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C drive full....

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pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -  
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -

Hello,

On my laptop running Windows 10, my C drive is full (red), so I wanted to free up some space on it by moving some files to the other D data drive, but my documents, downloads, and videos folders are empty.

Can you help me because I don't know where to look for the files that are filling up the C drive?

Thank you very much


12 answers

Answer 1 / 12
jfmimi Posted messages 13734 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   1 928
 

Hello

Download and run the software "tree size free"

It allows you to see which files or folders are taking up space.

Provide a screenshot.

Example:

If my answer helped you, click the Thank you button.
Mark as resolved if your problem is fixed.
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Answer 2 / 12
Pierr10 Posted messages 13816 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   5 835
 

Hello,

In this kind of situation, I always make the same recommendations, which I have applied to my personal case.

1) Move user libraries to drive D.
Follow this tutorial:

https://www.commentcamarche.net/informatique/windows/25209-changer-l-emplacement-des-bibliotheques-utilisateur-windows/

2) Install all possible software on D.

I create 2 folders similar to those on C: Program Files and Program Files (x86). This way, we avoid installing software anywhere.

The software must be uninstalled from C and reinstalled on D. It’s quite time-consuming and there’s no other way. No copying files!

Attention! Some software does not allow installation anywhere other than on C; this is the case for Microsoft Office.

For others, we take control of the installation and just change the drive letter.

----------------------

Once you have done this, you should have gained quite a bit of space.
There remains the case of AppData folders. You cannot move them.
From experience, I have seen that it is the Thunderbird folders that take up a lot of space. Try to reduce the number of saved emails.

What can be well conceived is clearly expressed,
And the words to say it come easily.
(Boileau)
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pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

thank you very much for all the detail

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Answer 3 / 12
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

For your information, when I double-click on the C drive, I have the following folders:

android

inetpub

perflogs

program files

program files x86

sandbox

users

windows
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Answer 4 / 12
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

Thank you very much. Am I necessarily required to go through external software?
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.eric Posted messages 1386 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   86
 

Hello

Never mandatory. But we all do it. "Because I don't know where to look" with Windows.

"TreeSize Free" does not create "virtual presentations" like Windows:

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Answer 5 / 12
fabul Posted messages 42100 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 055
 

Hello,

C:\Sandbox can probably be deleted; it might come from a portable program or be a temporary folder that normally shouldn't be there, unless it comes from a program you know. Investigate the folder's date and the dates of your programs.

Delete everything in the folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

In the search box, type Disk Cleanup and choose > C:

You will be able to choose to clean up "Previous Windows installations" if there are any

Set your Internet browser to download to a folder on D:\ rather than in C:\Users\YourName\Downloads

You can organize elsewhere on D:\ if there is a D:\ drive for what is in the folders of C:\Users\YourName\...

TreeSize Free (As already mentioned) can help to see what is taking up the most space
https://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free

Then clean up with:

Wise Disk Cleaner
https://www.commentcamarche.net/telecharger/utilitaires/24193-wise-disk-cleaner/

CCleaner (Portable)
https://www.ccleaner.com/fr-fr/ccleaner/builds

ATF-Cleaner
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/atf_cleaner.html

Then right-click on This PC > Properties > System Protection

Or do a "Search" for systempropertiesprotection.exe

Select C:\

Configure > Delete

Go back > Create

And re-check with TreeSize Free
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Answer 6 / 12
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

I downloaded TreeSize Free but now I don't know what to do with all the names that are displayed. I don't know if you will understand the novice that I am, but I thought I could see everything that clutters the C drive and gradually eliminate the different files myself.
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fabul Posted messages 42100 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 055
 

What's under C:\Users\Your Account\ in all the folders, nothing?

Otherwise, we need relevant screenshots showing the contents of certain folders.

But first, start by cleaning as per my general cleaning explanation.

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Answer 7 / 12
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

Cool, well I'm making progress, thank you so much.

I have found a large part of my files and documents by going to: this PC, C drive, users, user, and downloads.

What should I do now?
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Answer 8 / 12
fabul Posted messages 42100 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 055
 

Move them to another drive

(But not in AppData or folders, just your data).
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Answer 9 / 12
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

I agree, but how exactly to do it. There are photos, videos, and documents.
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Answer 10 / 12
fabul Posted messages 42100 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 055
 

Right-click > Copy on point A (file)

Go to folder B and right-click > Paste

Or simply Drag the files by selecting them with the left-click held down > drag with the mouse, and send them to the other drive by dragging, organized as you see fit, in folders created by right-clicking > New > Folder...

Start by creating folders by right-clicking in your drive D:

Then drag your things there, and only afterwards, delete the originals that are at the source on C:
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Answer 11 / 12
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

When you say folder B, are you referring to the data drive D?

Can’t I just select everything, copy it, and paste it all onto drive D?
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fabul Posted messages 42100 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 055
 

It's better to organize personal data into personal folders,

It's more work, but it brings more benefits later.

I never change the location of my system folders to D:

I keep System (SSD) and data (HDD) well separated, and it works fine.

The fewer symbolic links to other drives, the better.

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Answer 12 / 12
pelton Posted messages 402 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   30
 

Thank you very much. I will try to implement all of this without making a mistake.
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