My "Users" folder on my SSD is filling up the rather small hard drive. How can I clear it up?

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mrmike16

mrmike16

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Mar 10, 2016
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I have a desktop with both a solid state drive and a hard disk drive, with an external Seagate for backup. My media and documents get stored on the hard disk drive, as the solid state drive has nowhere near the capacity to hold my files.

Two or three problems have arisen from this:

1: Windows Search fails to find files unless I specifically select "Documents", "Music", etc. after typing in the file I am searching for. It says those folders are indexed, so I can't figure out why it can't show them immediately just because they are on another hard drive? It was fine in Windows 7, but I am now on Windows 10.

2: AppData- It fills up like crazy. 15 GB is used up by the Seagate Dashboard program alone (And I don't even know why- problem number 3). AppData seems to be one of those hidden folders that cannot be moved to another hard drive without causing problems. As you all probably know, solid state drives cost more for more capacity. Mine is 250 GB, and has 70 GB free...Most of the files were not put there by me. AppData is a big example of that. Program files is only taking up 35 percent of the space, according to WinDirStat (Very useful program, by the way). Any ideas? At least on how to get rid of the 15 GB of Seagate junk?

Any help would be appreciated. I figured I should not wait until the SSD actually fills up :)
 
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1. Did you fresh install win 10 or is this an upgrade from 7? I ask as my search never properly worked until i fresh installed.

2. Meanwhile My ssd has 170gb free and is same size. Guess the amount of space used depends on your usage though. I just put windows and applications on ssd, no games; I assume that if you use Onedrive you have relocated its folder to hdd, as it will chew up space as well.

3. considering Seagate Dashboard is a backup program, wonder what its doing - http://www.seagate.com/au/en/manuals/software/dashboard/introducing-seagate-dashboard/

Might want to see what its set to do on PC, it might let you relocate some of that space to the 1tb hdd
 
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It's an upgrade from 7, but the license I have doesn't allow a fresh install.

I have some games on it, but it's not a crazy amount. WinDirStat says that most of the space is from AppData, and half of AppData's files are Seagate's...

I did relocate OneDrive. Of course, now I have two OneDrive folders, because Microsoft would never expect me to do such a thing, but the one on the HDD is set to sync and the other is just empty.

Yes, I love the Seagate Dashboard Continuous Backup feature, but I can't see anywhere why they need 15 GB in my SSD. There is no indication of it in the program anywhere.
 
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What OS license do you have that does not allow a reinstall on the same hardware?
 
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I understand you have your personal files on your HDD and not on your SDD, did you (and do not do this at all unless you want files deleted before answering me) open a windows explorer windows and right clickj on documents and goto prop[erties and change the location to your new HDD ? if not the problem is the llocoation for all user files are still pointing to your SSD.

now you can do this for downloads, documents, music etc, BUT AND ITS IMPORTANT !
before you do this, you need to move your files on your HDD to a unrelated named folder, because if you set a new location where the files should be and you say yes to move files it will literally destroy the files in that HDD directory that matches the moved files. (it does not merge files...)

so if you want to do this.

1. make a folder called.. My old files
2. move all your personal HDD files under that folder.
3 Make new folder called Documents, Music, Downloads, videos, Pictures etc.
4. open file explorer, on the left side margin right click on documents properties and location tab, and change the SSD to HDD location it will ask to move the files, accept. repeat for all other locations
(this will clear space on SSD, move files to new directories and set the permanent location of such files to be at HDD location)
5. manually move back your previously HDD files in the "my oild files" folder to the appropriate folders you now have on your HDD locations.


enjoy



 
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I think volume? I got it from work, since an upgrade to 7 (at the time) was necessary to do my job.
Either way, I can't do a reinstall. So that troubleshooting step is crossed out.

To the other answerers- Moving my personal files to my HDD is not the issue. Please read the question a little more thoroughly.
 
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1: Windows Search fails to find files unless I specifically select "Documents", "Music", etc. after typing in the file I am searching for1: Windows Search fails to find files unless I specifically select "Documents", "Music", etc. after typing in the file I am searching for
Click to expand...
windows 10 does search differently, but instead of opening a folder and doing a search use the search using Cortana in windows 10 and it will not matter where the file is at it should find it.

2: AppData- It fills up like crazy. 15 GB is used up by the Seagate Dashboard program alone
Click to expand...
appdata is under c:/windows/users/NAME OF USER/appdata, if the space is mostly taken by your backup software, maybe you should try to uninstall it, clean the app data folder, make a D:\program files(x86) and D:\program files (assuming your second drive id D change it if need be) and reinstall your backup software on the 1tb drive. (look for custom or where you can apply a change of drive, a new appdata should be created fo this application under d:\users\(username)\appdata if the 15gb Is require somehow at least now it is on your second drive.



 
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You've had some good recommendations on moving "Your data" from C-> X and fixing your Segate Dashboard (Like the Uninstall/reinstall option) Not sure (So question) have you applied space saving SSD tweaks (OS and Program are taking up a lot of space - None of my systems use more than 70 Gigs)? Ones I always use:
1) Set page file max and Min to same size, and set to HD drive (ie disable for "C" drive & enable for "D" drive).
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=windows+10+paging+file+size+recommendation&spf=1500903159127
2) Disable Hibernation
http://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/how-enable-or-disable-hibernate-in-windows-10-3633151/
3) Limit the size of system Restore folder. Windows 10 will set this to a max of 5% of your drive by default.
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/reduce-space-windows-10-system-restore-uses/

PS Most of my systems use a 240 gig SSD Partitioned as C and D (D being for my mosted used data). Main computer has 3 SSDs ( 480 gig C&D, a 250 Gig (E) Temp and I just stuck a 960 G SSD F:) + 4 gig Hard drive. My "C" has a good Number of programs BUT Not a gamer, so No games.

 
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Moving my data from C: to D: is not the problem. As I have stated, I already did that. All of my files. But not hidden things, such as appdata. I have not only uninstalled Seagate, but I reinstalled Windows. So we will see if that solves the issue on Seagate Dashboard. Appdata does accumulate lots of space, though, over time- any ideas on how to do anything about it?
 
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No, you don't move the AppData folder to elsewhere. Bad things will happen.
A 250GB SSD should be fine for the OS and applications.
 
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Noted.

But before I close this, can we solve the other issue which has been bugging me like crazy? The Search indexing. I can't just type anything and press Enter like I used to. I have to specify what type of file it is, every time!!! Anyone else have this problem on an SSD+HDD setup?
 
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How are you invoking the Search function?
WIN+S...start typing whatever. I've never seen an issue with that. Either application names or specific files.
 
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I'd show you a picture, but not sure how on here.
Okay, for example:

I have a text file keeping track of the things I sold. It's called "Sold.txt". It is stored on D: (My HDD, as are all of my files and media). If I press Win+S as you said, or if I simply click on the Search/Cortana bar, and type in "Sold", or even "Sold.txt", the only option I get will be to search the web for it. Unless I click on the Documents category within the Search window, which is an icon that looks like a paper with a folded corner. This can get frustrating when it comes to productivity, as I am sure you can understand.

Do you have your files stored on a second hard drive as well? If you don't, that's why you had no problems.
It does work with applications, since they are stored on C:. My issue here is that it won't, by default, search my files if they are on D: without a second click.
 
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My files are all over the place. Multiple drives.

For instance...I have a .csv file to keep track of failed hack attempts to my NAS box.
'nas_logins.csv'
Living on the F drive. A physically different SDD.

WIN+S start typing nas.....it pops up to the top of the list, properly identified as an Excel file.
 
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Weird. How do I figure out what is wrong with my configuration?
 
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No idea, man.

But also, for easier access, I have my most used applications pinned to the taskbar. (You're on Win 10, correct?)
Right click on the application icon...notepad, Excel, whatever....it pops up a list of the most recent files.

Also, you can pin that particular txtfile to the taskbar if you wish.
 
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Thanks for the suggestion, but on a 10 inch Surface screen the Taskbar is not that long 😛
And very often the files I search for are not recent files.
 
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