Member Avatar for BaNMe4It

I rebooted my laptop using the disc that came with it. I was getting the BSoD, so I figured I would just reboot it and start over. I'm supposed to have about 220gb of memory, but i says that I only have 38gb free space. There are none of the old files on it, but it shows the same disc space taken up as before. Could someone please tell me how to fix this. Thanks

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by forumdude123

Dani AI

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Quick practical follow-up and checklist for anyone who sees a large chunk of drive space still used after a reinstall (thanks to for the original follow-up and to for the diagnostic nudge).

Run a visual scan first to see what is actually using space. Tools like WinDirStat or TreeSize show folder-by-folder usage and make it obvious whether the space is in user folders, system folders, or a hidden location. In Explorer, enable “Show hidden files, folders and drives” and temporarily uncheck “Hide protected operating system files” to reveal things the installer might have left behind.

Check system-level consumers that often steal gigabytes:

  • Shadow copies / restore points (use vssadmin to list usage).
  • Hibernation file (can be removed with powercfg -h off if hibernation is not needed).
  • Pagefile sizing (Windows can allocate a large pagefile).
  • Recycle Bin and System Volume Information (restore points live there).

Sample admin commands (run an elevated Command Prompt):

vssadmin list shadowstorage
vssadmin list shadows
powercfg -h off
chkdsk C: /f

Use these with care — deleting shadow copies or disabling hibernation has consequences. Back up important data first.

If Explorer and the above commands still don’t explain the discrepancy, open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) to confirm the partition occupies the full physical disk. Installers sometimes leave hidden/recovery or unallocated partitions; extending or recreating the main partition (after backing up) resolves that. For future installs, use the installer’s advanced/custom partitioning and delete/recreate partitions if a truly clean layout is required.

Final note: always back up before deleting system storage objects and consider creating a recovery USB so you can test a clean reinstall without risking data. ’s mention of cleanup tools is relevant, but combine GUI cleanup with the checks above for a complete diagnosis.

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Member Avatar for HoustonIT

Do you mean you reloaded your laptop?

Member Avatar for BaNMe4It

I used the OS disk that came with the computer, and chose the "Install Vista" option. The disk says that it is supposed to erase all data and files, which technically it did, but it still shows that the disk space is taken up.

Member Avatar for BaNMe4It

Thanks for trying to help, but I found out what the problem was. It saved all the files from before the reboot into a folder named "Windows.old". The folder was hidden somewhere, and I managed to find out about it while doing a scan of my computer. It showed the temp internet files in that destination. I appreciate the effort. Thanks

Member Avatar for forumdude123

windows.old can hog up your drive sometimes. who came up with the stupid idea of windows.old anyway. it should be made optional. just delete it via disk cleanup should you ever reinstall windows again. glad to see your problem solved :)

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