I'm having major issues with my HP 15-dy2045nr laptop running Windows 11. A few months ago, my internal storage inexplicably filled up, no matter how many apps and files I deleted. Even now, despite switching to a 60 GB USB drive to store important files and setting my system to save new content there, I'm still getting notifications that my storage is full. This issue escalated to the point where I couldn't keep more than three Chrome tabs open without prompts to free up space. Recently, I discovered that OneDrive might be the culprit behind file deletions on my laptop, which makes sense because I noticed empty folders on my desktop previously. When I tried logging into my laptop yesterday, it froze multiple times, and now I'm facing a black background instead of my usual wallpaper, with the taskbar not responding at all. The only thing I can control is the mouse cursor; nothing else works. I also saw a 'Windows 11 Home' notification at the bottom right corner of the screen that I don't remember seeing before. Am I in big trouble? Could this be a virus? What can I do to fix this?
3 Answers
Just keep in mind that if you're trying to fix system settings or tweaking BIOS, you can risk losing data. If it comes down to needing a factory reset, make sure you have everything important backed up. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way! Also, with Windows updates, it might be worth rolling back to a previous version if the performance issues started after an update. You can usually find that option in Recovery settings if you can get there.
You should definitely look into using a disk space analyzer like TreeSize, but since you can’t access your applications, options are limited right now. If things are frozen, you might want to do a hard reset by holding down your power button until it turns off, then turn it back on and try logging in again. Sometimes a fresh start can clear up the issues! If it lets you back in, then you can try running TreeSize from your USB if you can get it set up.
It sounds like you might be dealing with a combination of storage issues and maybe some malware. First, if you think there's malware involved, running a malware scan could help. You can try booting your laptop in safe mode, which sometimes lets you avoid problems caused by Windows not responding. If you need tools while in safe mode, you can often access Windows Defender or other antivirus programs there. Also, check your backup settings to make sure files aren't being deleted when syncing with OneDrive! That might help with some of the storage concerns too.
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