Windows 10 Windows 10 "data" drive full

[Jerald7]

Windows 10 created a drive "E" for data, that is completely full, but I have not put anything on it. I am getting warnings that this data drive is out of space.

Prior to Windows 10 installation, my 1TB data hard drive was unplugged. That drive was drive "E." When Windows 10 installed, it created a new "E" drive for data. I guess it partitioned that off of drive C - which is a 250GB Samsung SSD. This drive "E" size is 99.9 MB of which 99.9 MB is used. It will not let me see what is on this drive, I guess hidden files.

Is this a required Windows 10 drive? If so, why is it identified as "DATA?"

How can I fix this?

 

[ussnorway]

I would assume a restore drive as it was auto-made but without a screenshot of your disk managment tool it's hard to be sure.

 

[Jerald7]

I think you are right, it is probably a restore drive, possibly so you can revert back to Windows 7 if desired. Will this drive have to remain, taking up valuable space on my SSD drive? It is constantly generating warnings about running out of disk space on drive "E." I still have 102GB free on the SSD partition "C"

 

[ussnorway]

It gives you the option to go back to W7 for 30 days... after that WX is hardcoded to ignore rollbacks.

The 100 mb isn't going to make much difference to your overall drive but no, you can not expand or remove it without making the c drive system unstable... I recommend putting up with it until you know WX is what you want and at that point I would format that whole ssd back to blank and install a fresh WX onto it without the F drive plugged in. Doing this will remove the pointless 100mb locked up and give you a solid system.

Note; when/ if you do a fresh WX that you just skip the 'insert key' step during install and WX will activate itself once at the first desktop (assumes internet has been allowed)... it's auto-mattic and your WX for that system will now be stored with Microsoft.

 

[Jerald7]

Thanks for all the help. Not sure if I would want to format the SSD since that would require me to reinstall every program. If I get low with space on "C" I can always upgrade to a larger SSD, but 102GB free will probably be ok for the life of this PC. I was actually more concerned with the annoying warnings about low disk space on "E" than with the 100MB it is using. I built this PC about 5 years ago, it already has a little age.

 

[ussnorway]

Your machine mate but the point of a fresh install is to make it stable/ reliable, not that you get the 100mb back… at this point you have a ½ and ½ upgrade from W7 that to be blunt is Microsoft "that’s good enough for beta testing" quality assured and buggy as hell.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

If you do decide to do a clean install and, you don't have to install everything or for the most part anything on your SSD.
I have only my Windows installation and a few small programs like CCleaner etc. on my C:\ drive.

All of my other software I install on my D:\ drive (a conventional 1TB hard drive partitioned into D and E drives of 500 GB each).

All you need to do when you install a new program or game is to change the address while installing.

For example if it says install to, C:\Program Files (x86) just change the C to a D, i.e. D:\Program Files (x86) Adobe Photoshop.
Windows will create a new Program Files or Program Files (x86) folder and run the software from there.

By doing this you can keep the size of your C:\drive very small, and never have to worry about running out of space.

This has the advantage of making it quick and easy to backup the drive via. a System Image file which you can also save on your D:\ drive.

I recommend that everyone make a system image of their C:\ drive and never save data like images and music on the same drive that you have Windows on, or at least not only on your C:\ drive.

Backup anything important to another drive, i.e. Address Books etc.

Mike

 

[chrunos]

This is odd. Please do update this.
If you fresh install Windows 10 on a GPT disk(UEFI boot mode enabled), it does create a EFI, MRS(won't show in Disk Management), Recovery, and C: drive. If you install Windows 10 on a MBR disk, it only need System Reserved partiton and C: drive. When you upgrade Windows 8.1 to 10, Windows 10 will create a recovery partition if your system reserved partition(MBR disk) or Recovery Partition doesn't have enough disk space.
By the way, if you need to repartition your hard drive, you can refer to this article: partition hard drive Windows 10

 

[Neemobeer]

You're 3 years late sid.