problem with free up disc space

For the first time today, I used the free up disc space now function with my laptop and had some problems. It looked pretty straight forward and after analysis, I told it to free up the disc space Windows has preselected for me and nothing else.

It got about a third of the way through purging the files and then it seemed to get stuck. I left it alone for a couple of hours and it never got past the one third point. I finally got frustrated so I restarted my laptop and then my laptop got stuck again on the blue windows screen that says "Windows is starting. Please don't turn your computer off" also for about two hours.

I know I must have done something wrong. If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it. I don't want to stop using the disc cleanup function.

Are you willing to use Disk Cleanup manually and turn that Storage Sense switch to off?

I have no idea what the default is, but mine is set to off.

I run Disk Cleanup manually once a week or so. I have noticed that it can take an hour or more to complete at times, but I've never had it cause problems other than being slow.

I often prefer to do maintenance manually via a habit rather than relying on automation that can lull me into complacency.

I must have forgotten that I turned storage sense on when I first bought this laptop a couple of months ago. I haven't had any problems so maybe having storage sense on and also running it manually was the problem. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

"maybe having storage sense on and also running it manually was the problem."

It's NOT. I have the same settings as you and run 'Free up space now' a few days after every WU to get rid of the gb's of files. Yes, it looks stuck 'purging Windows Update files' but if you let it run an hour, close Settings and re-open, you'll see that it's done.

"Windows is starting. Please don't turn your computer off" also for about two hours."

This sounds like a Windows Update is stuck but it's not the 'free up space' cleaner. Are you aware that the traditional Disk Cleaner is either going away or changing ? -
https://www.howtogeek.com/365762/dis...ss-it-already/

I have the same article about the old disc cleaner going away which is what prompted me to run the new disc cleaner. Whenever I set up a new laptop, I have a list of things I do to get it ready to use. The problem is the list is so long, I forget what's on it.

Thanks for all your help answering my questions.