Solving the "Disk Space Low" Error in Windows Server 2019/2016

Updated by

Linda 

Updated on April 22, 2024

Typically, a low disk space warning is a quick notice to users that a particular drive is full and needs to be addressed promptly or urgently. This error usually appears on the C drive, where the Windows operating system and all user files are downloaded and stored by default. Annoyingly, the low disk space error message appears when the partition has less than 10% of its total storage space left. [Click here to learn how to scan your disks](/partition-master/scandisk.html).

Are you worried about the "Not Enough Disk Space" error on your Windows Server? If so, you've come to the right place! In this article, we'll provide you with a comprehensive guide to help you effectively resolve the "Not Enough Disk Space" error on your Windows Server. Read through the entire article and follow the steps outlined below.

Error: Low Disk Space Warning on C Drive of Windows Server

A “low disk space” error usually appears as a notification message in the bottom right corner of a user's screen. You will see a warning that says, “You are running low on disk space on your local disk C:.” Most of the time, people tend to ignore this warning. However, when you see a low disk space warning, it is best to act immediately because this will slow down the performance of your Windows server.

When you encounter the "insufficient disk space" error, there can be several reasons behind it, such as large temporary files, insufficient storage assigned to the C drive, or large software or applications.

What to Do and What Not to Do with "Disk Space Low" Errors on a Windows Server Computer

When you encounter the “Low Disk Space” warning on your Windows Server system, you must take the following actions:

• Avoid saving any new files to the drive with low disk space.
• Don't transfer or move large files when you receive a low-disk-space error.
• Place the server in maintenance mode to suspend all file operations.
• Stop any running services that provide content to other users.

In such cases, you should watch out for things like:

• Ensure the safety and stability of low disk space drives.
• Empty the Recycle Bin immediately to free up some space.
• Fix this error promptly using the solutions provided below.

How to fix the 'C' drive low disk space issue in Windows Server 2019/2016?

Here, we provide you with a comprehensive guide and reliable, practical solutions to fix the "disk space running out" error on your Windows Server 2019/2016. Follow the exact steps to resolve the low disk space issue on your Windows Server system.

1. Repair disk space insufficiency error with a partition master tool in one click

To fix the error of not having enough disk space, you can use the most reliable and secure third-party tool, the Server Partition Wizard Tool, without the need to delete existing partitions. It is a user-friendly utility that allows you to easily create and modify partitions with disk partition software.

This utility is suitable for all types of computer users. The popular tool features a one-click option to fix the low disk space error on Windows Server computers. You can download and install it from the tool's official website.

Please follow these steps precisely to resolve the error of insufficient disk space.

Step 1: Enter the “Disk Partition Management” interface, hover the mouse on the target disk (the disk with insufficient space), and then click “Resize in One Click”.

When there is not enough space and the partition shows as read-only, Partition Master will give a low disk space warning and provide an option to “Resize with One Click”.

Click "OK" to automatically extend the partition.

Partition Assistant will smartly resize the partition to fix low disk space issue, you just need to click “OK” to go on.

If the Smart Resize option does not provide what you need, click Manual Resize to expand the partition manually, and then click OK to continue.

Step 3: Perform the operation to extend the partition with insufficient disk space.

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

Run Disk Cleanup

You should run Disk Cleanup to resolve the “Not enough disk space” error. As mentioned, this issue might be due to a large number of temporary files on your C drive. Thus, to get rid of system files, temporary files, and other junk files, you can try running Disk Cleanup by following these steps.

Please follow these steps exactly to run Disk Cleanup:

Step 1: In the search box (Win + S), type Disk Cleanup, and then select Disk Cleanup from the results.

Step 2: Select the disk you want to clean up, and click OK.

Select the drive for Disk Clean-up

Step 3: Under Files to delete, select the types of files that you want to remove. To see a description of a file type, select it.

Step 4: Click “OK.”

If you want to clear more space, do the following.

Step 1: In Disk Cleanup, choose Clean up system files.

Step 2: Select the file type you want to delete. Check a type to see its description.

Step 3: Click “OK.”

If you need to delete files from the Recycling Bin.

To delete the Recycling Bin, follow these steps.

Step 1: Click the "Start" menu and type "Recycle Bin" in the search box.

Step 2: Once the icon appears, click on it to open it. You should now see the "Recycle Bin" open in File Explorer.

Step 3: Finally, click the Empty Recycle Bin option from the top menu to delete all the files.

3. Move or transfer the program to another drive from the C drive

You can try shifting or relocating programs from the C drive to another drive to fix the "low disk space" issue on your Windows Server system. Just remember, this trick works only for apps installed on the C drive that can be moved to a different local drive.

If you wish to free up C drive to fix the low disk space error, download and use the most reliable third-party tool – the Todo PCTrans Tool. Additionally, with its excellent migration features, you can accomplish the task successfully.

Todo PCTrans is a software that helps users transfer data, applications, and accounts between computers. Hence, download the tool from its official website, and follow these steps to resolve your issue.

4. Disable Hibernate

Occasionally, the server might use additional space to store hibernation files, so disabling hibernation can resolve the low disk space error on your Windows Server. To turn off hibernation, follow these exact steps:

Step 1: Use Win + R to open the Run prompt.

Step 2: Type CMD, then press Shift + Enter to open it with Administrator privileges.

Step 3: When the User Account Control prompt appears, click **Continue**.

<Step 4> At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off, and then press Enter.

Step 5: Type exit, and press Enter to close the Command Prompt window.

Prevent "Low Disk Space" Errors on Windows Server Computers

Undoubtedly, encountering the "Not enough disk space" error on a Windows Server is frustrating for any user, but we have some of the best solutions to fix this issue for you. You can also follow some additional tips from us to resolve this error, such as:

• Separate the system drive from the data drive.
• Ensure adequate space on both the system drive and user data drive.
• Regularly run antivirus software and remove viruses.
• Allocate and utilize disk space efficiently.
• Remove large, unnecessary files.
• Install applications on a separate drive.
• Change the default download folder location.
• Enable Storage Sense for automatic file cleanup.

Feel free to try out the four given methods and see which one suits you best and easily fixes the “disk space not enough” error on your Windows server. If you ask us, we recommend the “Fix Disk Space Not Enough Error with One Click” method using the Partition Master tool. Since it is a trustworthy and reliable third-party tool, you can effectively resolve the low disk space issue with its popular one-click adjustment feature.