help quickly losing disk space since 'refreshing' Iconia W510

sueH
sueH Member Posts: 14 New User
in 2013 Archives

I had trouble with restarting after updates were installed and ended up refreshing which left me with personal files but no MS office 2010 nor other programmes that I had installed.  I thought that refreshing would actually clear space.  up to then I'd got about 19gb left but I've just checked and it's gone down to 6gb.  Why is this and how can I reclaim space please?

Answers

  • sueH
    sueH Member Posts: 14 New User

    I should add that I have gone to C properties and disk clean but that would only release 22mb of space, peanuts.  What is going on please?  It seems from a post further down that I'm not the only one with this problem.

  • yumms
    yumms Member Posts: 10 New User
    When you do a refresh, a backup copy of previous Windows folder is created. To recover space you need to run the disk cleanup utility.
  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    When you ran "Disk Cleanup" did you select "Cleanup System Files" ? "Previous Windows Installation(s)" could be over 10 GB.

  • sueH
    sueH Member Posts: 14 New User
    Could you take me through process please. I went to library? Then computer, right clicked to properties, general, then disk clean. Where is clean system files please in windows 8?
  • Leho
    Leho Member Posts: 525 Mr. Fixit WiFi Icon

    Sue

    In Windows 8 there is a 'Disk Cleanup' APP.  I have not used it myself and I have no idea what it removes when it does the cleanup. I strongly suggest CAUTION before using.

    Leho 

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder
    Spoiler
    In Windows 8 from Desktop

    From the Windows 8 start screen swipe the right side and select "Search". Type "computer" in the box and hit enter (tap the go button) then Select computer on the left.

     

    When it opens either right click on the icon of the drive you want or tap an hold until the menu appears. Select "Properties" then "Disk Cleanup". It will runinate for a while then present a selection screen. At the bottom left is a button that says "clean up system files". Tap that.

     

    Will runinate for a while then pop a screen showing all of the things you can remove. Hopefully one will refer to backup system files and be several GB. Select as many as you are comfortable with then go.

     

    Reboot and see how much space is available.

     

    Note: I would run a "system backup" as soon as possible afterward. Only do this is you really need the space and have recovery disks.

  • Leho
    Leho Member Posts: 525 Mr. Fixit WiFi Icon

    Sue

    Or access Disk Cleanup from the Start Screen App (or all apps if not pinned to start).

    Or from Control Panel

    System and Security

    under Administrative tools Free up disk space

     

    All of the access methods will work. Then just follow the menu but be careful of what you want to remove.

    Leho

  • sueH
    sueH Member Posts: 14 New User

    This is very helpful LeHe but going through the clean up procedure it can only find 457MB of space to free up even when I ask it to check old system files, and restore points.  Something is still hidden and won't show itselfSmiley Happy  I'm a bit worried about really delving into files as I won't really know what to keep and what to delete.  So for the time being, I'm buying a 16gb micro sd card which my Acer will take just to give me a bit of leeway whilst I think about my next step.  I just wish I could understand and find those duplicated files because it's no coincidence that it happened just after refreshing.  Blooming microsoft and their updates. It's always those that give me a problem.  So much so that I don't allow automatic updating but even that hasn't helped me this time.

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    Might want to check for an excessive pagefile size: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/change-the-size-of-virtual-memory . After that about all you can do is to open a DOS box (CMD) and from the C: root rirectory (C:\) run dir/s/a >allfiles.txt (if get a file access violation then open the dos box using "Run As Administrator) . Then open allfiles.txt in Notepad and see if anything is exceptionally large. This will list all of the files on the disk.

  • sueH
    sueH Member Posts: 14 New User

    I have checked the files that were modified during the 'refreshing and the big ones are as follows

    Windows old 18.3gb, WinSxS 6.72gb and System 32 2.13 gb.  What to do next please?

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    I'd probably insert a 32GB SD or flash and just move the whole Windows.old folder there to save for a while. See http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2527-windows-old-folder-delete-windows-8-a.html and http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/restore-files-upgrade-windows-old

  • sueH
    sueH Member Posts: 14 New User

    This is very useful and it was more or less what I was doing except it didnt identify windows old as a file that was unnecessary.  And seemingly all the instructions on those two links emphasise that you should proceed with caution.  Therefore I am scared!  I am getting an external dvd cd driver to enable me to install MS Office back again when I get enough space.  I've got quite a few writeable dvds.  Could I put Windows old onto one of them or does it always have to be part of the computer when it is running? I've just ordered a 16gb micro sd card as I didn't think I'd need anything much bigger as I don't dowload big files.

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    With 32gb SD cards under $20, I'd just go that route or back up on any USB drive (I have a TB backup drive). DVD won't work because it won't hold 18GB though you might trim Windows.old to fit a 16 GB flash. Personally doubt that you would ever need it but am kind of a belt and suspenders mentality.

     

    My major concern is that you do not feel comfortable with this. If you have a 32BG version you should have receive the backup disk set. It probably has everything other than personal files found in the Documents and Settings folder - that is probably all you need from the Windows.Old.

     

    BTW I put very little other than programs on the W510, everything else including all divers/updates goes on a much larger desktop and I put data files on a SD card. Despite a lot of "stuff" I have 10GB free.

     

    I do also have the W510 to operate as a desktop with real monitor (1920x1080), keyboard, and mouse but then I boot from a 120GB SDD. It can really be used in many different ways but does not fit in my jacket pocket - that is why I need a W3.

  • sueH
    sueH Member Posts: 14 New User

    I've tried to move the Windowsold file onto the 32gb microsd card but whilst it reads it, it won't transfer.  Says something like System stops this.  I've transferred all my Documents onto the sd card but it there a way to get to them without having to go through computer - secure drive [sd card] etc?  Also I tried to move Thunderbird over as that's another big file but again I couldn't connect it to the icon so moved it back to C: programs again.  Is there a way I can do this without having to reinstall Thunderbird on the sd card separately?

  • linusg
    linusg Member Posts: 8 New User

    I discovered I have a similar problem.

     

    On my Iconia W510 I felt like I had a bit too little free space left (1 GB). I counted the available files (including hidden files) and I only have slightly above 22 GB (13.4 GB being windows) out of the total 29 GB drive. So there was about 6 GB missing that were not available from the explorer.

     

    I went into the disc cleanup option and actually found it. It was 6 GB worth of data in temporary files. So I checked it and said I want it removed, the PC did some thinking and then offered me the list again. This time I spotted "1 GB disc cleaning" so I figured I'd select that as well and clicked OK.

     

    All went fast, up to it going for the disc cleaning space, where it just stayed and ran and ran and ran for an hour. I figured maybe it is better not to run disc cleaning of disc cleaning memory so I cancelled it.

     

    Next disc cleanup wouldn't start. Figured I'd restart the PC. After restart I went to disc cleanup again and ran it, but now the 6 GB temporary files were 0 kb. However my disc is still 1 GB free and 6 GB data missing and unavailable.

     

    I'm at a loss at what to do. I can't defrag (it says my PC is fine already and grey them out). I can't disc clean, because there is nothing to clean.

     

    I could blow everything and format it and start from the beginning again, but I'd rather just buy a better tablet in that case.

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,101 Trailblazer

    Try Ccleaner from Piriform. It's always done a good job for me. You might also have to run checkdisk, it will require a reboot in order to access the files.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • linusg
    linusg Member Posts: 8 New User

     

    Edit: Just noticed I replied to the last post of the first page and not last on this page. Funny enough I had missed it, and yet it had the answer I needed.

     

    ---

     

    Another friend of mine gave me a similar suggestion to find a tool to check disc space. I found SpaceSniffer and tried it and it was very helpful in giving more information.

     

    Apparently I had about 5.4 GB pagefile size, which I shrunk down to 2 GB.

     

    I also disabled hibernation since it seemed to take 1.5 GB, yet nowhere in my settings could I set hibernate (only sleep was available). So I ran cmd as administrator and used the command "powercfg -h off".

    After that I had pretty good free space again and I've yet to notice any bad effects.

     

     

    That the tool listed what the folders were called and how big they were was also some help in finding that my downloads folder (under users) was 500 MB with stuff I could just delete as well.

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