LM Studio Directory Migration & Junction Tool

English | 中文

Please consider giving this project a Star before use. Thank you for your support! 🌟

This project provides a Windows GUI/CLI tool to move LM Studio’s models and data directory from its default location to another drive, and create a directory junction at the original path. After migration, LM Studio can still access the content via the original path, saving space on the system drive without affecting user experience.

What you can do with it

• Move %USERPROFILE%\.lmstudio to another drive (default suggestion: D:\LMstudio_AIModels).
• After copying, automatically remove the source directory and create a junction at the original path pointing to the target.
• If the target directory already exists, choose to delete and overwrite, or skip copying and only create the junction.
• Offer both a GUI and a CLI mode.
• Prefer robocopy for fast copying; when unavailable, fall back to Python copying.
• Pre-execution reminders and checks: whether running as Administrator, and whether LM Studio is fully closed.

Requirements

• Windows only (Windows 10/11).
• Python 3.10+ (Tkinter is typically included on Windows).

Files

• move_lmstudio.py: Main tool (supports both GUI and CLI).
• movefile.bat: Legacy batch script (no longer necessary).

Important notes before use

1. Run as Administrator (creating a directory junction requires elevated privileges or Developer Mode).
2. Make sure LM Studio is fully closed (including tray and background processes).
3. Consider backing up important data.

Quick start (GUI recommended)

1. Open PowerShell or CMD as Administrator.
2. Navigate to the project directory.
3. Run:

python move_lmstudio.py --gui

4. In the GUI:
   • Set Source (default: %USERPROFILE%\.lmstudio).
   • Set Target (default: D:\LMstudio_AIModels).
   • Optional:
     • "Delete and overwrite if target exists".
     • "Skip copy, only create junction at source path".
   • Click "View Info" to inspect directory stats.
   • Click "Start" and confirm prompts.

CLI mode

1. Open PowerShell or CMD as Administrator.
2. Run:

python move_lmstudio.py --cli

3. Follow the prompts:
   • Enter/confirm source and target paths.
   • If the target exists, choose from re-enter, delete & overwrite copy, link-only, or exit.
   • Confirm that you’re running as Administrator and LM Studio has been fully closed.

Defaults

• Source: %USERPROFILE%\.lmstudio
• Target: D:\LMstudio_AIModels (Both can be customized in GUI or CLI.)

Operations

• Copy: Fully copy the source directory to the target (robocopy preferred; if unavailable, Python fallback).
• Remove source: After a successful copy, remove the source directory (free up system drive).
• Create junction: Create a junction at the original source path pointing to the target, so LM Studio keeps using the original path.

FAQ / Troubleshooting

• Cannot create junction / permission errors:
  • Run the terminal as Administrator, or enable "Developer Mode".
  • Ensure the target path is accessible, and the source path is available for junction creation after deletion.
• Target directory already exists:
  • Choose "Delete & overwrite copy" in CLI, or check the corresponding option in GUI.
  • Or choose "Link-only" to use the existing target without copying.
• Copy is slow:
  • Ensure robocopy is available (bundled with Windows).
  • Python fallback copying is expected to be slower.
• LM Studio still holds files:
  • Fully close LM Studio including tray and background processes, then retry.

Safety

• When using "Delete & overwrite", the specified target directory will be removed first. Double-check paths.
• Back up important data beforehand.

Revert / Undo

• To revert, remove the junction at the source path and copy data back; or set the target back to the original path in the tool and run again.

License

This tool is provided as-is, without warranties or liabilities.