Solved Puzzled by the amount of space Win 7 is using on my SSD

[Tinsby]

Recently installed 7 on my new 240GB SSD. I went in to Computer Management to shrink the partition holding 7. I was amazed to see that the install is taking up 137GB+/-of space leaving me with a paltry 30GB or so out of 240! I did extend the partition a bit to make it the 193GB you see in the screenshot.

This makes no sense to me because on my mechanical drive where I had a triple boot, the Win 7 partition was 75GB and hardly half of it was used by the OS and all my programs! So if it was only taking up 35GB to 37GB on the old drive why is it now being such a hog??

Makes no sense to me what is taking up all the space. The install was only done about a week ago and I have 2 more programs to install then I am done. I even let 7 make that System Reserved Partition fwiw, I never had that before either.

I was so tempted to use a 3rd party program to resize that partition to 75GB.....but I was sure there was a reason 7 wouldn't let me do it so I never tried another program.

Very disappointed with the results is all I can say, I am mystified what is taking up all the bleeding space!

Thanks to all in advance!

J T

 

[caperjack]

hi, when you go to file manager and right click on the drives icon and go properties what does it show as used space

 

[PSCO2007]

Download Treesize --- TreeSize Free - Quickly Scan Directory Sizes and Find Space Hogs

You will probably see "Windows Old" -- Move it to a different HDD.


Click Scan for your SSD and see results.

 

[caperjack]

why would windows old be on a fresh install of win7 on a new hdd

 

[PSCO2007]

When I have done a fresh install, on my SSD, Windows Old was included.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/228884/keep_win_old.html

 

[gregrocker]

Why would you post a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image about losing size on SSD and leave out the most important columns we must see to help you? Do it over please following all steps given.

WinDirStat will also give you a graphic picture of the content. It won't be Windows.old if there was no previous install, unless you did it over and didn't delete the partition first.

 

[Tinsby]

More information

Why would you post a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image about losing size on SSD and leave out the most important columns we must see to help you? Do it over please following all steps given.

WinDirStat will also give you a graphic picture of the content. It won't be Windows.old if there was no previous install, unless you did it over and didn't delete the partition first.

First off I chose the wrong screenshot to send with my post, I agree that one doesn't show the info needed.

I have replaced the original post with a capture done today, and it bears out what I said initially, that on the old drive, Windows and all programs was using about 35-37GB actually if you do the math it's a bit more than that but there is a huge amount of space left, as well there should be. WinDirStat agrees with the Computer Management with approx. 42.35GB used and lots of space left over.

That brings me to my original question as to why I couldn't shrink the C partition to a size lower than 131.75GB? I wanted to make it 75GB but there was no way I could do it. If there is 151GB +/- left why can't I shrink that drive safely?



Thanks for your indulgence and my mistake in posting.

 

[DavidE]

Some files are unmovable while Windows is running.
That is why you can't shrink the partition as much as you want to using Computer Management. You can use free Partition Wizard Bootable CD to shrink the Windows [C] partition. [URL="http://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html"]Partition Wizard Bootable CD allows user to manage partition directly with partition manager bootable CD.[/URL]

 

[gregrocker]

Concur.

 

[Tinsby]

Fine thank you both, but will this program allow me to accidentally remove necessary data from the partition? Or does it 'self protect' as Win 7 Management is doing? I don't want to cause damage to a newly built system, I think you both can appreciate that.

Cheers

 

[gregrocker]

We've never had data loss using Partition Wizard boot CD here in tens of thousands of these operations we've helped with, often much more complicated than this one. But I would use the boot disk which is safest. Burn ISO to CD using Windows Image Burner. Partition Wizard Resize Partition - Video Help.

All others except Disk Mgmt can fail.

PW also has an amazing Extend feature which can borrow space from any other partition even it its not adjacent: How to extend partition easily with Partition Wizard - video help.

 

[Tinsby]

Thanks again I am ready to give it a try. Great stuff and most appreciated.

Regards

 

[dsperber]

Recently installed 7 on my new 240GB SSD. I went in to Computer Management to shrink the partition holding 7. I was amazed to see that the install is taking up 137GB+/-of space leaving me with a paltry 30GB or so out of 240! I did extend the partition a bit to make it the 193GB you see in the screenshot.

I'm confused.

The screenshot currently shown in post #1 indicates that of the 193GB C-partition, about 147GB is FREE. If this is a screenshot from your new Win7 install onto the new SSD, that means the Win7 install took 46GB.

This doesn't correspond to your comment that the install took 137GB.

What am I missing?

 

[DavidE]

I think it was a misunderstanding of space used versus how much the partition could be shrunk using Disk Management (Windows is running). While Windows is running there are unmovable files that prevented shrinking as much as the OP wanted, so it appeared Windows was using more space than the prior install. Using bootable Partition Wizard, these unmovable Windows files can be moved, allowing for a smaller [C] drive. It wasn't clear this was the case until the DM screen print was posted.

 

[dperecky]

That's the problem of SSDs.... There has to be a down side, right?

With SSDs, unless you're actively monitoring Disc usage, you will not be aware when the OS is going crazy on it. Whereas with a regular disc HD, you can readily hear it whizzing like it wants to go into orbit.
​

 

[Tinsby]

I think it was a misunderstanding of space used versus how much the partition could be shrunk using Disk Management (Windows is running). While Windows is running there are unmovable files that prevented shrinking as much as the OP wanted, so it appeared Windows was using more space than the prior install. Using bootable Partition Wizard, these unmovable Windows files can be moved, allowing for a smaller [C] drive. It wasn't clear this was the case until the DM screen print was posted.[/QUOTE] Thank you for making it more clear than I did! :D Your assesment is exactly on point! Cheers