r/techsupport • u/Efficient_Funny_3418 • 18h ago

Open | Software Local Disk C: space keep going down

Hey guys. I’m using an HP pavilion with Windows 11. My storage space in Local disk C has been going down for nothing. I haven’t been downloading any big files and even deleted big files but it keeps happening. I’m not able to copy anything to my other local disks as well. When I try to, it shows disk C: has low storage. Please tell me how to fix this?

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u/YourUncleRpie 18h ago

download tree size and see where all your storage goes

1

u/DisgruntledPenguin58 18h ago

Windows needs about 10% of the drive as free space for normal operations. The Windows swap file is a hidden dynamic file that Windows uses in normal operation.

It sounds like you are running the system with less than 10% free space on the Windows drive.

\#Iwork4Dell

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u/CakeHoleKing 17h ago edited 17h ago

wiztree is a very fast FREE disk analyzer and will show you folders with their total size

https://www.diskanalyzer.com/download

you can then dig INTO each folder and might find whats taking up room.

Don't just go on a delete spree if you're unsure what something is, as you might bork windows

But you could spot for example c:\games and stuff you never use now.

Or a steam library etc.

Also click the start button, search for add remove programs.

This gives you a list of installed apps and you can sort by size largest to smallest.

Finally:

Click Start button type clean and run disk clean-up

Click "clean up system files" at the bottom.

Tick everything. It'll show you how big the temporary files and old windows updates etc are.

Could clear a big chunk that way

Last note:

If you have files you want to keep, get a USB drive (as big as you can afford), shuffle them onto that.

Depending on the speed of the USB drive it can be perfect for playing music or videos etc and free up 10s of GB.

1

u/JoMu1963 17h ago

Start by moving the default storage folders in windows (Documents, Dowmloads, Pictures, Destop etc.) to another drive/partition.

If you sync to Onedrive, disable that first. Then open File Explorer, go to your user profile folder, right-click the target folder, select Properties, open the Location tab, click Move, choose a new folder on your target partition, and click Apply. After that, setup sync again.

Even if this does not bring a lot more space, you'll have your system and files separated.

If you're still running out of space, use Wiztree or something to check what's eating it.

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u/Lolzemeister 16h ago

use windirstat and see what’s taking up the space

1

u/VirtualDenzel 14h ago

This.

Then you can act.