C drive is full, and D drive is empty - how to solve this issue?

Updated by

Linda 

Last updated on May 6, 2024

Since C drive is usually the default location for file downloads, it tends to fill up faster. This can cause issues for users when saving files, installing new apps, or updating existing software due to lack of space on the C drive. Here's a user case from Reddit:

So, what would you do if your C drive is full while D drive is empty? Do you know what the main causes of this issue are? Don't worry, this article will explain why it happens and offer four effective solutions to help you fix the problem of a full C drive with an empty D drive.

How to Solve the Problem of a Full C Drive and an Empty D Drive - 4 Solutions

When the C drive is full, you can't install or update software on your computer, which significantly affects its performance. This section introduces four safe and reliable methods to help you address the "C drive full, D drive empty" issue. Before delving into the step-by-step instructions, let's first glance at a brief overview:

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Method 1: Clean Up Your C Drive

Users can take steps to alleviate the issue of insufficient space on the C drive. One option is to regularly clean up unnecessary files, uninstall unused applications, or move files to other drives or cloud storage to free up space on the C drive. There are mainly two ways to help you identify what is taking up space on your C drive < a href="/partition-manager-software/what-is-using-up-my-c-drive-space.html">and free up space on it.

Option 1: Use a disk cleanup tool

When it comes to freeing up hard drive space, the Partition Master tool excels, as it offers multiple disk management utilities, including DiskMark, Disk Health, and Clean Genius. Its "Clean Genius" feature scans and removes junk files generated by the system and during computer operations. After the scan, you can choose the files to delete and effectively remove them.

Please follow a detailed tutorial with pictures to clean up unnecessary files from the C drive:

Step 1: Download and install the free Partition Master tool, and then run it on your Windows computer.

On that page, hover the mouse over “PC Cleaner,” and click the Download button to install and run the CleanGenius tool.

Step 2: In CleanGenius, tap “Clean” on the main screen and then tap “Scan” to start the scan.

Step 3: After the scan, select the unnecessary large files and click "Clean" to delete them.

Step 4. When CleanGenius has scanned and cleaned the files you chose, click “Finish” to exit the program.

This powerful tool can help you fix the “yellow triangle warning” on your C drive.

Option 2: Run Disk Cleanup on the C Drive

Aside from the disk partition tool, Windows also has a utility called "Disk Cleanup" that checks for available space on your hard drive and removes unnecessary files. However, using it can be cumbersome as it needs to be activated through File Explorer and requires more time and effort. Here's a detailed guide on how to use Disk Cleanup in Windows: 1. **Open File Explorer**: Click on the File Explorer icon in your Taskbar or press the Windows key + E on your keyboard. 2. **Access the Drive**: In the left pane of File Explorer, click on the drive you want to clean up, typically "C:" for the main system drive. 3. **Right-click and Choose Properties**: Right-click on the selected drive and choose "Properties" from the context menu. 4. **Disk Cleanup Dialog Box**: A dialog box named "Disk Cleanup" will appear. It will calculate the amount of disk space that can be freed. 5. **Select Files to Delete**: Check the boxes next to the file types you want to delete. The default options usually include temporary Internet files, temporary Windows files, recycle bin contents, and download files. You can also choose to clean up system files by clicking on "Clean up system files". 6. **Confirm Deletion**: After selecting the file types, click "OK". A confirmation prompt will appear. Click "Delete Files" to proceed with the cleanup process. 7. **Wait for the Process to Finish**: Disk Cleanup will now remove the selected files, which may take some time depending on the amount of data. While Disk Cleanup is a useful tool, third-party disk cleaning utilities like CCleaner can offer more advanced features and a more user-friendly interface for those seeking an easier solution. However, always exercise caution when using third-party software and ensure it's from a reputable source.

Step 1: Press the “Windows + R” keys to open the Windows File Explorer.

Step 2: In the File Explorer window, click “This PC,” right-click on the C: drive, and select Properties.

Step 3: Select the files you want to delete from the list, and click OK.

Please ensure that you no longer need the file before deleting it, or you can back up important data beforehand and store it on an external hard drive.

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Method 2: Extend the C Drive

The 2nd solution to “C drive full, D drive empty” is to extend the C drive space. If there's no contiguous unallocated space, AOMEI Partition Assistant can still help you out. While the built-in tool Disk Management in Windows requires contiguous unallocated space to extend the C drive, otherwise, you may need to delete other drives to make room, which might cause data loss. Let's see how to use these two tools to extend the C drive.

Expand the C drive partition with the tool Partition Master, whether or not there is adjacent unallocated space.

AOMEI Partition Assistant breaks through the limitations of Windows, allowing users to successfully expand the C drive with or without unallocated space, whether it is contiguous or not. Additionally, it can resize, move, create, and merge partitions to ensure optimal disk space utilization without data loss.

Option 1: Extend the System C drive using unallocated space

1. Right-click on the System C drive and select "Resize/Move Partition." 2. Drag the system partition towards the unallocated space, adding it to the C drive. Then click "OK." 3. Click "Execute Task" and "Apply" to perform the operation and extend the C drive.

Option 2: Extend the System C drive without unallocated space

1. Right-click on a large partition with sufficient free space on the system disk and select "Allocate Space." 2. In the "Allocate from (*) to" section, choose the system drive, and then drag the end of the System C drive to the unallocated space. Click "OK" to confirm. 3. Click "Execute Tasks" to view the pending operations. Then click "Apply" to save the changes and extend the C drive.

0:00-0:26 - Extending the system drive with unallocated space; 0:27-0:58 - Expanding the system drive without unallocated space.

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Extra Option: Resize C Drive with Option 1

One of the powerful features of Partition Master is its ability to detect low disk space and offer a one-click solution to adjust your disk partitions. Here's how you can do it: 1. **Download and Install**: First, download Partition Master from their official website. Install the software on your computer. 2. **Launch the Program**: Once installed, run Partition Master. The main interface will display all the hard disks and partitions connected to your system. 3. **Analyze Disk Space**: Select the disk that is running out of space by clicking on it. Partition Master will display the partition details, including the used and available space. 4. **Resize Partition**: To expand the partition, right-click on it and choose "Resize/Move Partition" from the context menu. A new window will pop up with a graphical representation of your partition layout. 5. **Adjust Partition Size**: In this window, you can drag the left or right handles of the partition to increase or decrease its size. If you want to expand the partition, move the handle towards unallocated space. Make sure there's enough unallocated space adjacent to the partition you want to resize. 6. **Apply Changes**: After adjusting the partition size, click "OK". A warning message will appear, asking if you're sure about the changes. Click "Apply" to confirm. The program will then execute the resizing operation. 7. **Wait for Completion**: The resizing process may take some time depending on the size of the partition and your computer's performance. Do not interrupt the process or turn off your computer during this time. 8. **Verify Space**: Once completed, you can check your disk management tool to verify that the partition has been resized, and the available space has increased. Remember, while Partition Master is generally safe to use, it's always a good idea to back up important data before making any changes to your partitions.

Step 1: In the Partition Manager, hover the mouse over the target drive with low disk space and click “Resize/Move Volume”.

When your partition runs out of space and becomes read-only, Partition Master will pop up a warning of low disk space and offer an “Adjust in One Click” option.

Click OK to auto-grow the partition.

Partition Wizard will smartly resize the partition to fix the low disk space problem, just click “OK” to continue.

If Smart Space Adjustment does not suit your needs, click Manual Adjustment to expand the partition manually, and then click OK to proceed.

Step 3: Perform the operations to extend the low disk space partition.

Click the “Run Task” button in the top right, and save all changes by clicking “Apply.”

2. Extend C Drive with Unallocated Space Using Disk Management

If you have unallocated space nearby, you might be able to use Disk Management. Make sure to back up your files first, just in case, as this process can damage your files if something goes wrong. Here's how to use Disk Management:

Step one: Press the “Win+X” keys, and select “Disk Management” from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Right click on C drive in the software interface and choose “Extend Volume” option.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the expansion of drive C.

The solutions mentioned in this section will teach you how to extend C drive with Partition Master and the Disk Management utility. However, if you're an advanced user, you can also use Diskpart from the Command Prompt:

How to Manage Partitions with CMD in Windows 11/10?

This article will guide you on how to create, delete, and adjust (extend/shrink) partitions via CMD in detail.

Why is drive C full when drive D is still empty?

After addressing your issue with the methods mentioned above, let's delve into why you might encounter a "C drive full, D drive empty" situation. Firstly, the C drive usually contains the operating system and system files, which occupy a significant amount of space. Secondly, if you have a habit of installing many programs, applications, and games, these files often save by default to the C drive, causing it to fill up quickly. Another significant reason is temporary files, which accumulate and consume a large portion of available space on the C drive. Hence, it's essential to regularly monitor the C drive's storage capacity and extend the C drive partition when necessary.

Conclusions

"Full C drive and empty D drive" is a common issue that all computer users encounter, affecting system and PC performance. To alleviate the inconvenience caused by this problem, this article introduces four useful methods to help you clean up or expand your C drive. In summary, Partition Assistant is helpful in various scenarios of a full C drive. Furthermore, it offers four options that perfectly cater to your needs. Download it now to easily solve the problem of a full C drive and an empty D drive!

Q&A: Common Issues with a Full C Drive and Available D Drive

You can read and learn from the following common questions and valuable answers to gain a deeper understanding of the situation where your C drive is full while the D drive remains empty.

How can I move the space from drive D to drive C?

With the “Allocate Space” feature of Partition Master, you can easily move space from D drive to C drive. Follow these quick steps:

Step 1: Right-click on Drive D and select "Extend Volume" from the menu.

Step 2: Select the target C drive and then drag its right endpoint to the free space of Drive D. Then click “OK” to confirm.

Click “Execute Task” and “Apply” to allocate the free space on Drive D to Drive C.

2. Can I merge C drive and D drive?

If the C and D drives are adjacent, you can merge them to increase the capacity of the C drive. If you need more space on the C drive, you can first merge the C and D drives, then reallocate the partition for both disks. However, be cautious not to merge the D drive with another if it contains Windows boot files.

< strong > 3. Should I be using Drive D instead of Drive C?

It mainly depends on your needs. In theory, system files can be stored on the C drive, while personal data can be saved on the D drive. This separation can help improve the efficiency of physical memory for the Windows system. Games can be saved on the D drive, and specifically, files can be stored on either C or D drives depending on the actual situation.