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Question

Keeping OS SSD Clean

Mar 14, 2017 12:54PM PDT

I put my OS onto a 128 GB SSD and that's all I wanted on it, but it's been slowly filling up. and now it's full. I don't know what to do about it. I would like to just have my OS on my SSD and everything else on my HDD

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: OS SSD
Mar 14, 2017 1:13PM PDT

Mine is 47 out of 233 (on a 256 GB SSD), and it contains not only the Windows, but also Program Files and Program Files (x86). And that's rather stable. But I know how to keep it rather clean. Apparently you don't.

- How much % of the 128 does System Restore use? It can be up to 50%.
- What are your settings for the web cache of your browsers?
- Do you regularly clean windows\temp and all appdata\local\temp folders and clear the recycle bin?

Download treesize free from https://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/ and see where the space is used. Then delete what's safe to delete. Ask here if you don't know what's safe and what's not.

My numbers currently:
Windows 20.8 GB
Program Files (x86) 8.9 GB
System Volume Information (= system restore data) 6.8 GB
Users 4.2 GB
Program data 2.4 GB
Root folder (hibernate and swap file) 2.2 GB
MSO cache 0.6 GB
Recycle bin 0.4 GB
Other folders combined: < 0.1 GB

What are yours?

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My Files
Mar 14, 2017 1:35PM PDT
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Re: disk usage
Mar 14, 2017 1:53PM PDT

- 32 GB in users seems to indicate you store much more on that drive than just the OS. Look into that folder to see what it is (click on the > next to the folder name) and so on. Your documents and pictures and music is NOT the OS; and moreover, they are easy to move (if you know how).
- 18.5 GB for programs is quite a lot. What are the biggest subfolders, and do you really need those programs? If you need all there is, nothing at all is wrong.
- 13.7 GB in the root folder is also quite a lot. What files are that?
- Nothing wrong with 16.8 GB for Windows.
- Having 3.5 GB in the recycle bin is rather much also. Are you sure these file can't be totally deleted?
- I don't know what Autodisk is. But if it's worth 5 GB and you use it, well, then it's necessary.

About the temp files, you can use File Explorer to delete the contents of these folders (some files are in use, and won't delete):
c:\windows\temp
c:\<username>\appdata\local\temp (for all usernames, appdata might be hidden, then set File Explorer to show hidden files and folders)

Since you say it has been slowly filling up, it might be interesting to have a closer look at some space hogs and see if there's a gradual built-up of certain error, log or dump files.
If you feel that such careful maintenance is not something you like or can, buy a 256 GB SSD, clone your current disk and hope it will last a few years before that is full.

Post was last edited on March 14, 2017 1:57 PM PDT

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Transfer
Mar 14, 2017 2:32PM PDT

In my users it says my desktop is 17.4 GB and my AppData is 13.8 GB

I have an after effects folder on my desktop that has all my projects in it. should I make a short cut to it and put the actual files on my HDD?

Is there any way I can move my program files and Autodesk (For Autocad) over to my HDD?
like Photoshop and after effects, they are on my SSD, is there a way to just move them to my HDD?

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[4 files]
Mar 14, 2017 2:42PM PDT
http://imgur.com/aHsQ4iE

and what are those [4 files] it only shows up in that treesize program? It's taking up a fair amount
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Re: 4 files
Mar 14, 2017 4:04PM PDT

Hiberfile is the file used for hibernate. If you don't use hibernate, turn it off and it will be deleted. If you use hibernate, it seems you have a machine with a lot of RAM and using big applications.
Pagefile is virtual memory. Same conclusion. Much RAM + big applications = much disk space needed.

My desktop only has a few shortcuts. Yours has 17.4 GB of data. That's not OS. Your choice to store that data on your c:-drive, but don't say then that you use it for the OS only and put all your data on the hard disk. You don't, if you use the desktop for storage.

Now look what folders in Appdata are the largest and what you can do about it. This heavily depends on your apps.
Mine is 1.8 GB. But I see 350 MB for the Firefox cache, that I can easily move to my d-drive (thanks for having me look at it!) and 57 MB of crashdumps that I can delete. But most of the data probably is needed for the programs I run.

You can't MOVE programs to the HDD, but most programs you can uninstall from the SSD and reinstall on the HDD. That frees space in Program Files (don't forget to clear the system restore area after uninstalling!), but will make the programs somewhat slower, especially starting them.

It might be time to switch to a 256 GB SSD. As I said: Much RAM + big applications = much disk space needed.

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Thanks
Mar 14, 2017 6:12PM PDT

Ok, Thanks alot for the help