Dwindling Free Space Windows 10

[mgrlvr]

Hi! I am new to this forum.

Free space on my Windows 10 machine with 118 GB SSD has been an issue for the past several months. I had 8 GB of data stuck in my recycle bin. I resolved that issue about 4 days ago. I uninstalled Adobe Reader and reinstalled another version. Between those two actions, I was at 14.5 GB of free space on the C drive. The free space has been dwindling over the past four days to where I am now at 4 GB free space. I've not added anything to the machine. Why would I lose approximately 10 GB of free space without doing anything? I read something about hibernation taking up a large amount of space. What additional information do I need to post that will help the knowledgeable folks on the forum help me with my problem?

Thanks so much.

Pat

 

[ChatGPT]

Pat, if emptying the Recycle Bin did not change free space, one of these is likely true:
TreeSize/free-space view has not refreshed, the Recycle Bin entry was stale, the files were on another drive/user profile, or the Recycle Bin is corrupted/stuck again.

1) First refresh/re-scan​

1. Close TreeSize.
2. Reopen TreeSize as Administrator.
3. Scan C: again.
4. Check whether C:\$RECYCLE.BIN still shows around 1.8 GB.

Also check free space in:
This PC → Local Disk (C:)

2) If $RECYCLE.BIN still shows space used, reset it​

This will permanently remove deleted files from the Recycle Bin on C:.
Warning: Only do this if you are sure you do not need anything from the Recycle Bin.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run:

rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.Bin

1. Restart the computer.
2. Check free space again.

Windows will automatically recreate the Recycle Bin folder.

3) If free space still does not improve​

Then the Recycle Bin was not the real issue this time. The next thing to inspect is ProgramData, because your screenshot showed:
C:\ProgramData 18.5 GB
Please do this:

1. Open TreeSize as Administrator.
2. Expand:

C:\ProgramData

1. Take a screenshot showing the largest folders under ProgramData.
2. Post it here.

4) Also expand Users if possible​

Your screenshot also showed:
C:\Users 28.4 GB
So after ProgramData, also expand:
C:\Users
Look especially for:

Downloads
Desktop
Documents
Pictures
Videos
AppData

For now, do not delete random folders inside ProgramData or AppData. Let’s identify the large folder first so we don’t break an installed program.

 

[mgrlvr]

I closed and and restarted treesize as adm recycle bin is now 1.7GB

 

[ChatGPT]

Pat, good — that means TreeSize refreshed, and C:\$RECYCLE.BIN is still actually using about 1.7 GB.
That usually means the normal “Empty Recycle Bin” did not clear everything, often because of a stuck/corrupt Recycle Bin entry or files deleted under another user/SID.

Step 1: Reset the Recycle Bin on C:​

This is safe as long as you do not need anything currently in the Recycle Bin.
Warning: This permanently removes deleted items stored in the Recycle Bin on C:.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run this command exactly:

rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.Bin

1. Restart the computer.
2. Check free space again.
3. Reopen TreeSize as Administrator and rescan C:.

Windows will automatically recreate a fresh Recycle Bin folder after restart.

Step 2: Expected result​

After this, C:\$RECYCLE.BIN should drop to a tiny size or disappear from the large items list.
You should gain roughly:
1.7 GB
So your free space should go from about 5.4 GB to around 7 GB, assuming nothing else grows at the same time.

Step 3: After that, check ProgramData next​

Even after fixing Recycle Bin, your screenshot showed:
C:\ProgramData 18.5 GB
That is still the next big thing to investigate.
After the Recycle Bin reset, please expand this in TreeSize:
C:\ProgramData
Then post a screenshot showing the largest folders inside it.
For now, do not manually delete folders inside ProgramData until we see what they are.

 

[mgrlvr]

Recyle bin went to 154.2 KB Free space went to 6.32 GB

 

[ChatGPT]

Good, Pat — that confirms the Recycle Bin was partly stuck.
You reclaimed some space and C:\$RECYCLE.BIN is now down to:
154.2 KB
So that part is fixed.
Your free space is now:
6.32 GB
That is better, but still low for a 128 GB SSD. We should keep going carefully.

Next target: ProgramData​

From your TreeSize screenshot, this was one of the largest areas:
C:\ProgramData 18.5 GB
That is the next place to inspect.

Step 1: Expand ProgramData in TreeSize​

1. Open TreeSize as Administrator.
2. Scan C:.
3. Click the arrow beside:

C:\ProgramData

1. Take a screenshot showing the largest folders inside ProgramData.
2. Post it here.

Do not delete anything inside ProgramData yet. Some folders are safe caches, but others are installer data or application data.

Step 2: Also check Users after that​

Your earlier screenshot showed:
C:\Users 28.4 GB
After ProgramData, expand:
C:\Users
Then expand your user folder and look for large folders such as:

Downloads
Desktop
Documents
Pictures
Videos
AppData

If the space is in Downloads, Pictures, Videos, or Desktop, those are usually safe to move to an external drive. If it is in AppData, we need to be more careful.

Step 3: Optional later — pagefile​

Your pagefile is about:
5.5 GB
That is normal for 8 GB RAM. I would not change it yet. Let’s first see whether ProgramData or Users contains something safer to clean.

Current status​

System Restore/VSS: fixed and not using space
Hibernate: off
Recycle Bin: fixed
Pagefile: normal but large
Next likely space target: C:\ProgramData
Please post the ProgramData expanded TreeSize screenshot next.

 

[mgrlvr]

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks, Pat — this screenshot is useful, but it shows C:\Program Files, not C:\ProgramData.

What this screenshot shows​

C:\Program Files is using about:
23.0 GB
The largest items inside it are:

WindowsApps        8.8 GB
Microsoft Office   4.4 GB
Adobe              2.2 GB
NVIDIA             1.2 GB
BraveSoftware      1.0 GB

Nothing here looks obviously “wrong.” These are mostly installed programs.

Important warning​

Do not manually delete folders from:

C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files (x86)
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps

That can break installed apps, Office, Store apps, or Windows components.

If you want to free space from Program Files​

Use uninstall instead:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps.
3. Open Apps & features.
4. Sort by Size if available.
5. Uninstall only programs you recognize and no longer use.

Possible candidates from your screenshot, only if you do not use them:

Adobe
4KDownload
Dropbox
PDFgear
Ashampoo
RustDesk
Audacity
IrfanView

But do not remove anything you still use.

Next screenshot needed: ProgramData​

We still need to inspect this folder from your first screenshot:
C:\ProgramData 18.5 GB
That is more suspicious than Program Files.

How to get there in TreeSize​

1. In TreeSize, click C:\ near the top/left to go back to the main list.
2. Find this folder:

ProgramData

1. Click the little arrow beside ProgramData.
2. Take a screenshot showing the largest folders inside ProgramData.
3. Post that screenshot here.

Current status​

So far we have fixed or ruled out:
System Restore/VSS: fixed
Hibernate: off
Recycle Bin: fixed
Pagefile: normal but large
Program Files: large, but mostly normal installed apps
The next best place to check is definitely C:\ProgramData.

 

[mgrlvr]

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks, Pat — this is the right screenshot.
C:\ProgramData is using 18.5 GB. The largest folders are:

Microsoft        9.5 GB
Malwarebytes     3.8 GB
Corel            2.5 GB
NVIDIA Corp.   741 MB
Package Cache  621 MB

Main suspects now​

The two worth checking are:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes

Do not delete these folders directly. We need to see what is inside first.

Step 1: Expand Microsoft​

In TreeSize:

1. Click the arrow next to:

Microsoft

1. Take another screenshot showing the largest folders inside it.

Common large items inside ProgramData\Microsoft can include:

Windows
Windows Defender
Office
Search
Crypto
Diagnosis

Some are safe to clean; some should be left alone.

Step 2: Check Malwarebytes from inside Malwarebytes​

Malwarebytes using 3.8 GB is fairly large. This may be logs, reports, quarantine, update cache, or scan history.
Open Malwarebytes and check:

1. Open Malwarebytes.
2. Look for Detection History, Reports, or Quarantine.
3. If Quarantine has old items you are sure you do not need, use Malwarebytes’ own option to delete/clear them.
4. Check Malwarebytes settings for old reports/logs if available.

Important: use Malwarebytes’ interface. Do not manually delete random files from C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes.

Step 3: Corel is also worth checking​

Corel is using 2.5 GB. If you no longer use Corel software, uninstall it from Windows:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps.
3. Find any Corel programs.
4. Uninstall only what you recognize and no longer use.

If you still use Corel, leave it for now.

Step 4: Do not delete Package Cache manually​

Leave this alone for now:
C:\ProgramData\Package Cache
That can be used by installers/uninstallers/repairs.

Best next screenshot​

Please expand this next:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft
That 9.5 GB folder is the largest item in ProgramData and is the next best place to investigate safely.

 

[mgrlvr]

 

[ChatGPT]

Pat, this screenshot found a very likely culprit:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search 8.1 GB
That is the Windows Search index. It can grow large over time, especially if Windows is indexing too many locations, Outlook/mail data, user folders, or old cached entries.

Good news​

This is one of the safer things to rebuild. It may temporarily make Windows search slower, but it should not harm your files.

Step 1: Rebuild the Windows Search index​

1. Open Control Panel.
2. In the search box, type:

Indexing Options

1. Open Indexing Options.
2. Click Advanced.
3. Under Troubleshooting, click Rebuild.
4. Confirm.

Expected result: Windows will delete/rebuild the search index. Search may be slow for a while, but the index often becomes much smaller afterward.

Step 2: Reduce what Windows indexes​

While still in Indexing Options:

1. Click Modify.
2. Uncheck locations you do not need indexed.
3. Usually keep only common user locations such as:

Start Menu
Users
Outlook/Microsoft Office data only if you use Outlook search

1. Avoid indexing entire drives if they are selected.

Step 3: If rebuild does not free space, manually reset the index​

Only do this if the normal rebuild does not reduce Search much.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run:

net stop WSearch

1. Delete the Windows Search database:

del /f /q "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Windows.edb"

1. Start Windows Search again:

net start WSearch

1. Reboot if needed.

Warning: This does not delete your personal files. It only removes the search database. Windows will rebuild it automatically.

Step 4: What else in this screenshot looks normal​

This item is not unusual:
Windows Defender 1.1 GB
I would leave that alone.

Step 5: After rebuilding/resetting Search​

Please check:

1. Your new free space on C:.
2. TreeSize size for:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search
If that drops from 8.1 GB to something much smaller, you should gain several GB. After that, the next item to review would be Malwarebytes at 3.8 GB.

 

[mgrlvr]

After rebuilding the Windows search indexing free space is now 11.9 GB this is where it was after our first session several months ago.

 

[ChatGPT]

Excellent, Pat — that confirms the Windows Search index was a major cause this time.
You went from:
6.3 GB free → 11.9 GB free
So rebuilding the index recovered about 5.6 GB.

What happened​

Your TreeSize screenshot showed:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search 8.1 GB
That folder contains the Windows Search database, often named:
Windows.edb
It had grown very large. Rebuilding the index deleted/recreated it, which is why your free space came back.

Important note​

For the next few hours, Windows may continue rebuilding the search index. During that time:

1. Search may be slower.
2. Disk activity may be higher.
3. Free space may fluctuate a little.

That is normal.

Recommended next step: reduce what is indexed​

To help stop the search index from growing huge again:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Open Indexing Options.
3. Click Modify.
4. Uncheck locations you do not need indexed.
5. Avoid indexing entire drives such as C:\, D:\, E:\, or G:\.
6. Keep only locations you actually search often, such as your user folders or Start Menu.

Your current status​

So far we have found/fixed:

System Restore/VSS: capped correctly, not the issue now
Hibernate: off, recovered several GB
Recycle Bin: reset, fixed stuck space
Windows Search index: rebuilt, recovered several GB
Pagefile: about 5.5 GB, normal

I would monitor now​

1. Reboot once later today if convenient.
2. Check free space again after reboot.
3. Check again tomorrow.
4. If it stays around 11–12 GB, you are stable.
5. If it drops several GB again, post a new TreeSize screenshot.

Optional next cleanup target​

If you want to try for more space later, the next item to check is:
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes 3.8 GB
Use the Malwarebytes interface to clear old quarantine/reports/logs if available. Do not manually delete its ProgramData folder.
For now, though, I’d stop here and monitor. You’ve recovered a meaningful amount of space without doing anything risky.

 

[mgrlvr]

For Walwarebytes I need to do this in the app from my desktop?

 

[ChatGPT]

Yes, Pat — for Malwarebytes, use the Malwarebytes app from your desktop/Start menu, not File Explorer.
Do not manually delete the folder:
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes
That could break Malwarebytes or remove logs/settings in an unsafe way.

Check Malwarebytes cleanup options​

1. Open Malwarebytes from your desktop or Start menu.
2. Look for Detection History, History, or Quarantine.
3. If there are quarantined items you are sure you do not need, choose Delete or Clear Quarantine.
4. Look for Reports or Scan Reports.
5. Delete old reports/logs if Malwarebytes offers that option.
6. Recheck free space afterward.

If you do not see cleanup options​

1. Open Malwarebytes.
2. Click the gear icon or Settings.
3. Look for anything related to Reports, Event logs, Quarantine, or Usage/statistics.
4. Clear old items only through the Malwarebytes interface.

If Malwarebytes still uses 3.8 GB​

If the app does not provide a clear way to clean it, leave it alone for now. You already recovered a good amount of space, and manually deleting Malwarebytes data is not my first choice.
The safer next step would be to expand this in TreeSize and screenshot it:
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes
Then I can tell you whether it looks like quarantine, logs, cache, or something else.

 

[mgrlvr]

There are many detection history files going back to 2018 may I safely delete these?

 

[ChatGPT]

Yes, Pat — old Malwarebytes Detection History / reports going back to 2018 can usually be safely deleted, especially if they are only history reports/logs.

Important distinction​

Safe to delete:

Detection History
Scan Reports
Old logs/reports

These are just records of past scans/detections.
Be more careful with:
Quarantine
Quarantined items are actual detected files Malwarebytes isolated. If they have been in quarantine for years and your PC has been working fine, they are usually safe to permanently delete — but once deleted, they cannot be restored.

Recommended approach​

1. Open Malwarebytes.
2. Go to Detection History.
3. Delete old reports/history first.
4. If there is a Quarantine section, review it separately.
5. If quarantined items are old and you do not recognize any file you need, choose Delete or Clear Quarantine.
6. Reboot afterward.
7. Recheck free space.

My suggestion​

Delete the old history/reports freely. For quarantine, it is reasonable to delete old items too, especially anything from years ago, but understand this is permanent.
After clearing Malwarebytes history/quarantine, check TreeSize again for:
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes
If it drops from 3.8 GB, you gained more usable space.

 

[mgrlvr]

I'll work on this thank you so much.

 

[ChatGPT]

You’re very welcome, Pat.

Good stopping point​

You’ve already recovered a lot of space by fixing:
Hibernate: off
Recycle Bin: reset
Windows Search index: rebuilt
System Restore/VSS: still capped correctly
Working through Malwarebytes history/quarantine is a sensible next cleanup step.

After you finish Malwarebytes​

1. Reboot.
2. Check C: free space.
3. Reopen TreeSize as Administrator.
4. Check whether this folder is smaller:

C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes
If the free space drops again or Malwarebytes still shows several GB, post a new TreeSize screenshot and we’ll continue from there.

 

[mgrlvr]

Cleared Malware Bytes and now that is 454.9 MB Free space before a reboot 15.3 GB