This article describes steps necessary to mitigate extra administrative work when using the Riot Games Launcher with Multiple System Images.
Multiple System Images are in use at a given center. When installing or updating Riot Games Launcher or its game library on one system image, the launcher is unable to locate the game library on the other system image.
Solution
-
Boot up a Machine running one of the system images with which you intend to utilize the Riot Games Launcher.
-
Install the Riot Games Launcher per the Recommended Game Launcher Configuration guide.
-
Install a game of your choosing (refer to steps 11-15 of the Recommended Game Launcher Configuration guide for Riot Games Launcher.
-
Move (do not copy) the following folders into G:\Riot Games\
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Riot Games
%PROGRAMDATA%\Riot Games
NOTE 1:
The above folder paths include environment variables which will expand to the correct path in your unique environment. Please copy and paste them into a Windows File Explorer address bar to locate them easily, then navigate up a directory to easily move the folder from its current location.
NOTE 2:
This process of moving the folders is only necessary one time after the Riot Games Launcher is installed.
NOTE 3:
The final path for each of the moved directories will be:
G:\Riot Games\appdata\Riot Games
G:\Riot Games\programdata\Riot Games
5. Observe that the directories no longer exist in %PROGRAMDATA% or %LOCALAPPDATA%, but do exist within G:\Riot Games\
6. Open an elevated command prompt.
7. Create a Directory Junction from the original folder locations to the new location you moved them to.
mklink /j "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Riot Games" "G:\Riot Games\appdata\Riot Games"
mklink /j "%PROGRAMDATA%\Riot Games" "G:\Riot Games\programdata\Riot Games"
8. Observe that there are now Directory Junctions in %PROGRAMDATA% and %LOCALAPPDATA% for the G:\Riot Games\appdata\Riot Games and G:\Riot Games\programdata\Riot Games directories.
NOTE:
Aside from the "shortcut" type icon for the folder, when you browse to these directories they will function as though they are still in the original location, even though they are a pointer to the G:\ drive location.
9. Shut down the Machine these changes were made to.
10. Apply Writebacks for the System Image and Game Image pair for the machine you just shut down.
(See Applying Writebacks for more information).
Enter a comment when prompted (typically initials of the administrator, the date, and the contents (e.g. games, applications updated).
Example:
ABC - 01-12-2021 - Updated Fortnite, COD:MW (launched to install shaders), and Google Chrome.
11. Boot up a Machine running your next system image and delete the Riot Games Configuration folders from the system image:
%PROGRAMDATA%\Riot Games
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Riot Games
12. Repeat steps 6 through 11 for each additional System Image in order to create the Directory Junctions.
Additional Information
If your center must run multiple system images because multiple Machine types with different hardware (e.g. AMD vs nVidia graphics cards, AMD vs Intel CPUs, etc) exist that cannot run on the same system image, some applications installed on one system image may not function correctly on a second system image without workarounds.
In this case, Riot Games Launcher stores its configuration in a location on the system image, which means without moving its configuration to the games image which is shared between the system images, this issue will continue.
This same general procedure can be used for any game or application that stores its configuration files on the system image (e.g. in the user profile, or elsewhere on the C:\ drive).