Win 11 Ideapad HDD space issue

[davexnet]

Category "other" will show you other large folders, but it's only 2GB; you can click on it to see if there's anything unexpected.

You can click on "Apps and Features" - There may be some items you can uninstall. This is probably the best opportunity to get some space back.
(possibly some of the built-in "Metro" apps if you're not using them)

There may be some other things you can clear in "Temporary files", for example, "recycle bin", "temporary internet files"

In "System and reserved" about the only thing you can change is the size of the reserved space for System Restore.
But for such a small Windows partition,
it's probably already optimized. (For example, my Windows 10 system has 9% of the drive space for System Restore)

Thanks for the help. But regardless of the above maybe taking space, it doesn't explain why the space keeps getting low when all I am doing is using the internet and an editing program. And why does the disc space suddenly go back to around 2GB after doing a restart of Windows?. I've never had this on any my laptops before, and I rarely cleared any temp files. Most of my video files, pictures etc are stored on my two external 1TB HDDs and a couple of pendrives.

It's probably because the apps use storage temporarily while they're running which is freed when the apps are closed.
Likewise, Windows itself uses stoarage in a similar manner as the system is running
That partiton is very small and it will need constant attention to keep it useable

[Alwyn]

For the third time, install Treesize Free. It will tell you what is using your storage. We're just going round and round in circles currently.

Also, it could be the Hibernation file, hiberfil.sys.

Or the paging file, or system volume information file.

All these will be revealed by Treesize.

[Alwyn]

Another thing to check: hidden partitions.

In Windows Explorer, right-click on "This PC", choose Manage.

On the left, click on Disk Management.

In the lower pane, you'll see each physical drive and the size of its partitions. There may be a hidden partition in there.

[Alwyn]

Here's a shot of the lower pane of disk management on my machine. Note on my C drive (disk 5) three "hidden" partitions used by ??


[Attachment 73640 - Click to enlarge]

[october262]

Here's a shot of the lower pane of disk management on my machine. Note on my C drive (disk 5) three "hidden" partitions used by ??


[Attachment 73640 - Click to enlarge]

those 3 files wouldn't be the Boot - page file & crash report ??

[Alwyn]

those 3 files wouldn't be the Boot - page file & crash report ??

The paging file is a file that you can see in Windows. The others, I suspect, are also files or groups of files on the C drive.

I have seen, on a laptop, a manufacturer's recovery partition which took up space but was not visible in Windows, much like the extra partitions on my C drive.

[techmot]

those 3 files wouldn't be the Boot - page file & crash report ??

The paging file is a file that you can see in Windows. The others, I suspect, are also files or groups of files on the C drive.

I have seen, on a laptop, a manufacturer's recovery partition which took up space but was not visible in Windows, much like the extra partitions on my C drive.

Thanks for that, will look at all the above recommendations you suggested. It appears this is Windows 11 thing as I've never had the discspace disappear like this. Like you say the apps are probably taking the space and it's restored when they're not in use. I will look at Treesize.

[techmot]

those 3 files wouldn't be the Boot - page file & crash report ??

The paging file is a file that you can see in Windows. The others, I suspect, are also files or groups of files on the C drive.

I have seen, on a laptop, a manufacturer's recovery partition which took up space but was not visible in Windows, much like the extra partitions on my C drive.

The issue seems to be when I use my internet browser (in my case Opera) for a few hours at a time, and more so when I use the Bluestacks apk to access Whatsapp. As I'm using browsing online like youtube I then suddenly find that I have less than 200MB of HDD space left. How can using the internet cause the discspace to go?. After I have done a disc clearing in storage it only frees a tiny bit of space up, but after I reboot Windows the space is back to 2.88GB. I must have a faulty machine. Has anyone else had a problem like this?.

[Alwyn]

I must have a faulty machine.

Sounds to me like Opera is the culprit. Do a Google search for

opera accumulates hard drive space

Re Whatsapp, I use the web version:

https://web.whatsapp.com/

and it works a treat. You have to scan, with your phone, a QR code on your PC screen to set up the computer as a allowed device, but after that, no app is required.

What did Treesize show you was using all your HD space?

[techmot]

I must have a faulty machine.

Sounds to me like Opera is the culprit. Do a Google search for

opera accumulates hard drive space

Re Whatsapp, I use the web version:

https://web.whatsapp.com/

and it works a treat. You have to scan, with your phone, a QR code on your PC screen to set up the computer as a allowed device, but after that, no app is required.

What did Treesize show you was using all your HD space?

The reason why I chose to download an apk for Whatsapp is because I don't wish to scan my phone, and I don't have a smartphone nor do I want want and neither do I want to scan a stupid QR code in.

As for Opera, I'll check that out but I don't think Opera is the culprit as for the past hour this morning all I have been doing is using Gimp to edit a few small image files and saving them onto a small pendrive that is attached to my USB hub connected to the USB port on the laptop. I had disabled my internet for the duration and had no other programs open, but all of a sudden the storage sense pops up at the bottom right of the screen and tells me I need to free up space. I then checked My PC and found that the discspace had gone down to about 200MB from about about 2GB. All I had been doing was using Gimp, nothing else. I can't explain it. I bought the Happauge WinLive2 hoping to capture some old tapes, but if it's losing disc space just for doing a simple editing task in Gimp (even when saving to an external drive) then how the hell am I going to capture analog video? lol. When I tried to open my email to view my mail, initially it kept saying "not enough space for extraction..do you still want to continue?".

I suppose all I can do is uninstall Opera and see what happens after that. Would be abit odd that a web browser could be causing this.

[Alwyn]

The reason why I chose to download an apk for Whatsapp is because I don't wish to scan my phone, and I don't have a smartphone nor do I want want and neither do I want to scan a stupid QR code in.

OK, it was only a suggestion to lessen the stuff on your computer.

Treesize?

[wrathofbod]

Type in the search bar %temp% with percentage each side click on its icon and delete all the files and folders in it, it may say a few can not be deleted so click on skip, this should free up some space.

[davexnet]

Might be able to free a GB or two using the DISM command from an Admin CMD prompt:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

If you run it, be aware it may take an hour or two to complete

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/clean-up-the-wi...iew=windows-11

[techmot]

Might be able to free a GB or two using the DISM command from an Admin CMD prompt:

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

If you run it, be aware it may take an hour or two to complete

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/clean-up-the-wi...iew=windows-11

Thanks. I regularly cleared the temp folder out but it doesn't seem to free up that much space. I tried to do an update of Windows today as it's not been updated since I bought the laptop but it couldn't update unless I freed up some space as it required about 4gb, yet I've only 3GB of space left. I would need to delete every program to free that much space, and there aren't that many programs installed.