Moving Package Cache

Jan

In order to be able to repair an installed program, WINDOWS stores information in a folder called: C:/ProgramData/Package Cache
In one of more subfolders you will discover current or previous installation CAB files and the Prepar3D.msi.  Depending of previous installation you will find File folders in the C:/ProgramData/Package Cache/ that look like folder names as below and contain 10 GB each:
{92B3FF8A-3C33-4EFC-850D-CF29E54292D9}v2.2.10437.0
{92B3FF8A-3C33-4EFC-850D-CF29E54292D9}v2.3.11345.0
{92B3FF8A-3C33-4EFC-850D-CF29E54292D9}v2.5.12942.0

packagecache-1.JPG

 

If you need space on your system SSD, you could move this content to another hard drive. How to move your existing Package Cache to another hard drive ?
(e.g. drive G:)

Read carefully and check each step:

  1. Navigate to the root of C:/ProgramData
  2. Select the folder e.g.: C:/ProgramData/Package Cache
  3. Press the key combination Ctrl+X to cut the folder Package Cache (folder changes into faded color)
  4. Navigate to the other drive that you want to move your Package Cache to
  5. Press the key combination Ctrl+V to paste the folder e.g. drive G:
  6. Check your new folder contents on G: and compare with C:
  7. Navigate back to the original folder e.g. C:ProgramDataPackage Cache
  8. Delete this folder Package Cache if still there
  9. Close all Windows Explorer views and Open the Command Mode as administrator (%windir%system32cmd.exe)which gives you C:WINDOWSsystem32
  10. Type in the command line (without quotes) “mklink /j”
    (mind the space after the letter k)
  11.  After typing mklink /j  hit the space bar once and type a double quote ”
  12. Directly after this double quote, type the original location of the Package Cache folder and close with a double quote “
  13. The command line looks so far like: mklink /j “C:/ProgramData/Package Cache”
  14. Hit the space bar once and type the new location of the Package Cache as on your new drive between double quotes.
  15. The command line looks like e.g. this:
  16. mklink /j “C:/ProgramData/Package Cache” “G:/Package Cache/”
  17. Mind the spaces! And then Hit ENTER
  18. Ready
  19. The mklink /j  command creates a directory junction between “Link” and “Target”
  20. This is what you read in the CMD mode:packagecache-2.JPG

Resources used:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753194%28v=ws.10%29.aspx