How to Install Visual Studio on Non-C Drives: D or E
When dealing with limited space on your C drive, it's useful to install Visual Studio on a different drive. This guide will help you install Visual Studio on either a D or E drive, ensuring you maximize your available space on your C drive. Follow the step-by-step process to successfully undertake this installation.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Download the Visual Studio Installer
To boot the installation process, head to the Visual Studio download page and download the installer. Make sure to choose the version that aligns with your needs, whether it's the community, professional, or enterprise edition.
2. Run the Installer
Once the download is complete, launch the Visual Studio Installer by double-clicking on the installer executable file. This will start the installation process.
3. Choose Installation Location
During the installation process, you'll notice the automatically suggested installation path, which defaults to something like C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft Visual Studio2022Community. However, if you want to install Visual Studio on your D or E drive, you need to change this.
Locate the Installation Path section within the installer.
Click on the ... ellipsis button next to the path. This action will open a file explorer window allowing you to browse to your desired drive.
Browse to your D: or E: drive and select a folder where you want to install Visual Studio. If required, create a new folder for this purpose.
4. Select Workloads
After setting the installation location, proceed to the Workloads tab where you can choose the workloads you require. For example, select Desktop Development or any other relevant development environments.
5. Start the Installation
Once you have selected your workloads and any additional components, click the Install button to start the installation process. This process may take some time depending on your internet speed and the components selected.
6. Wait for Installation to Complete
Allow the installer to complete the download and installation of the selected components. This may take several minutes to hours, depending on the size of the components and your internet connection.
7. Launch Visual Studio
Once the installation is complete, you can launch Visual Studio either from the Start Menu or from the installation directory on your chosen drive. Ensure that the shortcut is pinned to your Start Menu for easy access.
Additional Tips
Disk Space: Ensure that the drive you are installing to has enough disk space for the components you plan to install. Each installed Visual Studio version requires several GBs of space, so check the total size first.
Changing Location After Installation: If you need to change the installation location after installation, you would typically need to uninstall Visual Studio and then reinstall it using the above steps.
Custom Settings: During the installation process, you can also customize other settings such as enabling or disabling telemetry and Microsoft account sign-in options. These settings are usually found in the Advanced Options tab.
By following these steps, you should be able to install Visual Studio on your preferred drive without any issues, ensuring optimal disk space usage on your C drive.