How can I free up space on a 30GB laptop?

Splinterdog · Apr 30, 2021

A laptop came in today with a measly 30GB drive, with no data to speak of, but the Windows 10 install takes up practically the entire disk, leaving about 1GB to play with. And that's after I used Disk Cleanup.
Frankly, I don't know how laptop manufacturers expect users to cope with pathetic amount of disk space, not to mention only 2GB of RAM.
Anyway, is there anything else I can do to free up a little more space, like the junk apps etc?

Hachi_Roku256563 · Apr 30, 2021

you can try enabling ntfs compression
but if thats a stock install not really anything else you can do
Imna guess thats a ultra low end pc
thats mainley ment for webusage

Deleted member 202104 · Apr 30, 2021

Maybe disable hibernation? That can recover a few gigs.

I have a netbook with a 32gb mmc drive that's pretty much worthless with Windows. Even if you can get it down to 5-6 gigs free, the first large Windows update will kill it.

I installed Linux (Mint in my case) and a fully functional laptop with a full distro leave about 13-15gb free.

Hachi_Roku256563 · Apr 30, 2021

yeah tbh thats what linux is best at
low end small systems

Deleted member 202104 · Apr 30, 2021

Isaac` said:
yeah tbh thats what linux is best at
low end small systems

It can also handle some larger systems.

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GerKNG · Apr 30, 2021

basically what weekendgeek said.

open up Powershell as an admin: powercfg /h off
enter, Reboot and you should have a few gigs free.

Hachi_Roku256563 · Apr 30, 2021

does no one belive in ntfs compression or somthing

Caring1 · Apr 30, 2021

What does Disk Management show?
Is there a recovery partition that can be removed?

timta2 · Apr 30, 2021

Isaac` said:
does no one belive in ntfs compression or somthing

Compression usually reduces performance and on a machine that already has performance issues? It's probably not a good idea.

Hachi_Roku256563 · Apr 30, 2021

timta2 said:
Compression usually reduces performance and on a machine that already has performance issues? It's probably not a good idea.

it does not decrease performance in any sence of the word
ive done it on really old slow machines and its done nothing to hurt them

Splinterdog · Apr 30, 2021

Caring1 said:
What does Disk Management show?
Is there a recovery partition that can be removed?

Ha ha, that was my first destination and sadly it didn't show a recovery partition. Perhaps there's a hidden partition?

Shou Miko · Apr 30, 2021

@Splinterdog have u tried running Disk Clean-up with Clean up system files in Windows 10?

I do this at work when customers sometimes get in problems with the lack of space left on their C drive for some reason and most of them doesn't change their equipment every 3 yrs or so they are really not the best at changing out their PC's and Laptops.

I personally use a 1TB 970 EVO NVME because it was cheap so I don't really clean up that much but if I do it right now I can delete 8,10GB of Windows Updates and in total get 11,4GB without doing much:

Also if you have a iPhone and do backup remember to manually clean them out because iTunes doesn't do that it can just keep filling up your drive.

I use the program SpaceSniffer to see which files and folder takes up all my space if I don't know it already.

SpaceSniffer: http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/

Jetster · Apr 30, 2021

Buy a new drive

Shou Miko · Apr 30, 2021

Jetster said:
Buy a new drive

Depending on what laptop it is, if it's with soldered space he can't :roll:

Hemmingstamp · Apr 30, 2021

Install Linux if you're only going to use it for daily tasks. Mint is good for beginners.

Hachi_Roku256563 · Apr 30, 2021

NTFS compression

Hemmingstamp · Apr 30, 2021

Isaac` said:
NTFS compression

linux

Keullo-e · Apr 30, 2021

I had a Win8.1 tablet which had only 16GB eMMC, you can guess that was I going to even try to update it to Win10..

MIRTAZAPINE · Apr 30, 2021

I have also have an emmc netbook with this problem in the end I gave up and just bought a very small thumbdrive that is similar size to those wireless mouse adaptor to install windows to go on it and having it booting from it instead. Not ideal being usb 2.0 but though it solve the space issue. Otherwise you could use the thumbdrive to expand space to it but I cannot seem to get windows to update.

Hachi_Roku256563 · Apr 30, 2021

Hemmingstamp said:
linux

He wants a way to decrease win 10 install I don't see how Linux doss that

kayjay010101 · Apr 30, 2021

MIRTAZAPINE said:
I have also have an emmc netbook with this problem in the end I gave up and just bought a very small thumbdrive that is similar size to those wireless mouse adaptor to install windows to go on it and having it booting from it instead. Not ideal being usb 2.0 but though it solve the space issue. Otherwise you could use the thumbdrive to expand space to it but I cannot seem to get windows to update.

Running Windows off a flash drive is a surefire way to have your OS install die in under a year.
Flash drives are not write-friendly. They have very low write endurances. They're meant as WORM (write once, read many) devices, and the occasional file transfer. But not for OS' that store temp files and practically write to to drive at all times. You could boot Windows from a flash drive then have it be suspended in memory (al.a ESXI/Unraid, etc.) but afaik that's not possible with Windows 10, not to mention the machine only has 2GB RAM anyway, and you'd need at least 32GB for it to be close to feasible, probably closer to 64GB.

Isaac` said:
NTFS compression

I think OP got it, you don't need it say it thrice.

Isaac` said:
He wants a way to decrease win 10 install I don't see how Linux doss that

While true, they were just suggesting alternatives. 30GB really isn't enough to run Windows 10 unless you like having to deal with storage limitations on a daily basis.
On the other hand, Linux distros would still leave a large chunk of space which is much easier to manage.

Splinterdog · Apr 30, 2021

GerKNG said:
basically what weekendgeek said.

open up Powershell as an admin: powercfg /h off
enter, Reboot and you should have a few gigs free.

Thanks, it gave us an extra gig, but now the display is playing up and failing.
I've advised the customer it's not even worth repairing. Pile of crap.

CandymanGR · Apr 30, 2021

You could try Win 10 Lite. Needs only 10gb (corrected) and most features are supported.

plat · Apr 30, 2021

Oh wow, sorry the machine is malfunctioning. So, this is for theory and not practice.

I had a small drive one time but not THAT small. What I did was remove the Reserved portion Windows set aside for updates via the registry. I got back about 7 GB but I had way more GBs as a buffer. The thing is, with a microscopic drive like that, when it comes to updates, you'll have to consciously make sure you have enough space set aside-- usually around 3-4GB to be "safe." There are many tutorials on how to do this but you may not recoup that space right away.

Right now, System takes 14.7 GB of space on C drive.

Splinterdog · Apr 30, 2021

I considered a Lite version, but now that the display is playing up, it's just not worth any more hassle. Replacement cost is about the resale value of the unit.

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Case	something cheap
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System Name	Chip
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Motherboard	MSI B450M Mortar Max
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Memory	2x 16g ddr4 3200mz
Video Card(s)	RX 6700
Storage	5.5 tb hd 220 g ssd
Display(s)	Normal moniter
Case	something cheap
VR HMD	Vive

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Video Card(s)	RX 6700
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How can I free up space on a 30GB laptop?

Splinterdog

Hachi_Roku256563

Deleted member 202104

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Hachi_Roku256563

Deleted member 202104

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Linux Runs on All of the Top 500 Supercomputers, Again!

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