Why is my SSD so full?

[Zarotu]

I currently have a 250 GB Samsung SSD. I have most of my games, movies, and music on an HDD. For some reason, it says I have around 95 GB free out of the 209 GB available. So, it says I am using around 114 GB in the SSD. However, upon highlighting all the folders within the SSD (as well as counting), I am using only around 75 GB in the SSD. Where is the 39 GB coming from? How come I only have 209 GB available, although I can see the Windows folder in my SSD and is included in the total 75 GB I can find.

 

[DeathRabit]

75GB + System hidden folders and files (recovery ect.) + system Page-file = 114GB

 

[Zarotu]

75GB + System hidden folders and files (recovery ect.) + system Page-file = 114GB

I don't see any hidden folders. I'm pretty sure I should be able to see hidden folders as there are various folders that are faded. Where can I find those, as well as the page file?

 

[TechShark]

You cannot, by default, see hidden folders. The clue is in the name. If look in the top left of windows explorer you can get to some settings. You can enable hidden folders there.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Part of it is back ion the 90s, HD manufacturers "redefined" how storage is actually marketed. Initially a GB contained 1024 MB; marketing departments started claiming that this was too confusing to the customer, so they started calling a GB = 1,000 MBs. No one who was actually building computers at the time had any trouble with the 1024 definition, but to get a marketing edge at the GB level as 1024 * 1024 * 1024 comes out to be about 7%. So your 250 GB SSD has room for only 233 GB of files. I should note that some manufacturers bucked the trend for a while but sitting on a store shelf, two drives of the same size at the same price, customers routinely fell for the charade that the 250 was bigger. Finally, the hard liners gave up and everybody does it this way now. I never understood why it was "confusing" .... no one seems to have problem with a RAM stick having 4096 or 8192 MB

The rest you can blame on windows.

1. Especially of you installed Windows 10. By clicking on that EULA, you gave MS permission to use your PC as a server. Those Windows 10 files you downloaded, are stored on your HD and made available for other users to download to take the load off MS servers.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/08/02/windows-10-vs-windows-8-vs-windows-7-whats-the-difference/2/

While Windows 10’s mandatory update policy has split opinions, a far less widely reported issue is also taking place: the new OS uses a peer-to-peer (p2p) update distribution system called ‘Windows Update Delivery Optimization’ (WUDO).

The benefit of WUDO is that once one Windows 10 device has downloaded the latest updates it will automatically distribute them to other PCs on your network, saving time. The problem is your PC will also start to share this update with other PCs around the world that still need it. This takes the pressure off Microsoft’s servers but also means Windows 10 will consume more of your bandwidth than Windows 7 or Windows 8, neither of which do this.

2. Unless you took pains to remove them, all the uninstall files for years of Windows Updates are still there, dump files, temp files.

3. Unless you (or software) took pains to remove, or move, them, Windows sticks all user related files (i.e. game files) in your user file on C:\.

4. Same for e-mails, downloads.

5. Software vendors have files that are used across multiple applications. Adobe, Autodesk and other vendors who market "suite" of programs, no matter where you put the app themselves, the "common files" all get stored on C:\

6. Where are your backup files ? Not much use as a backup if the SSD fails and they on the same drive.

7. Where are your page and temp files ?

If you are not all that "windows savvy", I'd suggest using a utility like Steven Gould's CleanUp or CCleaner to clean unnecessary files. Also Windows Disk Cleanup, and don't forget about the system files portion.

Best stay away from registry cleaner portion of such utilities.

 

[Zarotu]

Unfortunately, I don't have Windows 10 installed yet because they haven't reached me.

6. I'm not sure where the backup files are. I'll check later.

7. Same as above. I don't know where my page files are.

I have been using CCleaner and that was the result. 209 GB available. 95 GB free. 114 GB apparently being used. I counted only 75 GB being used.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

7. Paging File

Control panel / System / Advanced System Settings / Advanced tab / "Performance" (top settings button) / Advanced tab / Virrtual memory Settings button
Change to D:\Temp or other location that suits you

Temp files

Control panel / System / Advanced System Settings / Advanced tab / at bottom "Environment variables"
Change to D:\Temp or other location that suits you

9. Open Windows Explorer, right click on C Drive, select file finder, type in *.dmp
Delete everything it finds

10. 9. Open Windows Explorer, right click on C Drive, select file finder, type in *.tmp
Delete everything it finds