My C: drive is nearly full, showing about 175 GB used out of 186 GB, even though I haven't saved any particularly large files there. I moved folders such as Videos, Documents, Desktop, and Downloads to other drives when I first set up the computer, so those shouldn't be using space on C:. I also have a separate 50 GB Linux partition, but it isn't visible in Windows, meaning the physical drive is actually about 236 GB in total.
Windows reports roughly 50 GB of temporary files. I've tried removing them with Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup several times, including after restarting the computer and running the tools as administrator. The cleanup process calculates the files, asks for confirmation, and then appears to run for a while before stopping without an error or freeing any space. What could be causing this, and what's the safest way to identify and remove the files?
3 Answers
Try scanning the drive with a disk-usage tool such as WizTree. It will show which folders are actually consuming the space, which is more reliable than assuming all 50 GB belongs to removable temporary files. Run it as administrator so it can inspect protected folders too.
Since the cleanup tool stops without reporting an error, the displayed temporary-file total may be stale or may include files currently locked by Windows or another application. First identify the largest directories with a disk analyzer, then close unnecessary programs and clean only the confirmed cache or temporary folders rather than deleting files blindly.
BleachBit may be able to remove temporary files that Disk Cleanup is failing to process. Use its Preview option first and review the list carefully before clicking Clean. Avoid selecting anything you don’t recognize, especially browser data, system files, or application settings you may still need.
The scan should also help confirm whether the space is in Windows’ temporary folders, an application cache, restore points, or some other large system directory.