WOW! Get 20+ GB back after update- Lifehacker Trick

[jefbeard911]

Ok, I know. Dramatic title...But it works!

I got 21.7 GB back after I ran DISK CLEANER following the November update.

Here's the link to show you how. Just follow the directions...

Run Disk Cleanup After the Windows November Update to Save 20GB+ of Space

 

[_Emi_]

well that's what you have to do with every upgrade, if you need the disk space, since Windows upgrade moves everything to windows.old, of course the user files and registry stuff will be preserved and Windows upgrade will try to make the best upgrade it can, but Windows will preserve those "old" windows system files if you want to go back to 10240 for some reason.

That's why when you run Disk Cleaner thing, it will ask you if you are sure since it will not be able to roll back if needed. just like when you upgraded from 7/8 to 10.
Same with installation files, you should also clean them. and also you can clean the Windows Update files it downloads.

I don't see it as a secret, but I guess for some people it is? I always run it after installing an upgrade. you can also manually remove Windows.old and the other files, that would be better since you are sure whatever is being deleted is what you don't need.

 

[Peter McNeill1]

It's never been a secret, but, if you want to roll back to a previous build or say win 7/8.1 if you don't like win 10 then you won't be able too if you delete.

 

[jefbeard911]

Fair enough.

But some of us arent that interested or concerned about being at the forefront of keeping our laptops and computers running tip top. So stuff like this is helpful.

I'd be surprised if 10% of the people that upgraded thought much about running Disk Cleaner afterwards...but that just me.

 

[ajj3085]

Or just go to Settings -> System -> Storage -> This PC (C -> Temporary Files, and delete things there. No need to install an app just to do this.

 

[TheCudder]

Or just go to Settings -> System -> Storage -> This PC (C -> Temporary Files, and delete things there. No need to install an app just to do this.

Disk Cleanup isn't an app --- it's a built in application which has been a part of Windows for many years.

 

[27GAT]

So, ever since W10 upgrade, laptop runs like a crippled dog!
Is this the best recommendation / suggestion you have to get my speed back excluding going back to 7?

 

[jefbeard911]

Or just go to Settings -> System -> Storage -> This PC (C -> Temporary Files, and delete things there. No need to install an app just to do this.

The 20 gb reclaimed are not temporary files. They are reminants of previous Windows updates. Cleaning temp files won't achieve this. Also, this is simply a method of regaining lost storage space, not a way to speed up your system (although this may help. The jury is still out on that) like deleting temp files is..fyi

 

[ajj3085]

Disk Cleanup isn't an app --- it's a built in application which has been a part of Windows for many years.

The OP mentioned disk cleaner, which i thought was a third party app.

 

[ajj3085]

The 20 gb reclaimed are not temporary files. They are reminants of previous Windows updates. Cleaning temp files won't achieve this. Also, this is simply a method of regaining lost storage space, not a way to speed up your system (although this may help. The jury is still out on that) like deleting temp files is..fyi

And yet if you followed my steps, there it is, listed under Temporary Files. And I never said it would speed anything up.

 

[jefbeard911]

And yet if you followed my steps, there it is, listed under Temporary Files. And I never said it would speed anything up.

Using your method ( Settings -> System -> Storage -> This PC (C -> Temporary Files) does not remove Windows Previous Installation Files. If you want to remove these files (windows.old) you need to run Disk Cleanup. Thus, the original post.

Also, most people wish to remove Temp files because the slow down your computer over time. The storage savings by deleting them is relatively negligible since most of us have many GB's of storage available these days.

 

[ajj3085]

Using your method ( Settings -> System -> Storage -> This PC (C -> Temporary Files) does not remove Windows Previous Installation Files. If you want to remove these files (windows.old) you need to run Disk Cleanup. Thus, the original post.

Also, most people wish to remove Temp files because the slow down your computer over time. The storage savings by deleting them is relatively negligible since most of us have many GB's of storage available these days.

No, you're incorrect, it does remove Windows.old. There's a delete button right under to where it says Previous versions of Windows and the text explaining you can't go back if you delete. And yes, I've done this on two W10 machines already.

Its possible in a really full disk freeing space might help a little. At any rate, I don't think you can assume what most people deleting temp files want, perhaps they want the eight to 12gb back. Windows 10 tablets have as little as 128 gb, and i do need to watch space on my 25gb surface 2 pro.

 

[halsee]

Only save 700 MB for me. SSD makes the difference?

 

[kgraham182]

WinSXS is the biggest folder is Windows. It contains all Windows system components and continues to grow over time. Whenever a component or driver gets updated the previous file is not deleted in case the user wants to revert back to an older one. Open Command Prompt w/ Admin and enter

DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
then
DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase