Windows 10: Windows 10 Hard Drive Keeps Filling Up

*Ditto

If every piece of software that ever had a bug in it was consider "not good to recommend", very few, if any, apps would ever get installed. Ix07 is right on when he says it's what is there. Identify it.

 

That is not a bug, that is a faulty software. The only job of the TreeSize is to show the used space and it does not do it correctly. Would you install a picture viewer, which can not open any pictures? It would be pointless.

 

Ok, you've made the point you wanted to. Now, how about we get back to solving the OP's question. Diversions like this serve no purpose whatsoever. *Focus

 

We get this at work quite regularly and it usually involves a program somewhere going doolally and constantly churning out log files. Give Windirstat a try, it works for us.

 

You can start over with a fresh clean install with a larger HDD/SDD to get more space.

 

Also have you run Disk Clean as Administrator?
Old updates and such take up space.

 

I agree. I have to figure out WHERE the space is going. What tool will do that? I'm hearing from some people its TreeSize, and other people that it is faulty. I tried C Cleaner and C Cleaner did show me where the largest files are. But, that doesn't help a lot. I can't find a pattern. The problem is that I have to find the pattern, not just the largest files.

So, is there an app that will show me where the largest chunk of directory space is being eaten up?

 

In Settings under Storage, have you checked it there.

 

Please use this tutorial. To completely show your disk management.

By Gregrocker

Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of General Tips Tutorials

System Reserve at 23.5 GB is just plain crazy.

Here is a screen shot from my Windows 10 system.





Jack

 

No it's not, it's about right. This is the breakdown of what 'System & reserved' actually means....





You get this detailed breakdown by clicking on the 'System & reserved' bar seen in the earlier screenshots.

On possible cause for the OP's shrinking free space could be item two in that list, the virtual memory. If that is set for 'system managed' (as it is by default) and an errant app is eating up memory but not releasing it properly, then the swap file may just keep growing until it fills the disk.

 

I've used WinDirStat in the past, and it's been quite helpful. Here's an example of what you'll see, after the "pac-men" are finished:





As you select bits in the map, it tells you what they are. You can then hover your mouse over one, right-click, and you get this:






You can also have it show "Unknown" (although I'm not sure how to handle that - deleting Unknown might bork the system):





I once found and fixed a leaky program this way.

 

Please run winver so we know the exact version on your computer.
What size is the hard drive, maybe 250 GB? Is it an SSD?
The computer ran fine for at least 6 months: how long has your issue been happening?

In post #6, "I'm really starting to get worried that it's malware."
--- I would also want to know that up-front.
--- What are your security programs: run them at full scans and let us know what they are.
--- You can also run Malwarebytes Premium as it contains root-kit detection and is an excellent 2nd opinion.

I also have many other questions, but some basic information and focusing on some procedures should be helpful in order to move on.

 

23.5 GB means I haven't deleted any restore points. which means I can restore it back to the very first restore point. as you see, I have lots of room on hard drive.

 

No it doesn't - you're misunderstanding your screenshot.

Your 23.5GB (for System and reserved) includes Windows directory. You may (or may not) have any restore points at all as 23.5GB for Windows is not unusual. It certainly doesn't mean no restore points have ever been deleted. Perhaps they have, perhaps not - you would have to look into it and see.

Lets see what the OP comes up with though and try not to sidetrack this thread too much *Smile