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I was reading up on how to maximize the lifespan of an SSD and they mention creating a junction point for the directories most written to on the SSD. I found that junction points just creates a second location where files are written to and not the expected effect of moving the write location to a different place.

For example, I created a junction point D:/Temp for C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data but after checking, I see that files are being written to both directories instead of the expected D:/Temp. I tried both junction.exe and Junction Link Magic. Is something wrong here or is this just what junction points are.

I'm also using windows 8.

irregular
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  • You should probably read this answer: http://superuser.com/a/373224/167187 – Vinayak Dec 05 '14 at 06:59
  • I see. I had a misconception of what junction points did. I had initially thought it would move the file writing burden to my HDD according to http://lifehacker.com/5802838/how-to-maximize-the-life-of-your-ssd but that advice seems to be wrong. – irregular Dec 05 '14 at 16:59

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I found that junction points just creates a second location where files are written to and not the expected effect of moving the write location to a different place.

They do move the writes. Which means, they move reads as well. So when Chromium tries to write to the old location, it actually writes to the old one – likewise, when you look in the old location, you're actually seeing the contents of the new one.

u1686_grawity
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  • Oh man, I see. Now I am confused as to why http://lifehacker.com/5802838/how-to-maximize-the-life-of-your-ssd recommends creating a junction point if the SSD is writing. I had thought the point was to have the HDD write so as to reduce the burden on the SSD. I guess I just had a misconception of what junction points were. – irregular Dec 05 '14 at 16:58
  • @user2807904: That *is* pretty much the point, yes. Junctions work similarly to shortcuts, but transparently to all programs. If `D:/Temp` is a junction to `C:/Whatever`, then _everything_ that opens `D:/Temp` – including the file manager – will see contents of `C:/Whatever`, cause files to be created in `C:/Whatever`, and so on. – u1686_grawity Dec 05 '14 at 17:02
  • Sorry I meant to say why are junction points recommended for improving the lifespan of SSDs. The writing to the C:\Whatever is still being done by the SSD (C:\) even if there is a junction point in the HDD (D:\). Since SSDs die with the number of writes, this advice of creating junction points doesn't seem to help in the problem of improving SSD lifespan as the SSD is still writing. – irregular Dec 05 '14 at 17:05
  • @user2807904: You're supposed to create the junction in the opposite direction. – u1686_grawity Dec 05 '14 at 17:06
  • I might have tried that already and dismissed it but I will have to try again when I get home tomorrow. Man I must have misread the documentation for junction.exe or it was worded strangely, but now I have something to try, will get back to you on how it goes! – irregular Dec 05 '14 at 17:12