I can not install games on an external drive using the Xbox app / Xbox Windows Gaming...

... I suspect the "problem" might be that my Windows 10 system resides on an external hard disk which somehow messes up the installation process for "Administrator approval required for installation" games.

I have similar issues with apps and external storage.

It seems that for whatever reason, external drives aren't "trusted" as much as an internal system drive.

How is the external drive connected? Via USB, or is it an external SATA connector? You might coax the system into believing it's an internal drive, if you use an external SATA connector.

If you actually managed to install Windows on an USB drive (and it's not an official Windows To Go install), that might really be the problem.

The setup is an iMac 2019 with external Thunderbolt 3 SSD drive with Windows 10 Pro installed on it specifically for gaming needs. The problem with Xbox Games Pass for PC is the first (serious, mysterious) problem I have with this setup. Steam, Epic, GoG
- every other online gaming store works as it should and I can play pretty much any game I want, except for the ones available on the Games Pass for PC. I find it somewhat ironic.

Have you checked if you can install your games using C drive? set up your installation drive, press the Windows Key + I to open Settings. Click System > Storage. On Windows 10, underneath the More storage settings heading, click Change where new content is saved.

To change the default drive for new apps, use the New apps will save to dropdown. On the Xbox app, click the profile menu in the top-right and select the Settings options. Click on General. Under the “Game install options” section, select the drive to install games by default.

If you're trying to use an external or different drive, make sure it's set to NTFS.

None of the above solve the issue. Games currently Installed on the external drive work. Unless they need an update. They can not be updated. New games can not be installed to external drives in the xpack enclosure. Apps seem install with no issue. Games
can not be migrated to or from the external drive as well. Apps migrate with no issue. The issue seems to be related to the xpack external enclosure. It seems to have stopped working after the Feb update. Prior to this games installed updated and transfered
with no issues using the xpack enclosure.

... I suspect the "problem" might be that my Windows 10 system resides on an external hard disk which somehow messes up the installation process for "Administrator approval required for installation" games.

I have similar issues with apps and external storage.

It seems that for whatever reason, external drives aren't "trusted" as much as an internal system drive.

How is the external drive connected? Via USB, or is it an external SATA connector? You might coax the system into believing it's an internal drive, if you use an external SATA connector.

If you actually managed to install Windows on an USB drive (and it's not an official Windows To Go install), that might really be the problem.

Hello Robwing85,

Thank you for reaching out to us about your issue!

Have you tried changing the install location to the external drive in the Xbox App on the notebook?

• Launch the Xbox App on your notebook
  
• Click your profile icon
  
• Click “Settings”
  
• Select “General”
  
• Under “Game install options” you should see “Change where this app installs games by default”
  
• Select the external drive from drop down menu
  
• Close out the app entirely and then relaunch it
  

This may cause the Xbox app to recognize that there are games installed on the external drive.

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