Allocating space for download files on HDD instead of SSD

[The Senate]

Hello, I have a game installed on my SSD. While installing the update for said game, i can see in my task manager that the preallocation step is done on HDD and after some files have been downloaded and update has started being applied to SSD, it stops downloading more game files. The HDD is still at 100% usage, and its limiting how quickly the update is being applied.

How can I make Steam use the faster SSD by default? I've selected the SSD as the default library folder and cleared the download cache, but Steam still selects the slower HDD for preallocation.

[Mike Ocburns]

I also find it annoying that steam would choose the slower drive to update the game when it isn't even installed there.

[かぐや]

This might be one reason.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/32099/

Steam will now use library folders on other drives to download game updates if the primary drive doesn't have enough space left

[Mike Ocburns]

well, I'm not sure if that resolves the issue that 'The Senate' posted about. But, if 100GB isn't enough free space then I'd be very surprised.

[MancSoulja]

Your CPU is the limiting factor. Most modern mechanical HDD's can write at well over 150MB/s.

[The Senate]

Renaming steam library folders on the other drives and relaunching steam made it use the correct drive for the download. Also, I did have a lot of free space on my SSD. When I deleted SteamLIbraries on the other drives it installed without problems.