Change compile location for DerivedDataCache

Development Getting Started & Setup
1

Hey there, I’m about to start with the Unreal Engine with UE5.5. I installed the Epic Launcher on my P: Drive. I installed the Unreal stuff everything also on P: Drive. If I create a new Blank Projekt, unreal is compiling the shaders on my C: Drive. I don’t get why. I tried to change the DDC location by changing it in the .ini file, by setting a env variable. nothing helps. My C: is running at 100% and therefore freezing my whole computer for 30 Minutes just to open the blank project.

Any advice how I can finally let it do the things on my P: Drive instead of C:?

Thank you.

2

Hello there @itsBarrex!

Since all the installation was performed on the P: drive, all related processes should use that very same drive. Just to make sure, search for “UnrealVersionSelector-Win64-Shipping.exe” in Engine\Binaries\Win64, and run it as an admin, this should register that location as main.

The specific project may require a re-mapping of the UE version being used, so right click on the myProject.uproject → switch unreal engine version → point it to the latest version.

If the issue persists, the other path left is a complete removal of all Epic software in your system, then installing from scratch:

  • First, uninstall the engine, launcher, asset packs, etc
  • Next, open the registry directory HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Epic Games\Unreal Engine\Builds, and delete any build entries
  • Finally, delete the folders %userprofile%\AppData\Local\UnrealEngine and %userprofile%\AppData\Local\UnrealHeaderTool
  • After that, reinstall UE launcher on the P: drive
3

You can make a dynamic link too

mklink /D "C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\UnrealEngine\Common\DerivedDataCache" "Z:\Unreal\DerivedDataCache"

i made it like this and a have not problems
You need administrator permission to execute "mklink "

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But remember that all the directory tree must exist exactly the same… (the folders can be empty)

Easy way to delete files inside folders:

4

Hey together, thank you for your answers. I tried both and nothing works. If I create a new Project in Unreal, it still does it on my C drive, uses 100% of it and completly freezes my PC. Is there anything I can search for to know why this happens?