Keep running out of disk space? Here are our solutions.

Keep running out of disk space? Here are our solutions.

Have you been getting a low disk space error on your Windows device? This means your computer is out of space to download new files or even apply crucial updates. There are some obvious solutions to the problem and not some not obvious solutions that will help you solve the problem in the long term.

The first obvious solution is to delete files you no longer need. If your SSD or hard drive is on the smaller side this can be easier said than done. It’s important to remember a Windows installation typically takes up 90 GBs of space, so if you’re only working with 250 GBs that’s nearly half your drive space utilized off the bat. We often recommend customers keep this in mind when they’re shopping for a new computer.

The second obvious solution is to clear your computer of junk files, such as temporary files or cookies. You can do this quickly by searching for “Disk Cleanup” in the search bar on your task bar or by hitting Windows Key + R and typing “cleanmgr” in the box that comes up. Then you select the drive you wish to clean (typically C). The temporary files folder should already be selected but you can choose to clean up more folders if you would like (Recycle Bin is often another good choice for reclaim space).

This is an example of what the Disc Cleanup tool can do.

The third option, which may be a little trickier depending on the type of device you have, is to add additional storage. For a desktop computer with additional drive bays, it can be relatively easy to have an extra SSD installed though you may require assistance in pairing it with your computer. Laptops often have their storage soldered, meaning an upgrade is not possible, however this can vary and it’s best to leave this up to a professional.

Some of the not so obvious solutions are:

  1. For Microsoft 365 users, you actually have access to 1 TB of personal storage through OneDrive. This means you can move some of your files to your OneDrive storage while clearing up space on your personal computer. Even free users have access to 5 GBs of personal space. We created an article on how to best utilize your OneDrive storage here.
  2. Transfer large files to an external drive. While less convenient then having the drive built into your device, external drives are quite affordable and can work in a pinch to give you the space you need while evaluating whether more permanent storage remedies are available.
  3. Verify your drive is actually full. Some viruses and malware can either fill up your device with bogus files or trigger this error, so it’s best to have an IT professional evaluate your device if you’re getting a “Low Disk Space” error when you know you should have adequate space available.

If you do have low disk space, you may be wondering how often the error will pop up for you. It depends on just how much space you have left. Windows typically issues 3 warnings.

  1. At 200 MBs remaining the error will show up once for 10 seconds.
  2. At 80 MBs remaining the error will show up every 4 hours for 30 seconds.
  3. At 50 MBs remaining the error will show up at every 5 minutes for 30 seconds, obviously by this point it’s crucial the issue be addressed.

If you’ve reached this point and decided it’s a good idea to replace or add storage to your device, you may be wondering what to buy. For laptops and desktops, we really recommend SSDs over hard drives. Hard drives contain a physical component (a disk that spins) and this part can break down with use and leave you in the lurch. Even with SSDs though there is high end and low end. We’ve broken down some of this information in the chart below.

Need more advice on purchasing storage for your business? Valley Techlogic are procurement experts, our sales team can work with you to choose the right storage options for your business and our technical team can manage your installation. Learn more about Valley Techlogic’s procurement services here or schedule a consultation today.

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This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, an IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/valleytechlogic.