Windows 10: Incorrect disk usage values displayed in Settings > System > Storage

If I open Settings in Windows 10, then go to System > Storage, I get the following usage for C:
161Gb used of 285Gb
whereas File Explorer gives the more sensible 21Gb used of 145Gb, which is almost certainly the correct values, given that it is a 145Gb partition, and is a fresh install of Windows 10. The C: partition is on a 480Gb SSD drive.

Here is a screenshot of disk management showing the correct values





And here is a screenshot of the Storage screen with the incorrect values





Can anyone explain why this is?

Thanks.

:)

 

Disk Cleanup vs. Third-Party Cleaners (CCleaner, Advanced SystemCare, etc.)

Disk Cleanup already does a pretty good job along with the successor called Storage sense in Start > Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense > toggle on and it will do everything for you clean up your disk and keep it optimized.

Also look into the free third party utility called TreeSize that can help find large log files that eat up space and slow down your computer:

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/map-hardrive-u...

 

Used Storage Space on Apps and Games Keeps Growing- Without Installing Anything

Open Start > Settings > System > Storage > This PC

Click Other and Temporary files to see where the storage might be used.

Also use TreeSize to find out if there any hidden files or logs that might be using up your disk space:

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/map-hardrive-u...

 

The C: drive partition is correctly identified as 145.70GB, however if you add up the rest of the partitions without drive letters (ie) 139.70GB + the hidden 350MB and 450MB partitions, you get 285GB not including the 160GB of Unallocated Space. Since the other partitions don't have drive letters, System/Storage is lumping those drives into the total capacity of C:.

 

I see. The figures do add up as you have specified, but I think it is confusing that it reports the capacity of the other partition as though it was part of C: The 139.70Gb partition is an EXT4 partition (my Ubuntu install). However, it is mounted in Windows using an EXT driver as drive E: but I guess that Windows is confused by this and assumes the drive is full and reports it as 100% used. Adding this with the used capacity of C: of around 22Gb would give the utilised figure of 161Gb. Thanks for your help.

 

Are you sure you are not confusing this 139.79GB partition with your secondary HDD that also does not have drive letters in Windows, so I am assuming this Disk 1 is Ubuntu? If the 139.79GB partition is E: in Windows, the drive letter is not showing in Disk Management, Try right clicking and assigning this partition with a drive letter.

 

Yes, I am sure. I have the root partition on this drive, which is an ssd drive. The other hdd drive contains data partitions. I don't know why it's not showing up in disk management, but it is showing up in file explorer correctly, with the 1.4 Tb data partition on the hdd mounted as D:. The 8Gb partition on the hdd is just a Linux swap partition. I'll post an image of File Explorer later tonight to demonstrate this.

 

Image of File Explorer as promised. I cannot assign drive letters to these partitions in Disk Management. I guess the conclusion to be drawn is that Disk Management does not recognise non-Windows partitions, Storage gets confused by it, and File Explorer has no problem at all. In any case, at least I know now not to trust what is displayed at face value. Not sure if this is a bug or a "feature" and whether I should report it.