Unable to change install location to external hard drive

[Pratibha379109785d2b]

I am new to Adobe CC suite. As soon as I started to use, I figured I wont be able to manage on my laptop. I deleted all the installed apps and now want to setup a flow where I operate off of an external drive.  But, when I go to Creative cloud -> Preferences -> Install location & change it to external drive, I am getting an error "Unable to install at this location".  I have a SanDisk SSD 2 TB external drive connected where I am trying to change the install location. Please help. 

[John T Smith · Accepted solution]

The program manager and some other components must go on the boot drive

Install on non-boot drive (with a picture) https://community.adobe.com/t5/download-install-discussions/creative-cloud-installation/td-p/1245517...

I think that the programs may not be installed to an external drive since disconnecting that drive will break the installed links

[Pratibha379109785d2b]

I have followed the steps shown in the picture. And Creative Cloud App itself is installed in main mac harddrive. 

[kglad]

you must have a compatible (with adobe) formatting. ie, case-insensitive. 

erase your external hard drive and format it to ExFAT.

you can find what format your external hard drive by:

disk utility > your external hard-drive name > below the icon and the name of your drive will say a format type like AFFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

to change your external hard drive format follow these steps:

disk utility > your external hard drive name > right click > click erase ( this will get rid of everything on the external drive so make sure to back-up somewhere else ) > under format choose ExFAT > erase

[Pratibha379109785d2b]

I looked up and it already says ExFAT file system.  Also, interestingly, I got on a support chat with an Adobe rep and the rep did not think it was possible to install on external hard drive but, I see so many posts saying this method is possible simply by chaning Install location under preferences. So confusing!

[kglad]

what's your install path?

[Pratibha379109785d2b]

I created a folder in the external HD and tried to install but no luck

[kglad]

again, what's your install path?

[ExUSA]

ExFAT is a Windows format. For use with a Mac, you need to reformat to either MacOS Extended or preferrably, APFS.

[kglad]

make sure that's not case-sensitive

[ExUSA]

Yes case-sensitive format will not work.

[kglad]

mac or win?

is the hd formatted?

[Pratibha379109785d2b]

MAC and I havent done any explicit formating but I would think it is as I didn't have to do anything so far to use it.

[ExUSA]

Its probably ExFAT which you cannot install applications on.

[Shivangi_Gupta]

Hi @Pratibha379109785d2b,

We appreciate you reaching out. We do not recommend installing the applications on an external hard drive.

Regards,

Shivangi 

[ExxoStack]

If my internal hard drive is already full and unable to download updates, what other choices do we have? In my case I have a 2019 Macbook Pro and have reached out directly to Adobe a few days ago, confirming that we could indeed install apps on an external harddrive. Could we please confirm?

[kglad]

yes, you can but there are a few gotchas.

[piton3853]

Respect and understand. However, it would be nice to be able to choose which SDD to install on. I am running mac OS off of an external SSD b/c of the size of my internal SSD. I'll hapily install on internal SSD, but Adobe installer won't let me choose the install location.

[kglad]

@piton3853 

you can choose where to install the cc apps, but where ti install the cc desktop app.

[Harry27435836xgbz]

i had the same issue and i eventualy had an error saying that you cant set the install location to a removable drive

[kglad]

@Harry27435836xgbz 

correct, adobe apps are not made to install on removable drives or vpns.