How to run updates with two drives but not enough free space on C:

ibex · 25 Nov 2018

I am trying to run updates on my son's desktop PC. It's been idle for 12 months so it's got a lot of updates to run through.

The PC has two drives. The C: drive is an SSD with 64GB capacity and 4GB free space while the E: drive is a std hard drive with ~1000GB capacity and ~500GB free space.

I'm either looking for guidelines on what I can remove from the C: drive to get some working space for the install, or a way to use the E: drive for the downloads and temp files while the update runs.

There are some user folders on C: but they all appear to be empty and as best I can tell all of the user files are on the E: drive.

ICIT2LOL · 25 Nov 2018

Hello Ibex no expert with 10 but I did have a nasty experience once in 7 when I let the C: drive get too full - I had to reinstall.

My suggestion would be to clone the 64Gb to a 120GB or preferably a 250GB SSD first and carry on with the updates to drive C:.
Now you could do this by unhooking the large storage drive (E:) and connect the new drive to it's cables and use Macrium Reflect to clone the existing C: drive to the new drive. SSD's are really quite cheap right now and there might be other members who have a better solution but that is what I would do.
John

Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free use the home edition.

ibex · 28 Nov 2018

OK. That might be the best in the long run anyway. I shall investigate a decent sized SSD.

ICIT2LOL · 28 Nov 2018

I agree Ibex and if you can use a SATA to USB adaptor for holding the new drive as long as you make sure the OS drive is the only one connected in the machine you can hook up the large drive after the clone has been done.

The adaptors are not expensive and I use them quite a bit for various jobs on drives ie cleanign with DISKPART for example.

kah · 28 Nov 2018

I'm not sure how you get the update to use the E drive but you can use an external or usb drive when C is full or low on space. I've done it and it works as I have a laptop with a small SSD of 32 GB's.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...eatures-update