Many people ask me a very relevant question - how to clean the C: drive from Windows - on system drive Windows has too little space left, you need to install Windows 10, there is not enough space for applications, etc.? Windows occupies 15-20GB on the disk and how to clear the Windows folder from extra files and reduce its size to the original 10GB? Upgrading to Windows 10 requires more free space on the C: drive, how do I clean it up to install Windows 10?
Yes, indeed, to install the Windows 10 update, 8GB of free space on the C: drive is required, and for owners of devices with 16GB, 32GB, and even 64GB system drives, the issue of free space on C: is very painful, because Windows folder"bloated" up to 20GB...
go through the list installed apps and remove all unnecessary - through control panel and Settings Windows systems 8.1.
Control Panel / Programs / Unistall Programs - to view and remove classic Windows applications
Keyboard shortcut Win+C / Settings / Change PC Settings / PC and devices / Disk space / See my applications’ sizes - to view and remove modern Windows applications (installed from the Microsoft Store). When you click on an application in the list, the Uninstall button is displayed to remove an unnecessary application
Copying the entire contents of the C:\Windows\Installer directory to the D: drive (conditionally to the D:\WinFiles\Installer folder) - execute from the command line CMD lines(Administrator) team robocopy c:\Windows\Installer d:\WinFiles\Installer /E /V /Z /ETA
after successful copy make sure (how to do it - ) that all files are copied and delete the Installer directory from the c:\Windows folder
create a link in the c:\Windows folder to the new directory with the installation files that you transferred (conditionally to d:\WinFiles\Installer) - run the command from the CMD (Administrator) command line mklink /D c:\Windows\installer d:\WinFiles\Installer
A SMALL ADDITION to clean up the C drive:, which is not in this video (but the question has already been asked
With enviable constancy, Windows 10 users are faced with a problem and ... a corresponding notification that “disk space is full”, frequent annoying messages like “There is not enough disk space. Ends free place on disk."
What to do when "Insufficient Disk Space"? how to clean the disk - i.e. free space? ... here we will consider all this in the most detailed way in the text below ...
However, in some cases, disk cleanup is not the only thing that needs to be done (and not always useful!), while in some cases it is best to turn off the lack of space messages ...
That's about it in order ... and to the point ...
Text by paragraph:
why not enough disk space
Like previous versions of the OS - Windows 10 also, by default, from time to time checks the system for the presence of occupied space on local drives. And that is why - as soon as the free space of drive "C" decreases to critical - the notification "Not enough disk space" pops up - so how to fix it ..?
Options for action:
1 - A common example with the "C" drive: this drive stores user data, i.e. system data, tools used by him - all sorts of browser caches, data on temporary files, various backups etc. - in this case, it would be useful to clear the system disk of obsolete data ...
In general, such cleaning of junk data is very advisable at certain intervals (how to clear browsers is described in the articles of the rubric).
2 - you still need to know: in the system - in the disk section - there is a place for system recovery files, which is usually filled with completely useful data from the starting OS! This "storage location" does not need to be changed or cleared!! it is useful in case of an accident or failure of the working system! however, it is very handy to get rid of such notification cases by turning off notifications (more details below).
…solution 1:
windows 10 disk cleanup
As mentioned, to get rid of system notification type not enough free space on the disk, in some cases, cleaning the “C” drive will help - get rid of all that is superfluous!
System garbage leads, among other things, to the fact that (for more details on how to clean up system Windows disks This will make the system run faster
Cleaning is also useful for those disk partitions that are somehow used by the system itself: for example, if you personally (allocated) set up space for the cache, or for swap files ... and so: to get rid of alerts ... you should adjust the allocated amount of space in depending on how and what you use most often.
Or!! if you think that everything is in order and the place is being used as it should, in this case, it may be worth turning off notifications, which are so annoying.
Turn off low disk space notifications in Windows 10
After another windows updates 10 (line 1803) the recovery partition is visible (manufacturer's OS) !! when it should be hidden! And, as explained above, this partition is filled with useful data for recovery by default ... and if this disk partition is full - and besides, it is “bypassed” by the disk fullness control system - then it is its “fullness” that indicates insufficient free disk space ...
And another thing is what a hitch - often, after the procedure hiding the recovery partition, notifications appear as before...
... or, for example, we have a disk partition on our computer, which we purposefully completely took away for storing valuable data, - in this case - both in the first and second Pts. it is useful to turn off notifications so that an alert that there is not enough space on the C drive, etc. does not pop up ...
turn off notifications - there is not enough disk space
The Run interpreter and Win + R will help
In the input window to execute, we write: regedit (you can copy) "Enter" ...
(read more about working in the Run window - full list commands).
7 - Windows 10.?.
What we need will open: the so-called registry editor (screenshot below).
Here - in the registry editor - we will need to go to the path to the section below (look for the folder on the panel - on the left)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
... next ... in the Explorer folder, select (on the right side of the registry editor window) "Create" (as in the screenshot above) ... set the parameter "32-bit DWORD Value"! important! if you have 64-bit Windows 10, then in this case, select the option shown in 32 ...
Now the screen below: you need to set the parameter to the created partition - the name NoLowDiskSpaceChecks (No - disable notifications ...).
Everything!! close the registry editor window.
Rebooting the computer...
… after the work done - annoying Windows 10 system notifications that there is not enough space on the disk !! will not pop up.
Which is what we need. …and pay attention: blocking notifications for all disk partitions!
... And I can only bow ... and wish useful work on the network
Do you see a notification that there is not enough disk space? If it is no longer possible to get rid of extra megabytes, then you can turn off this message so that it is no longer displayed on the screen. See how to disable in Windows 7, 8.1 and 10.
Why is there a low disk space notification
When Windows detects that one of hard drives or volumes (partitions) are few free space, throws a warning in the corner of the screen. The system notifies you of insufficient disk space when one of the partitions has less than 200 MB of free space left.
How can I disable this warning? The easiest way to clean disk space from junk files, but this is not always possible when there is nothing more to delete. We offer a simple way to block the display of this notification.
We warn you, if the notification concerns the system drive C, then you cannot ignore it.
Therefore, before disabling this warning, pay attention to which logical partition it belongs to. If the notification concerns drive C, where the operating system is installed, then it cannot be disabled.
For normal and uninterrupted Windows work requires a certain amount of free space on the system partition C. Lack of free space can lead to errors, slow down your computer. Many applications and games will either not start or will respond for a long time after clicking on their icons. The system in such a situation does not have free space to manage file sharing. And if there is no free disk space, Windows will not boot after restarting the computer.
Therefore, if there is not enough space on C, then be sure to free up the required amount. We considered different ways cleaning system partitions, allowing you to increase free space by disabling unnecessary services, such as hibernation (frees up to several gigabytes in the system partition).
Turn off low disk space notification
If the notification refers to a logical drive, such as one that stores photos, videos, music, documents, or other data, then there is a way to turn it off. Using the Registry Editor, you need to change one parameter that is responsible for displaying the notification. After the option is disabled, the warning will no longer appear on the screen. This solution works on Windows 7, 8.1 and 10.
Open the Registry Editor through the key combination Win + R. Enter the command in the window:
In the main Editor window, follow the path, opening the folders on the left side of the window:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Click right click click on the "Policies" position, select "Create - Section". A new section will be created and named Explorer.
Then right-click on the Explorer position and select New - DWORD (32-bit) Value.
A new setting will be created in the Explorer folder and name it NoLowDiskSpaceChecks. Then double click on it to open the details.
In the window that opens, an item for editing the value will be available. Set the value to 1 to enable the generated DWORD value.
Confirm the changes with OK, restart your computer. Now the warning about insufficient disk space will no longer appear on the screen.
On July 28, Microsoft began sending out installation Windows files 10 to the computers of users who have reserved an upgrade to a new operating system. The next day, users were able to install Windows 10 on computers through Windows Update. After completing the procedure, many noticed that the system partition had lost several tens of gigabytes of free space. About how to free up space in the system after Windows installation 10, later in our instructions.
The disappearance of gigabytes is explained simply: during the upgrade process, the OS saves the system files of the operating system from which the upgrade was made, so that if necessary, you can return to it without any problems. For Mac users who initially don't have much space for their Windows partition, this can become a real problem.
If you have finally decided that you will stay on Windows 10, then it makes sense to delete temporary files by doing a few simple actions. We emphasize that the following should be done only if you do not plan to roll back from Windows 10 to the previous version of the OS.
How to free up space after upgrading to Windows 10:
Step 1: Click on the search button on the taskbar, find the Disk Cleanup utility and run it. Alternatively, you can press Win+R, type cleanmgr and click OK.
Step 2: In the small window, select the system partition and click OK.
Step 3: In the window that appears, click "Clean up system files".
Step 4: Select the system partition again and click OK.
Step 5: In the window that appears, scroll through the list, check the box next to “Previous Windows versions» (Previous Windows installation(s)) and click OK.
Upon completion of this procedure, you will receive several tens of gigabytes of free space.
As a result of these manipulations, the properties window of the drive installed in the system will open.
So, we got to the cleaning mechanism. All groups of files that are listed in the list that opens can be safely deleted. As you check the boxes, the system calculates the amount of free space. However, the possibilities of the utility do not end there. Since we are going to carry out a total cleaning, we will clean up the system files at the same time.
The parameters indicated in the screenshot allow you to:
- Remove programs that have not been used for a long time. Selecting the first item "Clear", we will move to standard menu software management. As a result, it works as an interactive reminder for especially forgetful users;
- The second point is much more interesting. If your computer has System Restore enabled, which creates restore points, you can delete them. In a long-running system, they can take up significant space.
The actions performed when selecting the second item will need to be confirmed additionally.
Go to the main tab and confirm the choice again.
The system is deleting temporary files. The time to complete the operation will depend on their volume and type of drive.
New cleaning menu
In addition to the classic method that we just reviewed, Windows 10 has a new one. To use it, go to the options menu.
We will use the search function as a universal option suitable for any user.
Select the item highlighted in the screenshot to go to the new system settings.
In the quick transition menu located on the left side, select the item "Vault". We click on the stylized image of the system disk, which displays the degree of its filling.
The disk space usage statistics opens, showing the size occupied by each file category. We are interested in deleting temporary files, so let's move on to the corresponding item.
We tick the necessary items and confirm our action. After making sure that the operation is completed, we return back to the section "Vault". In it, we still have one more option not considered. Pay attention to the position of the slider in the "Memory Sense" section. His position answers the question: why are temporary files not deleted, accumulating in the system over time. It is always disabled by default.
Move the slider to the on position to allow Windows to automatically clean up temporary files. Opening the link "Change the Way to Release" and see what exactly falls under the action of automation.
If you don't use the Recycle Bin as a closet for storing unnecessary files, you can leave the sliders on. We click on the highlighted button to make sure that there is no “garbage” left in the system. On this cleaning can be considered complete.
System cleanup after update
After another Microsoft update, under the name Fall Creators Update, Windows 10 received additional settings and the first elements of Fluent Design. The main changes affected the optimization of the executable code and are almost invisible from the outside. This is where the good news ends. After installing it, the user may be faced with the fact that the disk "FROM" crowded.
Let's see where the place disappeared after the update. First, let's see how long Windows 10 takes after installation. Open the system drive in File Explorer.
Pay attention to the highlighted folder Windows.old- we will return to it a little later. We find the directory with the installed OS and right-click the context menu.
We are interested in the item marked in the screenshot. By clicking on it, we will open the properties of the selected folder.
Now let's go back and by analogy check the size Windows.old.
Now you understand how it turned out that the disk is full.
At the time of installing an update, Windows makes a complete copy of the previous version so that the user can go back if something does not suit him. Microsoft gives 10 days for testing. After they expire, the copy should be deleted automatically. If there is really not enough space on the system drive, you need to delete the Windows.old folder ahead of time.
We go to the section in which we configured the settings for automatic cleaning of temporary files.
After installing the Fall Creators Update appearance it has changed a bit. Added auto-cleaning of the downloads folder, and replaced the sliders with checkmarks. We go down and see additional options related to the latest OS update. To delete a saved copy, check the corresponding item and press the highlighted button. As a result, we return almost 20 GB of disk space.
How the OS interacts with RAM
A few more gigabytes can be taken away from the system by changing the order of working with memory. During operation, Windows creates and uses two hidden files with the "sys" extension:
- Pagefile- the so-called "paging file" or virtual RAM. To take advantage of the processing speed of RAM, it caches non-urgent data. By default, the size of this file is regulated operating system. If volume random access memory large enough, from 8 GB or more, it is practically not used. The smaller the RAM value, the larger the swap file will reach;
- hiberfile- is intended to store the contents of RAM at the time of transition to the "deep sleep" or hibernation mode. Accordingly, in order to successfully save information, it must have a size within 75% of RAM.
The use of the options listed in this part depends on the tasks for which the computer is being used and its hardware configuration. The struggle for free space should not be done at the expense of performance.
Resizing Pagefile
To change the size of the paging file, you will need to open the system properties (Win + Pause / Break).
We select the marked item and move to the window of additional parameters.
Go to the desired tab and open the performance settings.
Again we change the tab and go to the management of virtual memory.
We carry out the sequence shown in the screenshot, first of all, unchecking the automatic size selection. After that, the remaining items are activated. To determine how much space to allocate for the pagefile, we will use the value recommended by the OS. In this case, let's agree and reduce the size of the paging file by setting it to a fixed value. On click "OK" You will be warned that a reboot is required.
We confirm our decision. After restarting, the computer will use for organization virtual memory the limited amount of disk space allocated to it.
Disable hibernation
Users who prefer to turn off the PC after each working session can safely get rid of hiberfile. It is worth noting that this may slightly increase the overall boot time of the OS. If ten seconds are not critical, then run PowerShell in administrator mode.
The menu shown in the screenshot is called by right-clicking on the button "Start". If you did not agree to switch to a new shell at one time, the command line will be located in this place. The functionality of PowerShell is higher, but using any of these tools will produce the same results.
Entering the command shown in the screenshot instantly removes the Hiberfile from hard drive. Replacement « off" on the "on" puts it back in place. A reboot is not required.
Compression mode
You already know how and what can be removed from the disk to free up space, without deleting programs. Let's consider another useful feature, available in Windows 10. It’s worth mentioning right away that it can only be used successfully on computers with a modern configuration. In this case, in accordance with Microsoft recommendations, the presence of an SSD as a drive is implied. According to the technical documentation, the Compact OS feature is enabled automatically when it does not cause a general drop in performance.
The meaning of its work lies in the "transparent" compression system files. As a result, the space required to place the OS on the drive is reduced. You can check if compression is active on your computer with the following command (you need to enter in command line or PowerShell):
compact /compactos:queryYou can see the result of its execution in the screenshots below.
Now let's see how much space it took to install Windows 10 in both cases.
It can be seen that in the right screenshot, the space occupied by the OS on the disk is 2.5 GB less than the actual size of the folder.
The result is fully consistent with the declared. In the documentation, Microsoft promises savings from 1.5 to 2.5 GB, depending on the bit depth.
If Compact OS did not start automatically, but you decided to check how it will work in your configuration, you can do it forcibly. In the above command, after the colon, enter no « query", a "always". After some time, which is spent on compactification, you will see the result.
Checking how much space it takes system folder to verify the effectiveness of the actions performed.
If the result of running the OS in a compressed state does not suit you, you can perform the reverse process. We enter the parameter after the colon in the command « never" and return the system to its original state.
Third party cleaners
Users who are too lazy to do the work with their hands can use third party programs to clean Windows. When installing such software, be sure to read the license agreement.
It says in black and white that the developers are not responsible for the consequences of using the software.
Reg Organizer
The product of domestic developers, distributed on a paid basis. The cost of a license in a personal version is 650 rubles. However, you can find version 7.52 from September 2016, which is free for non-commercial use.
You cannot update the program for free, but you can use it as much as you like.
The screenshot shows the main window with a list of features expanded on the left side. You can download the program on its official website.
CCleaner
The most popular utility in the environment Windows users. Developed by the British company Piriform Limited and distributed under a shareware license. More than 50 languages are supported, including Russian. At the time of installation, it offers to additionally install the Chrome browser.
As you can see, the program offers a lot of possibilities. Checkboxes indicate "safe" items. How inactive partitions look, showing what can be removed additionally.
In any program designed for automatic cleaning, the main thing is not to overdo it. Do not repeat the mistake of users who, having discovered the parameters of the type of OS, first of all seek to remove hidden files. Check only those items that you are sure of.
Finally
Reasonable use of the above methods will allow not only to restore one-time order in the computer, but also to maintain its stable operation for a long time.
Video
For those users who love visual material, we have prepared a video on the topic.
