Is there a way to designate the disc drive to use on the PC?

Yes, during initial install you can under the advanced settings options where to place the BOINC data directory.

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Coelum Non Animum Mutant, Qui Trans Mare Currunt

Instead of having to reload the software, simply to re-configure BOINC to use a different drive, isn't there an xml or text-based configuration file tucked away in some buried or hidden user directory where such a change could be made? If so, is it just one file, or are there multiple files that would require modification? Or if Windows is the OS, might it simply be a registry change? Thanx much!

It's in the registry, a place we don't dare normal users to go tinker in. Then it's way easier to uninstall and reinstall.

There's also the problem of permission. By moving the data directory to another place the permission required for BOINC to be able to write to the directory could be gone. Then to fix that you still look at uninstall-reinstall.

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For Windows, there is a single registry entry - or to be pedantic, one entry for the BOINC programs, and the other for all user data.

Mine are

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Setup]
"INSTALLDIR"="D:\\BOINC\\"
"DATADIR"="D:\\BOINCdata\\"

You could work from that, but it's actually quicker and easier to go the 'reload' (as you call it) route.

If you're already running BOINC in the default location, and decide you've changed your mind.
1) Uninstall the old version - that removes the BOINC programs only, and leaves your personal data intact.
2) Move the BOINC Data directory to the new location of your choice.
3) Re-run the BOINC installer, pausing on the file location screen to click the 'Advanced' button and fill in the new location for your data.

When you restart BOINC, everything will function - projects will still be attached, preferences will be as you like them, work in progress will start again where it left off.

Thanx Ageless and Richard for the very quick replies; they're much appreciated. I need to allocate more space for WUs and should get to it within the next few days. As far as method goes, I'll most likely go the registry route, simply for the ease; I appreciate the warnings but I've danced around in registries for more years than I care to admit, and I've yet to have a mishap.

Don't move the program directory ('INSTALLDIR') unless you really need to - which you probably don't just for space reasons. It's about 22 MB and doesn't grow. If you move it, you'd have to change 'run' entries in the user hives too.

It would be interesting to hear if project application permissions survive the move, especially if BOINC is installed as a service. Please let us know.

Will do. And again, thanx!
…thom