How to Resolve an SSD Filling Up for No Apparent Reason

Updated by

Tracy King 

Written by

Linda 

Updated on April 22, 2024

Problem: SSD Filling Up for No Apparent Reason (Including C Drive)

Top 6 Solutions:

• Delete Big Hidden Files and Folders
• Clean Up Junk Files and Large Files
• Delete Hibernate File
• Uninstall Some Programs
• Temporarily Disable System Restore
• Add Extra Space to Drive C
Translation:
• Delete Large Hidden Files and Folders
• Clean Up Junk Files and Massive Files
• Remove Hibernate File
• Uninstall Certain Programs
• Temporarily Disable System Restore Point
• Add Additional Space to Drive C

Applies to: Windows 10/8.1/8/7

Required Tool: Partition Master (for Fix 2 and Fix 6)

"SSD Windows C: Drive Continuously Losing Space Automatically"

This is a case from Microsoft.

"Hello, I recently purchased a laptop with Windows 10 pre-installed. Yesterday, I downloaded the Steam gaming application onto my Windows C: SSD, which has 118 GB of storage. Upon downloading and installing Steam, it consumed a significant amount of space on my C: drive. Following this, my Windows C: SSD has been filling up with space inexplicably. Can anyone assist me? Could you please explain what might be causing this issue and how I can resolve it? Many thanks in advance."

What Happens If My SSD Is Full

You might be wondering: What's occupying space on my SSD when it gets full? Nothing detrimental will happen to the SSD itself. TRIM might not function as efficiently with a full drive, but it won't prevent the drive from functioning normally – it might just perform slower. However, Windows might not react favorably. The system could potentially freeze, and you might also encounter a Low disk space warning. When the system drive has low disk space, certain programs may not run correctly, and worst-case scenario, it could lead to a system crash. Hence, it's crucial to address this issue promptly. To resolve the SSD being full, you can follow these six reliable methods to free up space on your SSD.

Fix 1: Delete Large Hidden Files and Folders

If the SSD shows full but you can't see any files, try unhiding files and folders to check if hidden items are taking up the space. Examine the hidden files closely. Are there any suspicious files or large data you didn't know about? If so, delete some unnecessary large files.

?Read More: How to Find Large Files on Windows 10

Step 1. Display hidden files and folders in Windows 10/8/7

Open the "Control Panel" and locate "File Explorer Options" in Windows 10, 8.1, and 8.

In the "File Explorer Options" window, navigate to the "View" tab. Under the "Hidden files and folders" section, check the option to show hidden files, folders, and drives.

< strong >Step 2. < /strong > Delete unwanted big files

Check for hidden files and delete any large, unwanted files. Empty your recycle bin after deletion. For a more thorough cleaning, continue reading.

Fix 2: Clean Up Junk Files and Large Files (Recommended)

Some people may use Disk Cleanup to accomplish this task. Disk Cleanup is a built-in Windows tool that enables you to delete certain files that you can't remove via Windows File Explorer. However, users might find it challenging to delete specific items. Rather than guiding you on how to utilize Disk Cleanup to delete unwanted files and temporary internet files to free up SSD space, it's more straightforward to begin with third-party cleanup software, as it works similarly across all Windows versions.

You can easily clean up junk files using tools like CleanGenius.

Step 1. Download and install the Partition Master Suite.

Step 2. Click PC Cleaner and install the CleanGinus tool. Then, click "Cleanup" and "Scan" to begin cleaning the system and restore your PC to its optimal state.

Step 3. The software will scan your entire computer to find idle data files that take up a lot of disk space. You can select useless large files, system junk files, and Windows invalid entries, then click "Clean" to start the system cleanup process.

Step 4. When the scan is complete, click “Done” to finish cleaning system junk files.

Fix 3: Delete Hibernate File

Hiberfil.sys is a file created by the operating system when the computer enters Hibernate mode. Windows reserves approximately half of the RAM capacity for the hibernation file. For instance, if your computer has 8GB of RAM, the hiberfil.sys file would be around 4GB in size. If your hard drive is small and the hibernation files occupy a significant portion of the C drive's disk space, disabling the hibernation file might be reasonable. However, if your hard drive has ample free space, there's no need to disable hibernation. Here's how to delete the hiberfil.sys file:

Step 1. Go to the Start menu, type "cmd" in the search bar, right-click on the "Command Prompt" result, and select "Run as administrator."

Step 2. Type powercfg -h off and press "Enter".

Delete Hibernate Files

Doing so will disable hibernation on Windows 10 and automatically delete the hiberfil.sys file. This should free up some space on your SSD system drive. For those without computing experience, it may be challenging, so share this detailed guide to assist them.

Fix 4: Uninstall Some Programs

As the case states, the SSD fills up due to the installation of Steam. The simplest solution to the issue of the SSD filling up for no reason is to uninstall some programs.

Step 1. Right-click the Start button in Windows 10, and choose "Programs and Features".

In Windows 8/8.1, type "uninstall" and then choose "Programs and Features" from the results.

< strong >Step 2. < /strong > View the programs.

Sort them by size and choose the drive. Identify what's taking up space on your SSD and click "Uninstall."

Uninstall unwanted programs

By the way, there's another option: transfer programs from C drive to D drive or any desired drive to free up SSD space. This way, you can retain your programs while enjoying the superior performance of your SSD.

Fix 5: Temporarily Disable System Restore

System Restore regularly creates backups and stores the growing number of backup files in a folder called System Volume Information. You might be surprised by how much space disabling System Restore on a Windows computer can free up.

Step 1. Right-click on This PC/Computer and select Properties, then click System Protection.

Step 2. Click on the Configure button under the System Protection tab.

"Diable System Restore"

In the "Restore Settings," you'll find an option to disable system protection. Apply your changes.

Fix 6. Add Extra Space to Drive C (Recommended)

If, after all these fixes, your C drive is still full, you might consider adding space to the system partition from another partition on the same SSD. Use the Partition Master tool again to extend the C drive that's filling up for no apparent reason.

Step 1. Click "Adjust with 1-Click" to extend C drive.

When your C drive is out of space, hover your mouse over the C drive, and you'll see the Low Disk Space alert in Partition Master. Click "Resize with 1-Click" to extend it.

Step 2. Click "OK" to extend C drive automatically.

By clicking “OK”, Partition Master will automatically allocate space to your C drive to solve the low space issue.

Additional Option: You can also click "Manual Adjustment" to extend the C drive manually.

When switching to Manual Adjustment, select the C drive and drag the dots to the right to add more space to the C drive. Click “OK” to confirm.

Step 3. Confirm to fix low disk space on the C drive

Click the "Execute Task" button in the upper corner and start all pending operations by clicking "Apply".

Conclusion

The six solutions above could have resolved your issue. Fix 2 and Fix 6 are my recommendations. An additional solution for when your C: drive or SSD becomes full for no apparent reason is to upgrade to a larger drive. You can clone your old drive to a new one or an SSD (solid-state drive) without the need to reinstall Windows.

People Also Ask

Aside from the SSD full issue, most users are inquiring about the following:

1. How do I free up space on my SSD?

The easiest way to free up SSD space is to delete junk files/large useless files. You can use junk file cleaner software to do this easily. For a full guide, refer to Fix 2 above.

2. What happens if my SSD is full? Translation: 2. What occurs when my SSD reaches full capacity?

Nothing bad will happen to the SSD itself. TRIM doesn't function as well with a full drive, but it won't prevent the drive from working normally—it might just perform more poorly. You may also see a Low disk space warning at this time.

3. Does an SSD become slower when it's full?

Yes, when the system drive or SSD has low disk space, some programs may not function correctly. You might notice that the SSD performs slowly, similar to a snail's pace.

4. How do I increase the storage space on my C drive in Windows 10?

Use tools like Partition Master to extend the C drive on the same disk.

Step 1. Locate the Target Partition

Step 2. Extend the Target Partition

Step 3. Perform Operations to Extend Partition

For a detailed guide, refer to Fix 6. This sentence is already in English. If you need it translated into another language, please specify the target language.