Learning, Sharing, and Teaching > Do it Yourself Discussion!
Help! (Windows 10) Space on C drive (partition) inexplicably disappearing again!
ObviouslyNotAGolfer:
This happened a couple years ago. I watched as the available space on this partition (150 Gb of a total 1 Tb) dwindled and I eventually was faced with error messages, crashes, freezes, and other unpleasantness. I tried optimizing the disk--or whatever it is called, and this was of minimal help. I tried to delete everything not absolutely essential, but it bought me very little. For the most part, I only keep software and a few miscellaneous items on that partition, while most of my data is on the D partition and external drives. I called my tech but he was not able to answer the issue over the phone so I took it in. He said he installed a bunch of updates and he said the problem resolved itself. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to avoid losing another day of work? I don't understand the bit about the updates--I don't think Windows 10 users have much of a choice (??). It always just does them whenever it wants.
EDIT: I updated, and lost even more space. I turned off System Protection and gained only a few GB.
The advice I am getting--even on the Microsoft site--is pretty useless--"Well, you can try and find those hidden partitions Microsoft puts on your drive. You can try to delete them, but that is a minefield." Apparently, some are important, but some are just worthless space consumers (???!!!)
I can't get answers anywhere, and now my tech, who I trusted for years has retired, and I am facing impending computing disaster!
Lan Mandragoran:
I'm very confused by your post.
Can you lay it out a bit more systematically?
Your C drive space is just disappearing? As in your checking disk management and the actual partitioned space is reducing? Or your just viewing the space in file explorer and its less every time you look at it?
I'll try to help but your best bet if the data is actually valuable is to take it to someone technical in person. More technical than geek squad on average is :P.
My generic advice for people not technically inclined that want to fix it themselves.
#1.) externally backup the data.
#2.) get whatever licensing you need off it and do a clean reinstall. Windows 10 has tools to do this for you. It's pretty easy, google will find it for you with "windows 10 reset".
That will fix any software related problem =].
ObviouslyNotAGolfer:
--- Quote from: Lan Mandragoran on December 11, 2017, 02:15:18 PM ---
Can you lay it out a bit more systematically?
Your C drive space is just disappearing? As in your checking disk management and the actual partitioned space is reducing? Or your just viewing the space in file explorer and its less every time you look at it?
--- End quote ---
The size of the partition is remaining the same. In both Explorer and Disk management, the amount of free space is decreasing.
the_fixer:
In Windows 7 we see .cab files from Windows update filling the drive from time to time.
May or may not apply but search on Windows 7 cab files filling up drive and see if it applies.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Also a tool like windirstat can show you where space is being used
Lan Mandragoran:
--- Quote from: ObviouslyNotAGolfer on December 11, 2017, 03:02:06 PM ---
--- Quote from: Lan Mandragoran on December 11, 2017, 02:15:18 PM ---
Can you lay it out a bit more systematically?
Your C drive space is just disappearing? As in your checking disk management and the actual partitioned space is reducing? Or your just viewing the space in file explorer and its less every time you look at it?
--- End quote ---
The size of the partition is remaining the same. In both Explorer and Disk management, the amount of free space is decreasing.
--- End quote ---
Winderstat is a great suggestion. There are other similiar programs that may be helpful as well. I'd still suggest just rebuilding it. It's really pretty easy, and isn't a bad thing to do in any case.
If something is actively filling up drive space you should be able to pinpoint the location and service via Task manager + procmon, that can lead to information overload if your not an expert in it. Also if you do decide to go that route, its probably easier to just rebuild it, rather than trying to sort through registry files and process threads.
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