Cannot install ANY games on a non-C drive (Xbox App for PC)

Daniel733 · Nov 7, 2021

This has been an ongoing issue for me and many others. I've seen a lot of posts back from 2019, and it seems like nothing has been done to fix it. I've currently unsubscribed from Game Pass and will only resubscribe if this issue gets fixed.

I CANNOT install ANY games from my Xbox App on any drive other than the C drive, which in my case is too small to fit anything. I have 4 other drives, some SSD and some HDD, but the Xbox App (and the Microsoft Store) refuses to install them on those drives. The F drive straight up doesn't appear, and if I attempt to install on my E or D drive, I get nothing but error messages.

I've attempted every. single. solution. that has been listed on other threads on this post, so there is no point replying with your usual "have you tried updating windows or reinstalling the app?" copypasta. I've even gone as far as manually reassigning ownership of every single hidden folder/file in each drive. I've cleaned the registry. I've formatted 2 of the drives. I've reinstalled windows. I've done a complete 100% clean of EVERYTHING. NOTHING has worked.

MICROSOFT: Either admit that you don't know how to fix this OR admit that you only allow people to install on their C drive for some odd reason and expect them to go buy all new 5TB C drives.

So yeah, I expect this will never ever get fixed, but I just wanted to put this out there and see how many other people respond, as I've come across hundreds of people with the issue so far, but Microsoft haven't acknowledged it, and it's been nearly 3 years. It simply means I won't be giving Microsoft any more money.

:)

Ricardo Lechuga

Hi Daniel733! My name is Ricardo an independent advisor ready to help you with this situation!

I have faced this problem on some occasions and what has worked is to move the games once installed in this way

To do this, head to Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Click an app and click the “Move” button. You'll be prompted to select another drive, and you can then click “Move” to move the app to that drive. If you see a “Modify” button instead of a move button, you've selected a traditional desktop app.

Nursemorph

Yeah, I have lost count of the number of threads that have been written here in my time on this forum.

For me, I was curious as I have never tried downloading from the Xbox App...I just fired it up, chose the first game listed in the Game Pass bit (A Plagues Tale), it listed all 3 of my hard drives and let me choose whichever one I wanted and started downloading to it fine (although I didn't let it finish downloading so maybe avoided errors)

Nursemorph

Yeah, it's strange. However, given how buggy the XBox App is, I am not at all surprised... given all the issues with that app, it feels like something that was rushed out with little testing

Daniel733

Yeah, it worked fine for me for a few months with the first few installs, but has never worked since. That's usually how it goes for most people.

Nursemorph

I'm curious: Does the install drive choice pop-up occur for you in the MS Store? Just asking as it always gives me the choice of where to install a game...and you can install game Pass games from the Store, albeit you have to manually search for it

Cannot install ANY games on a non-C drive (Xbox App for PC)