With PD12 open simply click the "set user preference" tab located at the very top of the page in between edit and produce and once clicked and opened look for "file" from there you can change the location on where to store

Thank you!
I actually already did that but I think it just needed a good old "turn it off and on again". I deleted all my cache files ,then closed the app and that did the trick.

Are you certain that this change caused cached files to move off the SSD? It's been my understanding that the cache is always kept on the C: drive and is not user configurable.

In a test here, I directed EXPORT to another partition, then rendered the timeline. The files were written to the usual C: Power Director preview cache folder. Nothing was written to the other partition.

The EXPORT path is explained in HELP as follows...
"Export folder: set the folder where captured media is saved. To change this folder, click Browse and then select a new folder."

This path sets the default path (OUTPUT folder) for produced PDF files, captured video, etc. There are various subfolders.

I changed the path of every thing that I could find in that settings window and pointed it to the same partition. At first it didnt do anything. but then I closed the project and deleted all the shadow files/cache and then opened up my project again. You can try something similar and it might work for you as well.

Indeed, after making those changes some files were written to the other partition, but various XML, test and WAV files remained on C:, seemingly splitting the cache files. Your image also shows files saved to C: (as well as F:).

Others will chime in with their more educated experiences.

funny.. i actually want to make sure the Cache director is on my SSD.. to get the most out of PD performance