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I have nothing and space is being taken up!

Anonymous
2018-08-15T15:22:46+00:00

Hello! My name is Espyn and I have serious question. I have had an Acer laptop for about 2 years, I've installed games and such but deleted everything. I only have chrome and a video editing software, yet only 1% of my disk space if free. I'm starting to get really mad, I'm not sure what is even taking up so much space!

The model of my Acer Laptop is an Aspire R3-131T. Please send help!! I hate this so much!! I have to have two flashdrives in order to store all of my personal things. But seriously?! This is unbelievable. 

This laptop runs the old version of Windows 10, because I cannot get enough space to upgrade it.

My question is, how can I free up all of this space if

  1. Disk Cleanup is not very effective
  2. I only have 2 downloaded programs that I need
Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-08-15T15:27:07+00:00

    Hi Espyn,

    Go here - https://windirstat.net/ and download WinDirStat. It shows you exactly where data is being stored.

    Let's see if we can figure out where the storage is being eaten up!

    • C

    Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

    8 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. DaveM121 868K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2018-08-15T15:45:00+00:00

    Hi Espyn, you would be amazed how many users with 32GB of internal storage ask the exact same question here every day. . .

    Honestly, there is only one answer, backup your data and perform a clean install of the 32Bit version of Windows 10 - that will give you more internal storage space - I know this is not the answer you are looking for, but it is the only and best Answer. You will then have enough space for the next year of Windows 10 updates and your system will be faster . ..

    Any device with a 32 GB SSD is not good enough to run Windows 10, regardless of the system specs put out by Microsoft.

    I honestly don't know why the manufacturers produced these devices.

    The Windows 10 folder with a couple of updates will very quickly eat up 20 - 25GB of your hard drive, mine is currently 23GB

    You can reinstall Windows 10 at any time and it will not cost you anything, however you will not have enough space to create the bootable Windows 10 media, you will need to do that on another working PC

    Since you previously had Windows 10 installed and activated on that PC during the installation process skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 10 on this PC', and activation will not be an issue, your PC will have a digital entitlement stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers

    Make sure you install the same Edition of Windows 10 (Home, Pro . . . etc.) you previously had installed to avoid Activation issues

    Click this link:

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-downlo...

    to download the Media Creation Tool (Click on Download Tool Now), with that you can download the latest Windows 10 ISO (Select Create Installation Media for Another PC), you can create a bootable USB flash drive (min 8GB) using that tool

    Then, Boot your PC from the Installation Media you just created (change Boot Order in your BIOS) to begin installing Windows 10

    If you have problems booting from a boot disc, you may have UEFI BIOS:

    Insert the Bootable Installation Media, then go into your BIOS and make the following changes:

    1. Disable Secure Boot
    2. Enable Legacy Boot
    3. If Available enable CSM
    4. If Required enable USB Boot
    5. Move the device with the bootable disc to the top of the boot order
    6. Save BIOS changes, restart your System and it should boot from the Installation Media

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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