chrome Easier way to move the location of Google Chrome Cache & User Profile

[johnporter29]

Easier way to move the location of Google Chrome Cache and User Profile folder (Win Vista & Win 7 ONLY)

The easiet and perhaps a better way to move the cache/profile directory used by Google Chrome to whatever location you want is to create a symbolic link in the original location that points to the new location. Doing it this way, Chrome still thinks it's storing files in the usual location, but that's actually just a symbolic link to another directory in a completely different location. There are no other hacks required while using this method, and the process always works even if Chrome is started differently each time it was started.

This will work on Windows Vista and Windows 7 without any additional software. This should also work on any other OS where you can create a symbolic link. Windows XP users will need to download the Junction utility from Microsoft to be able to do this, instructions on creating a symbolic link in Windows XP are on the download page for thus utility.

Please note that this procedure will delete your exisiting profile, bookmarks, pinned tabs etc.

The procedure as follows:

1. Close any instances of Google Chrome you may be running. You may also want to quickly run Task Manager to ensure ALL instances are closed. If any instance of Google Chrome is left running, it will prevent you from completing Step 3
   
2. Create a directory at some suitable location where you want the cache to go, for example, I use a folder called chrome on my second HD (d:\chrome)
   
3. Navigate to where Google Chrome is installed and locate the 'User Data' folder. If installed using the defaults, this should be something similar to C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data. Move (not copy) the whole User Data directory to the new location. So now in the new location you'll have a User Data directory, like so "d:\chrome\User Data". And the User Data directory will be gone from the original location, because you have just moved it.
   
4. Next, open an elevated command prompt (right click the command prompt icon and choose "Run as Administrator"). In the command window, type (using example from above:
   

?mklink /J "C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data" "d:\chrome\User Data"

Make sure to replace the {username} with your own user account name. Don't leave out the quotes, they are necessary.

That's it. Google Chrome will now store your profile and cache at the new location.

[klepper]

DON'T DO THE ABOVE GUIDE IF YOU ARE MOVING JUST THE CACHE FOLDER TO A RAM DRIVE!!!!

If you have a RAMdrive (and you should, it speeds things up 20% faster and or you have an SSD and want to reduce the writes) you need to move ONLY this folder,

C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\cache

otherwise all your settings will be removed every time you turn off.

thus the command like should be like this:

?mklink /J "C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\cache " "E:\RamDrive"

[Growled Member]

Thanks for the tutorial. I may try this one day. :)

[rover3500]

Nice 1,thanks

I did the move cache one as I have win 8 x64 and am using a ramdrive.I just got 8GB so I thought I'd use 4 for doing this kind of thing.I've also done main temp folder for windows and Firefox profile folder(you notice that change)...any suggestions for more to speed things up?I may not answer straight away as not on computer much these days.

Thanks

[thas]

Thanks for sharing.

 

I may suggest using a small change, if the Pc is your home Pc with many users:

  (mklink /J "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\" "E:\Users\%username%\Google\Chrome\User Data")

to make more generic and serves all users.

 

Regards

 

Thas