Windows 7 My hard drive is full but Windows wanted to install updates. Help?

[username30]

My hard drive got full with just about 400mb of space left. I started the back up process and when the backup was done going onto the external hard drive, windows told me it will be installing updates (I have Windows 7). I postponed the updates and closed my laptop and have not used my laptop since I closed it because I was waiting for a new hard drive to come in the mail. Then I noticed my laptop was off even though I never turned it off.

Now when I go to turn on my laptop, what will happen with updates? I have basically no room on my computer so what will happen? Will the updates just not install or will they cause some sort of problem with other files on my computer? Windows won't randomly delete files (pictures, videos, document, etc.) to make room for updates will it?

I have never had a full hard drive before so I am not sure what is going to happen when I turn on my computer and it says "installing updates".

Please help. Thank you

 

[kemical]

Hi,
to be honest your better off leaving roughly 20% of the HDD free space as the PC needs room to work in. Try running something like Ccleaner to remove any old temp files:
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

I'm sure if you had a look through your system there will be programs you don't use anymore and other such files which could be removed? You really need to try and and create some clear space even if it means burning some files to disk.

 

[username30]

That doesn't exactly answer my question but thank you for the information. I don't really know much about computers and I just learned about what disk clean ups are yesterday, no one ever told me even though they knew my hard drive was full. I actually think it is files made from windows updates that are taking up so much space because I haven't had my laptop very long and I know for sure that I did not fill up my hard drive. It just happened all of a sudden, I wouldn't have even guessed I was getting close to filling it up since I don't save many large files. I know I have programs I don't use and I wanted to delete them but someone I know was telling me it won't make a difference and just kept saying I need a new hard drive. So I don't really know what to do or who to believe so I'm just getting a new hard drive even though I don't want to mess with getting a new hard drive.

What I am wondering is what will happen with updates once I turn my computer on? The updates start to install immediately when the computer turns on.

 

[kemical]

Ok.. You have 400MB left which might be enough for the updates to install. If the updates do fail to install then once you've made space you can always try to install the failed updates again..
Why do you need to get a new hard drive? I can understand if you want to install something larger but in the mean time as i said making space would help lots.

 

[Pauli]

Installing a new hard disk requires that you install Windows all again, from start. To do that, you need the Windows installation disc. Do you have it, or are you one of laptop owners who only have it in a secret place hidden on HDD?

There are Image File copiers, through which you may try to move your everything present, but I would recommend the hard way: get yourself a clean install.

Not knowing your present disk, I would roughly say that you need to double the capacity, at least. You MUST safe copy your personal material on a USB stick or on DVD or something, since they won't be available on the new clear disk. Cloud is an option, but I wouldn't say I trust it. Physical is physical, period.

I agree with kemical, mostly the problem is that you have a lot of garbage. Run CCleaner with default settings. It's a very safe and secure program, free of charge, also run the registry clean-up, be sure to have a safety copy made. But this all goes for the old HDD.

A bit confusing, do you want to make a new build, or want to restore old?