I'm having a real problem with my C drive, which is only 71GB, and it's running out of space, but I can't figure out why. The only things on it are the operating system and a couple of programs like Adobe Acrobat and Minecraft. I don't keep movies, big applications like Photoshop, or even many personal files – just a few documents that probably take up about a gigabyte. I've cleared out any leftover files from Windows updates, emptied the cache, and used the recycle bin, but I'm still struggling with this storage issue. Can anyone give me some advice?
6 Answers
Have you tried cleaning out your TEMP folder? Sometimes those files can take up a lot more space than you think! Also, ensure you've gone through Prefetch and cleaned that out too.
There are great free tools like WinDirStat or WizTree that give you a visual representation of what's using your disk space. They can help pinpoint large files or folders.
Honestly, if you can afford it, getting a bigger drive like a 500GB would save you a lot of stress. But I get it, SSDs can be pricey, especially for students.
Yeah, I'm using a 120GB Samsung NVMe SSD and it's tough to budget for a larger one right now.
Your C drive could easily be taking up 45-50GB just for the OS and some browser files. It’s tough with small drives like this. You might want to explore alternatives that consume less space, such as a lighter OS like Linux, especially since you mentioned not needing much.
Given you're working with only 71GB, that’s pretty small for Windows. Temporary files, Windows updates, and system files can really add up. Be aware that features like hibernation might be eating up your storage too. Microsoft recommends at least 64GB for Windows 11, so you're kind of on the edge anyway.
I did find some residue from Windows updates and cleared it. Now I have about 8GB free! I'll check on the hibernation settings next.
Check your C:Users[YourProfileName]Downloads and Documents folders. Those places might be housing some large files you didn’t realize were there! A ton of junk can accumulate in your temp folder too.
Got it! I'll check those folders, thanks!
I’ve already cleaned both TEMP and PREFETCH.