Win 10 C Drive [SSD] Rapidly running out of space

[Casillero]

During the past couple of weeks my C drive [SSD 120 GB] has shown just 8.5 Gb remaining. There seems little I can do to resolve the problem. Others seem to have the same problem which is getting worse. What is happening? What is the remedy?

Terry [Casillero]

 

[Tim Locke]

First run Disk cleanup and then let us know how much space. Are you running File History? Although that limits itself on space. Restore points? Again they self limit spacewise.

You might also check your downloads directory and TEMP/TMP as well in case they have some big stuff in there.

FWIW my PC with a 256 Gb SSD tends to sit at about 130Gb used. My Downloads directory has been moved to another drive.


The final solution would be to replace the 120GB drive with a 256 or 512. This used to be expensive but the prices have dropped a lot this last year. If you do that then I recommend putting the old drive into an external USB container for backups, sneakernet whatever

 

[Susan M]

During the past couple of weeks my C drive [SSD 120 GB] has shown just 8.5 Gb remaining. There seems little I can do to resolve the problem. Others seem to have the same problem which is getting worse. What is happening? What is the remedy?

Terry [Casillero]

Have you tried optimization on you drives might make more space. Sue M

 

[davehc]

It's an SSD. Not much optimisation there.

See if you have a folder called ~Bt.. It sometimes lurks after a large update.

Download Ccleaner and run it.
https://www.ccleaner.com/download

There are some extensive options in the program, which you might like to have a quicky before you run it.

 

[Grizzly]

Run the disk cleanup including the system files. You will be surprised what is all in there. I recently had a ton of "Windows error reports" stored on the SSD which have been deleted after the disk clean up (you have to set the check mark in the list though). That alone saved me about 15GB of space(it showed as 136GB in the list).

@Tim Locke : on my systems I have only a 120GB SSD as a system drive and I have a dual boot system with Windows 10 and windows 7 on it. All my files are on a seperate drive (like Documents, pictures, movies, downloads etc.) makes it easier to backup...

 

[davehc]

Same here. That is the way to go. Keep your system running on the smallest SSD/HD available, and almost else on another device (not another partition)

 

[Tim Locke]

Run the disk cleanup including the system files. You will be surprised what is all in there. I recently had a ton of "Windows error reports" stored on the SSD which have been deleted after the disk clean up (you have to set the check mark in the list though). That alone saved me about 15GB of space(it showed as 136GB in the list).

@Tim Locke : on my systems I have only a 120GB SSD as a system drive and I have a dual boot system with Windows 10 and windows 7 on it. All my files are on a seperate drive (like Documents, pictures, movies, downloads etc.) makes it easier to backup...

Out of the folders such as Documents, Downloads,Music etc. the only one still on my SSD is Documents which grows very slowly. About 1Gb/year. All the big stuff is on another drive.

 

[Grizzly]

Well, my "document" folder has meanwhile reached 12GB in size. That is why I had to move it to another drive. My picture folder alone is 167GB in size (I take a lot of photos ).
On the SSD is only the system installed. In case of a system crash, i just restore it from an image without the need of touching my personal files.I think that is the biggest advantage. Of course I make regular backups of my files as well (did I mention,I am paranoid in these things? )

 

[Casillero]

Hello All,
Thank you all for your advice; I gradually watched my SSD go down to 4 GB. Some of the advice I was not sure about how to do some of the suggestions, and finished up not doing any of them. Finally yesterday I received a new update from Windows 10.
This morning, Thursday, I opened Windows, and guess what, my SSD had gone back to 60.8 GB. So I am going to see what happens tomorrow onwards, and leave well alone. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Terry (Casillero)

 

[Steinie]

All very interesting, thanks!

I have a 120GB SSD and only use it for software. Everything else is stored on my second and third drives. I still have 70GB free.

From what I have read defragmentation is not advisable, so I use SSDkeeper to look after the SSD.

 

[Bill Shannon]

I have 6 sata harddrives 1st 930g using 83g, the other 5 are 750gb drives. The best thing you can do is 1 get a second harddrive and move your non system data to it. 2 Get a bigger Drive C hhd's aren't expensive but I haven't been through the process of installing a new HHD into and existing computer yet so my advise stops here. Also with camera's going for bigger megapixls get the biggest hdd you can afford and that will run with your hardware so it will last you as long as it can.

 

[Bob W 123]

During the past couple of weeks my C drive [SSD 120 GB] has shown just 8.5 Gb remaining. There seems little I can do to resolve the problem. Others seem to have the same problem which is getting worse. What is happening? What is the remedy?

Terry [Casillero]

I had this trouble some years ago and it turned out to be my AV(kaspersky) was logging every action it took.If you are using Kaspersky look for a log folder or go on their website and ask.Otherwise I am sure that the same thing could be happening with other AV programmes. You can turn off Kaspersky logging but I cant remember how Hope this helps

 

[StevenG]

During the past couple of weeks my C drive [SSD 120 GB] has shown just 8.5 Gb remaining. There seems little I can do to resolve the problem. Others seem to have the same problem which is getting worse. What is happening? What is the remedy?

Terry [Casillero]

Go to This PC > Disc Cleanup > Clean up system files and see if your updated files are still on your PC. AS this is where allot of updated files are still kept and take up allot of space. I always do this after every 'Calmative Update' that Microsoft has. Also, with the same process do a 'Disk Cleanup'. Otherwise, increase your SSD drive as 125GB is a very small drive and is really (if necessary) a OP system drive and should have a slave drive for all your files.

 

[Betti]

During the past couple of weeks my C drive [SSD 120 GB] has shown just 8.5 Gb remaining. There seems little I can do to resolve the problem. Others seem to have the same problem which is getting worse. What is happening? What is the remedy?

Terry [Casillero]

Have you tried doing a disk clean up it is something that I regularly do and you can choose what you want to deleye like temporary internet files, downloads etc.

 

[Walldoo99]

During the past couple of weeks my C drive [SSD 120 GB] has shown just 8.5 Gb remaining. There seems little I can do to resolve the problem. Others seem to have the same problem which is getting worse. What is happening? What is the remedy?

Terry [Casillero]

If you're not adding a lot of data like movies or installing games download and run ccleaner, It could just be a lot of cache, but incase you haven't been told already, do not defrag your ssd and check that auto defrag is off.

 

[Trident506]

During the past couple of weeks my C drive [SSD 120 GB] has shown just 8.5 Gb remaining. There seems little I can do to resolve the problem. Others seem to have the same problem which is getting worse. What is happening? What is the remedy?

Terry [Casillero]

I have the same problem.I have tried every "trick" in the book including all of the following posts. Drive properties indicate about 63 GB of used space on a 240 GB SSD, But windows says it is full.

Also to the guy that got his drive space back after the update, what build is that?

 

[gcohen6]

Download WinDirStat and run it on your C: drive. See if there is a huge yellow section that you can't find using regular Dir

The link is here https://windirstat.net/project/

WinDirStat will show you in graphic form, what is taking up the space on your C: drive.

 

[Trident506]

Download WinDirStat and run it on your C: drive. See if there is a huge yellow section that you can't find using regular Dir

The link is here https://windirstat.net/project/

WinDirStat will show you in graphic form, what is taking up the space on your C: drive.

Thanks, I will try that

 

[AnnieGeek]

There are many different ways can solve the problem, check out the details here.
Method 1: Empty Recycle Bin
Method 2: Uninstall Some Programs
Method 3: Extend C Drive
Method 4: Add Extra Storage Space

Other Possible Solutions for Disk Drive Full Issue
1: Run Disk Cleanup
2: Reduce The Size of The WinSxS Folder
3: Make OneDrive Files Online-Only
4: Reduce the Amount of Space Used for System Restore

 

[Trident506]

There are many different ways can solve the problem, check out the details here.
Method 1: Empty Recycle Bin
Method 2: Uninstall Some Programs
Method 3: Extend C Drive
Method 4: Add Extra Storage Space

Other Possible Solutions for Disk Drive Full Issue
1: Run Disk Cleanup
2: Reduce The Size of The WinSxS Folder
3: Make OneDrive Files Online-Only
4: Reduce the Amount of Space Used for System Restore

Thank you Annie. I have done: Method 1&2. 3, - can't do as there is no unallocated space next to C:. 4 - I will get a new larger drive and see how that works out. Other- 1, did that, 2, I do not have a WinSxS Folder, 3, The one drive files I have are on line now and don't amount to much anyway. 4, there are no system restore points. Drive properties indicate 60 GB used, leaving 160GB unaccounted for. I have deleted files moved files etc, I did not move/delete all at one time but still the total GB of moved and deleted files amounts to nothing. It matters not how much I move or delete as the drive instantly shows full again.