Install "Lite" Windows

I have an HP 360 Convertible laptop running Windows 10 Home. It only has a 32Gb SSD hard drive. Windows is taking up over 25Gb of the hard drive. There are 2 other partitions created by HP for recovery, I think. Given the size of Windows, there is very little hard drive capacity left to install any other applications that I need. This was not a good purchase, but now that I have it, I would like to get some use out of it.

I have found some information about "Lite" versions of Windows, but information on how to use them is very sketchy. I need a basic functionality of Windows, ability to see and use USB ports, networking, etc. I don't care about anti-virus, and all the bells and whistles loaded into Win 10.

I have created an image of the original install so I have a fall-back if I need it.

I have some questions:

1. What is the best way to combine all the partitions into 1, and is there any reason I shouldn't do this?

2. Does anyone have a recommendation of a "Lite" version?

3. How do I install something like this? All I can find is upgrade info. I see the Media Creator, but am not sure if I can use it for this purpose.

Thanks for any info you can provide. I really appreciate it.

1. Don't want to do that, may need the data on partitions other than C: if having problems. Don't have an answer about a 'Lite' version.

I have 3 Tablets with Win10 [one is a 2-in-1] and have added a 64GB MicroSDXC memory card [Drive D:] to each of them to get necessary storage [same as used in SmartPhones]. I am also doing a Custom install of programs and putting them on the D: drive, might work to uninstall some and reinstall on the added drive.

Thank you. I wondered if that might be the case. I have an sd card like yours. Just havent pursued finding programs that can run from it. I'll look into it. I appreciate your help.

Hi there, ComputerGranny. Welcome to Windows TenForums.

If you would please give us a shot of your Disk Management we may be able to help you may be able to free up some space.

Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of Windows 10 General Tips Tutorials

Thank you. I'm not home right now, but will get it to you as soon as I get home.

alphanumeric said:

Settings > Apps & Features > remove all that you don't use. Well, the ones that will let you uninstall them anyway. The ones with no uninstall option can be removed via powershell. Uninstall Apps in Windows 10
Explorer > This PC > Right click the drive and select Properties. Then click Disk Cleanup. Not the best option but may get you a little more free space. Better than nothing.

Great advice. If I may add: Open and Use Disk Cleanup in Windows 10 Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials

Heed the red warning if you have previous Windows files of an earlier version. If you do have them I suggest to delete them, for they take up a lot of space. We can show you how to mirror you drive instead in case something goes wrong.

I've got two computers with 32 GB eMMC drives. One Azulle stick computer and a Nextbook Tablet. What I did on each of them was to first back up the manufacturer provided drivers using the dism /online /export-driver command. Then I also used Macrium Reflect Free to make an image of the entire 32 GB eMMC drive. Once I had those backups made, I then clean installed Windows 10 by deleting every partition on the eMMC memory drive and installing to unallocated space. Any drivers that were not installed by Windows, I manually installed from the drivers exported previously. I think I also had to run the "compact /compactos always" command to get Windows into the compressed install state. Windows 8 had a compressed install state, I can't remember what it was called, that is different than Windows 10. When Windows 8 was compressed, it required the recovery partition to run. Windows 10 has moved those files from the recovery partition to the WinSXS folder in the OS partition, so a specific recovery partition to run in compressed state is no longer required. Vanilla Windows 10, compressed, runs in about 10 GB of space.

All of you, this is wonderful information! Thank you so much. I'm still away from home unfortunately. Can't wait to get back and look into these. Thanks!!!!