making room on my C: drive to allow Windows 11 update

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making room on my C: drive to allow Windows 11 update

Melvin Millard 20

My Windows update process is telling me I don't have enough disk space to download the update file. I have used all the tools to free-up space and have also moved all doc/photo files etc. to my SDXC drive but I still can't make enough space.

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Is it possible to get the Windows update file to save to the SDXC drive and use that file to update Windows on my C: Drive?

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Answer 1

John Carl Nazario 7,260 Independent Advisor

Hi Melvin Millard,

Thanks for posting! Yes, you can use your SDXC card to help with Windows updates when your C: drive is low on space. When you start the update process, Windows should prompt you to use external storage if it detects insufficient space. Just make sure your SDXC card is inserted beforehand, has at least 10GB free, and is formatted as NTFS or exFAT. Windows will use it temporarily to complete the update.

If that option doesn’t appear, you can try freeing up space using tools like Disk Cleanup, or Treesize Free from Microsoft store to visualize disk space usage.

For more help, check out these official guides:

Free up space for Windows updates https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/free-up-space-for-windows-updates-429b12ba-f514-be0b-4924-ca6d16fa1d65

Free up drive space in Windows https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/free-up-drive-space-in-windows-85529ccb-c365-490d-b548-831022bc9b32

Let me know if you’d like help walking through any of the steps!

Best,
Carl

Melvin Millard 20 Reputation points

2025-09-08T23:00:39.8+00:00

I didn't get the option to use the SDXC card to update w\Windows. However, when digging deep into my C: drive I did notice a complete copy of my OneDrive was there! It wasn't clear at first as I assumed this was my real OneDrive and not a local copy. I have now dropped that copy onto the SDXC card as an archive and sync'd the SDXC card for all new and active documents with OneDrive. I now have over 50Gig of free space on my C: drive and the Windows update works fine. Thanks very much for the tips. :)
John Carl Nazario 7,260 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-09T13:16:23.9633333+00:00

That's awesome to hear! Glad the update went through smoothly.

Best regards,
Carl
HEATHER GONZALES 0 Reputation points

2025-09-24T18:39:41.3166667+00:00

I would like help to free up space for windows 11. I have head trauma and need help
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-09-25T14:31:01.7966667+00:00

Like so many others, I also have the perpetual problem of running out of space on my
C:\ drive. Initially, my C;\ drive reported that installed programs were taking up 26.5GB of space but after uninstalling all non-essential programs, moving everything that could be moved to my SD drive (D:), and clearing out the windows.old files, the C:\ drive still reports that installed programs still take up the 26.5 GB.

Would very much appreciate if anyone can explain why the space being taken up by installed programs apparently hasn't changed?
Melvin Millard 20 Reputation points

2025-09-26T06:31:38.2666667+00:00
I had similar problems of running out of space on my C: drive even after moving all my doc, xls and other data files to my SD card and synching the SD card with OneDrive. What I wasn't aware off was that the OneDrive was still synching with my C: drive as well as the SD card. I resolved the issue by doing the following:

Unlink the OneDrive account with the PC

Delete all data files from My C: drive.

Relink the One Drive account with the PC and specify the CD card and the location for all data files.

You can find information of how to unlink and relink here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/unlink-and-re-link-onedrive-3c4680bf-cc36-4204-9ca5-e7b24cdd23ea

Note for safety sake make sure you copy you data files to a safe place just incase something goes wrong.
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-09-26T15:55:14.9333333+00:00
Melvin:

Very much appreciate your helpful comment. Thanks. I've always thought of myself as being computer savvy but your comment makes me think I'm not as savvy as I thought I was, especially about how OneDrive works. To clarify--

I use OneDrive exclusively for my personal files since I use three different computers and need to be able to retrieve them from any of the three computers. I do not use the setting that automatically copies OneDrive files to my C:\ drives. I've always thought files saved to OneDrive resided exclusively in the cloud. Am I wrong?

If I move my Documents, Pictures, and Video files to the MicroSD drive (D:) on this (Surface Go 3) computer, will those files remain on the C:\ drives on my other machines, which have plenty of storage left?

Speaking of the SD drive, when I run the Windows Update dialog, it recognizes the SD drive but I can't find a link or hot button that actually sends the update files there. Again, am I missing something?

Finally, I'm seeing my document, pics, vids, and music files coming up under the Libraries folder on my C:\drives. Are these duplicates of what is already on OneDrive? Can I delete these from the Libraries folder without completely deleting them from OneDrive?

Like I said, maybe I'm not as savvy as I thought. Would appreciate your insights. Thanks for your patience.

Kevin
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-09-27T13:43:54.3266667+00:00

I've been trying to complete a Windows update on my storage-challenged Surface Go 3 by using an exFAT SD card with plenty of available storage. The update dialog recognizes the SD card but I can't find a link or hot button to send the update files to that drive (D:). All I get is a Next button that takes me to the list of things taking up space on the main C:\ drive.

Related: In trying to move programs like CoPilot to the D:\ drive, I get a pop-up saying the file system isn't compatible. I thought exFAT would take care of this.

Would appreciate any thoughts/suggestions.

--Kevin
Melvin Millard 20 Reputation points

2025-09-28T05:37:25.5733333+00:00
Hi Kevin,

I agree this is confusing. It seems Microsoft use Synch and Back-up meaning the same thing. When I first entered the PC era of computing Back-up simply meant compressing files and shoving them somewhere safe but that was when storage was VERY expensive, like in the 1980's (internet wasn't the WWW then and not very user friendly and SLOW). Now storage is cheap and internet speeds are fast the synching of files allows accessing them on OneDrive is as if on your local machine which is incredibly useful, if not sometimes confusing. However, when I had the courage to shift all my local copies of data onto my SD drive I was pleasantly surprised at the results. so to answer your questions from my recent experience (as a user not an expert).

I thought the same that my files were all in OneDrive and only on OneDrive. I my case once I unlinked my Surface Go3 from OneDrive it was obvious I still had data files on my C:/ drive. These, I took a copy and deleted them.

When I checked my wife's PC which shares the same OneDrive synch with mine all files where present.

The CD drive is a removable drive therefore it can't be used as a location for Windows and presumably neither can it be used during the update process.

Make sure you have copies of any data you want to remove from your C:/ drive, unlink your PC before you delete any files then relink. This process worked for me but I suggest you check with Microsoft support before you do this with critical data.

See this link for more info: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/back-up-your-folders-with-onedrive-d61a7930-a6fb-4b95-b28a-6552e77c3057
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-09-28T11:43:47.0266667+00:00

Thanks once again for taking the time to help me with this.

So, bearing in mind that I use OneDrive to store all of my files, would I just copy my Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music folders and paste them into the SD drive?
Melvin Millard 20 Reputation points

2025-09-28T21:41:08.76+00:00

That is what I did and it worked for me
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-09-29T12:20:44.6966667+00:00

Traveling this week but will get this done when I get back home. Thanks again!
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-10-11T14:57:21.7666667+00:00

Finally got back home and tried to get this done but no joy, at least so far. I deleted all of the data files from my local C:\ drive, then unlinked my account and followed the prompts to select the SD drive (D:) as the new location. But all I get after that is a pop-up that says--

We can't sync your OneDrive folder

Sorry, we can't add your OneDrive folder right now. Please try again.

This is followed by a blank screen with the "eternal circle" rotating above the word, "Loading."

I've done a few reboots but get the same thing every time. Thoughts?
Melvin Millard 20 Reputation points

2025-10-11T21:22:28.1833333+00:00

I had to format the SD to NTFS. If that doesn't work I suggest you call MS support directly. Good luck
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-10-18T14:16:02.18+00:00

Reformatting to NTFS did the trick. Getting OneDrive on the D:\ drive helps a lot. Thanks for the tip.

Windows update files still won't copy to D:\ but that's another topic for another thread.
Kevin Upton 50 Reputation points

2025-10-20T18:00:51.6033333+00:00

"...Windows should prompt you to use external storage if it detects insufficient space. Just make sure your SDXC card is inserted beforehand, has at least 10GB free, and is formatted as NTFS or exFAT..."

Still fighting the seemingly perpetual storage war on my Surface Go 3, even though I've uninstalled/deleted all unnecessary programs and moved everything that can be moved (including OneDrive data files) from the C:\ drive to an XDXC drive (D:) (formatted NTSC).

Despite all of this, I still can't get a Windows Update to complete. While it does prompt me to use the D:\ drive per your comment, absolutely nothing happens when I click the Next button. BTW, D:\ has plenty of available storage.

Can't figure this one out. Would appreciate some insights/fixes.

Thanks,

K

Answer 2

HEATHER GONZALES 0

I simply cannot get windows 11 on here, no matter what i do. i have plenty of space and it's aggravating. i give up

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making room on my C: drive to allow Windows 11 update

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