The SSD space has been decreased abruptly.
The SSD space has been decreased abruptly.
Open Disk Cleanup, choose "Clean up System Files," then pick your C: drive. Check for any Windows Setup files, Windows Update cleanup, or Service Pack backups and delete them if found. You might also benefit from using CCleaner to scan all temporary folders and remove unnecessary files—often you'll discover several gigabytes of unused data there.
Open WinDirStat, select it, and execute it with admin privileges. It works regardless of whether you're using a regular or admin account.
It indicates 56.5GB available, and Windows Explorer confirms it too. Still, after calculations, the total storage is 120GB minus 47.9GB used, leaving 72.1GB free. It's typical for a drive to have some unused space, though 15.6GB of unusable area seems small. Cleaning with Disk Cleanup and CCleaner didn't remove much.
Here’s a revised version of your instructions:
To optimize your storage usage, follow these steps:
1. Turn off hibernation if you haven’t used it recently.
2. Run a system disk cleanup by right-clicking the C:\ drive, selecting Properties, and choosing the Disc Cleanup option. After completion, proceed to Cleanup System Files, which will examine your system. Confirm all options, then click “OK.” Restart your computer.
3. Access Device Manager, navigate to the hidden devices section, and remove any outdated drivers listed there. Press Delete repeatedly for each item to free up space. Restart once more.
4. Clear your Download folder if it’s cluttered. Decide which files to retain and delete the rest. Many users overlook this step.
5. Navigate to C:\Windows\Temp and remove all contents.
6. Go to C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Local\Temp (be aware of hidden folders) and delete unnecessary files. Some items remain because they’re needed by programs.
7. Visit C:\Nvidia, C:\Intel, and other manufacturer directories to remove outdated setup files—these aren’t active drivers but take up space.
8. If using OneDrive, consider moving large data files online to conserve space.
9. Remove old Shadow copies by opening Command Prompt as administrator and running: vssadmin delete shadows /for=c:.
10. Apply updates permanently with: dism /online /cleanup-image /spsuperseded. Restart your system afterward.
After these actions, your C:\ drive should contain only essential folders such as Program Files, Program Files (x86), PerfLogs, Windows, Users, ProgramData (hidden), EFI, and RecoveryImage (depending on your OS version). Anything else should be removed or relocated.
For a clearer view of space usage, consider using a free tool like Space Sniffer—it’s simple to use and shows which files are consuming space.
[Link](http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/)
I’ve completed every task listed except removing the downloads (they’re all on the D drive) and clearing the Windows temp folder (only 13MB). This saved a total of 3.4GB—down from 56.3GB to 59.7GB. Regarding spacesniffer, I’ve used it for some time now, and here’s a screenshot from the C: drive. I’m hoping I can find a better way to free more space, just need the right solution. Thanks a lot for the helpful reply, GoodBytes!
Clicking under Space Sniffer on "Windows" will reveal additional details and display the largest directory, allowing further progress. Saving space can be achieved by installing the program on a different drive; however, using an HDD will result in slower performance. Ideally, you should seek a larger SSD for better efficiency.
No, you don’t need the "Installer" folder if you already have the installation CD.