Perhaps every computer user has at least once encountered the problem of disappearance of space from the system drive. Moreover, regardless of which particular OS version is installed. You can install “Vista” instead of Win XP, and replace it with Windows 7 - the C drive fills in exactly the same way. What to do? There are many recommendations for solving this problem, but some of them are designed for "green beginners" who do not understand that each installed program or file takes up some space. Others are so complicated that it takes a long time to figure out why drive C fills itself and what to do about it. In our article, we will try to combine both approaches by proposing a simple and effective tool.
Recovery points
Let's start with the simplest. In the latest versions of Windows operating systems, a very interesting software mechanism is implemented, the operation of which is to maintain the latest working states, which allows you to “roll back” at any time. For example, after installing a new driver and rebooting, the system stops loading, giving an error message. This can be overcome by pressing the F8 button at startup and selecting the appropriate item in the menu. True, this method only works if the creation of recovery points is not prohibited by the user. The downside of this mechanism is the fact that drive C is constantly filling up. This is because free space is needed to save states. Thus, if drive C is full on its own, then you need to check the settings of this mechanism. To do this, open the Start button menu and call “Properties” of the “My Computer” shortcut.
Next you need to select "Advanced Options". The "System Properties" window opens, in which you need to select the tab that is responsible for protecting the operating system. The Configure button is important here, providing access to control the control points mechanism. Then everything is simple: if drive C is full, then you need to delete the saved states, reduce the allotted volume, or disable their recording altogether. You can erase an extra folder manually: it is located in the root directory of the system drive, by default it is hidden and is called Recovery.
Virtual memory
Modern operating systems actively use the so-called swap file. It represents a part of the data from the RAM, which is not currently required by the processor and can be downloaded to the drive, thereby freeing up the RAM. If drive C is full, then you need to check the size of pagefile.sys located in the root directory. You can adjust it in the following way: "My computer - Properties - Speed - Settings - Advanced - Change." Instead of autoconfiguration, you can insert the desired size. The more RAM the computer has, the smaller the swap file can be.
Extra files
When installing software distributions, almost always part of the records that can be safely deleted are left on the partition. So, drive C is full. What should I do? In modern systems, there is such a thing as a temporary folder. It is indicated by TEMP or TMP. The location depends on the version and can be changed manually. You can view the current state in the properties of the “Computer” shortcut by opening the “Variables” tab in the “Advanced” section. Both entries are in the upper window. Having decided on the path, it remains to not guess why this C drive filled up by itself, but to open the TEMP folder and erase everything that is there. Sometimes the size of the "garbage" reaches a dozen gigabytes.
Protective programs
Now it’s hard to find a computer without antivirus applications. However, few users know that many of them lead to a situation where drive C is full on its own. This is not a mistake, but a completely normal mode of operation.
For example, the famous Kaspersky for updating its own databases not only downloads them from the global network, but also saves files on the drive. As a result, the loss of space can reach tens of gigabytes. If you proceed to the hidden directory All Users, then you can find Kaspersky Lab, which is gradually growing. In addition, files are also created to store activity reports. This disgrace can be stopped or at least limited. After calling up the Kaspersky Anti-Virus settings, open “Advanced” and select “Reports and Quarantine”. Here you can adjust the recording time and their maximum size. Many antivirus programs have the ability to “eat up” disk space, so if drive C is full on its own, then maybe it's time to think about changing the protection. For permanent use, we recommend that you avoid test alpha and beta versions of products that often save additional data to files.
Malware
Of course, do not forget about computer viruses. Some of them are just designed to fill the hard drive with garbage data. Usually, in order to restore working capacity, it is enough to find and remove malware using appropriate applications. An excellent solution is the free program from Dr.Web called CureIT, as well as the Removal Tool from Kaspersky Lab.
Bad browser entries
All programs for viewing pages on the Internet in order to speed up subsequent access and reduce traffic use a caching mechanism, due to which some data is stored on the drive. The more such records, the usually faster the browser works, since it does not need to request data from the servers again. However, if the growth of the cache is not limited and is not periodically cleared, then the folder of such data can grow to an impressive size. So, in the latest versions of the popular Firefox program, to clear the cache , open the settings through the top menu item and proceed to "Advanced". There it remains to select "Network" and click on the "Clear" button. In Chrome, the clear history button located in the Personal Data section is responsible for cleaning. When deleting cache files, it is important not to erase the excess: in Google Chrome, the choice is made by checking / unchecking.
Local proxies
Some users, when working with Internet resources for one reason or another, use caching programs installed on the computer. One of the most famous is Handy Cache. If the tariffing for traffic is megabyte, then such a solution can significantly save money. If the “fine-tuning” is not performed, then the volume occupied by files very quickly reaches several gigabytes. The easiest way to remove them. To do this, the program should use the "Clear" button located in the "Cache" section.
File system error
Although with the beginning of the NTFS “era” the number of crashes caused by file corruption on drives decreased significantly, nevertheless sometimes it becomes necessary to check the disk for errors. Sometimes damage to the partition table leads to the fact that although you can continue to work with the disk, the free space at the same time behaves as it “thinks” to it. The easiest way to use the built-in Windows solution from Microsoft. To do this, open "My Computer", select the system drive and right-click its properties. It remains to click the "Check" button in the "Service" tab.
Before manual cleaning
Of course, the method of “struggle for free disk space” is not limited to the above methods. An excellent solution that you should not forget about is the manual removal of excess software junk. There are many free programs that allow you to scan the selected drive and graphically provide the results. Vivid examples are Free Disc Analizer and Disctective. After starting and completing the tasks, the user will be presented with a window that shows which folders exist and how much space each of them takes. An analogue of the conductor is also provided, with which you can open the desired directory and remove excess from there. As can be seen from the foregoing, if the C drive is full, then there is no reason for panic - all problems can be overcome independently.