New PC not enough space for Windows 10?

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  1. Posts : 3
    windows 8.1
       #1

    New PC not enough space for Windows 10?


    Hi all,

    Just bought a new laptop for my wife, it's an HP Stream 11. Cheap and cheerful but apparently pretty good for the price, and it is suitable for her light needs, basically web browsing and some light document work, word processing etc.

    She's not even going to store music or photos on there. A few very light files only.

    So it comes with 8.1 and I think, awesome, I can install 10 straight away (I've not used 10 yet so was quite excited by this).

    However when trying to install it's telling me I'm about 2 gig short of enough space for 10. I have about 9 gig free and it wants about 11. The hard drive is 20 gig. I've installed Windows 8.1, removed a shedload of apps she doesn't need, removed some programs that she doesn't need (for example McAfee) and I'm at the stage where there's literally nothing on there but an 8.1 that is as barebones as I think I can make it. Looking at the programs installed, even if I removed Office and some HP crap, it will only get me another 500 MB. Is Windows 10 on this PC simply not possible?

    Does it need the space just for the install process itself? Or on an ongoing basis? Because I have a hard drive I can plug in, in the short term, but she's not going to want it attached forever as it will be a little unwieldy for a laptop!

    Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks :)
      My Computer

  2.   My Computer


  3. Posts : 4,131
    Windows 3.1 to Windows 11
       #3

    Go into Control Panel > Recovery > create a recovery Drive..
    Create a factory recovey drive and when finished you will have the option to remove the factory recovery partition..
    Thus freeing up several GB of disk space..
    Also the recovery drive itself will give you option to always return the PC back to factory setting..

    Because my guess is the drive is a 32GB, not 20GB
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 16,623
    Windows 11 Pro X64
       #4

    I agree with @NavyLCDR a clean install will do it. The first link is interesting, I have never seen it.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 3
    windows 8.1
    Thread Starter
       #5

    If I'm reading this right, is it saying that it needs more space for the upgrade process itself than it will when it's done? That would be the best option if so, I can use an external drive...just not looking to keep it attached once it's upgraded.

    Sorry, I'm a bit slow with technical stuff!
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 2,834
    Windows 11 Home (x64) Version 21H1 (build 19043.1202)
       #6

    We all had to learn at some point I was 50 when I started learning and been enjoying it every since, also you never stop leaning as someone else may of picked up something you may of missed
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    jonnya said:
    If I'm reading this right, is it saying that it needs more space for the upgrade process itself than it will when it's done? That would be the best option if so, I can use an external drive...just not looking to keep it attached once it's upgraded.

    Sorry, I'm a bit slow with technical stuff!
    Correct. I have not tried it myself, but according to the article, it will put windows.old on the external drive which can be unplugged /removed after the upgrade.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 1,249
    Windows 8.1, Win10Pro
       #8

    Hey folks, the drive really is 20GB, not 32GB -- and there are lots of posts on the HP Support forums of folks who have tried such an upgrade and failed.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 3
    win 10 home+7 on other machines
       #9

    jonnya said:
    Hi all,

    Just bought a new laptop for my wife, it's an HP Stream 11. Cheap and cheerful but apparently pretty good for the price, and it is suitable for her light needs, basically web browsing and some light document work, word processing etc.

    She's not even going to store music or photos on there. A few very light files only.

    So it comes with 8.1 and I think, awesome, I can install 10 straight away (I've not used 10 yet so was quite excited by this).

    However when trying to install it's telling me I'm about 2 gig short of enough space for 10. I have about 9 gig free and it wants about 11. The hard drive is 20 gig. I've installed Windows 8.1, removed a shedload of apps she doesn't need, removed some programs that she doesn't need (for example McAfee) and I'm at the stage where there's literally nothing on there but an 8.1 that is as barebones as I think I can make it. Looking at the programs installed, even if I removed Office and some HP crap, it will only get me another 500 MB. Is Windows 10 on this PC simply not possible?

    Does it need the space just for the install process itself? Or on an ongoing basis? Because I have a hard drive I can plug in, in the short term, but she's not going to want it attached forever as it will be a little unwieldy for a laptop!

    Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks :)
    ive got the hp stream 14 same 32gb ssd hard drive works well with windows 10
    takes up about 15gb off space used easeus partition manager to remove the
    hp restore partition (about 8gb) to make room for win 10 upgrade, after using
    disk clean up to remove previous 8.1 install (windows old folder) I have
    12gb of free space. bought 64gb usb3 stick (micro size) for extra storage
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 3
    win 10 home+7 on other machines
       #10

    Mark Phelps said:
    Hey folks, the drive really is 20GB, not 32GB -- and there are lots of posts on the HP Support forums of folks who have tried such an upgrade and failed.
    ive got the hp stream 14 it has the same 32gb ssd as you hp has partitioned it with approx. 20gb system partition and 6gb hidden recovery partition
      My Computer


 

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