Solved C: drive running out of space

LIZZRD · Jul 25, 2025

It's a single , ( Dell Inspiron ) , I also looked for extra Sata cables that I could possibly hook up an adapter , but there are none.

Bree · Jul 25, 2025

LIZZRD said:
Ok, I knew this day would come. I have a 500GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 ssd that I bought last year.
I have a Reflect image or clone ? made, that is on/in my desktop. I guess I don't know how to load/boot from it since it is on the machine that I would be taking the card/stick out of. Any help there would be great. Or do I have to clone to a external hard drive ?

LIZZRD said:
It's a single , ( Dell Inspiron ) , I also looked for extra Sata cables that I could possibly hook up an adapter , but there are none.

I assume your Reflect image is on the 2nd 1TB drive. You may want to make a new Full image before you start, or update the current image with a Differential.

First, Make a Reflect rescue USB, any USB larger than 1GB will do for this. Test that you can boot from this rescue USB.

Macrium Reflect X

knowledgebase.macrium.com

Now replace the old SSD with your new 500GB SSD.

Boot from the Reflect rescue USB and restore your image to the new SSD. Reflect can resize the partitions during the restore, so your C: drive can make use of the extra space.

Macrium Reflect X

knowledgebase.macrium.com

bobkn · Jul 25, 2025

(I see that "Bree" has posted basically the same suggestion, post 22, while I was composing this.)

I looked for specs.

As far as I can tell, the Dell Inspiron 7570 is a laptop. I found no desktop of that model number.

One possible option:

Use Macrium Reflect to image C:. (Onto another drive in the PC.)

Create a Reflect USB rescue drive (using Reflect).

Swap in the larger M.2 drive.

Boot the PC from the rescue drive.

Restore the image onto the new, larger M.2 drive. (It should give you the option of automatically resizing the partitions to fill the larger drive.)

That should be sufficient.

If your PC has 2 or more M.2 slots, there are quicker ways. (Insert the new drive into a second M.2 slot, and clone your current C: drive to it directly.)

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 25, 2025

You can also buy a $15 NVMe USB enclosure and do the clone to the USB disk, that way it's one step.

LIZZRD · Jul 25, 2025

thanks all,
It's a Inspiron 3670 about 5 years old...
going to look into the enclosure thing

Bree · Jul 25, 2025

LIZZRD said:
thanks all,
It's a Inspiron 3670 about 5 years old...
going to look into the enclosure thing

No need for an external enclosure if you use the step I gave in post #22. The Inspiron 3670 has one M2 SSD and up to two HDDs.

Inspiron 3670 Setup and Specifications | Dell US

The Reflect image will be on the HDD. You can replace the small SSD with the large one, then boot from a Reflect rescue USB to restore this image to the new SSD.

bobkn · Jul 25, 2025

LIZZRD said:
thanks all,
It's a Inspiron 3670 about 5 years old...
going to look into the enclosure thing

Thanks for that.

If I understand its specs, it may have a single M.2 slot.

An external USB adapter or enclosure is a good idea.

I've used this one: Amazon.com: SSK M.2 NVME SATA SSD Enclosure Adapter, USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) to NVME PCI-E SATA M-Key/(B+M) Key Solid State Drive External Enclosure Aluminum Support UASP Trim for SSDs 2242/2260/2280 : Electronics

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 25, 2025

Bree said:
No need for an external enclosure if you use the step I gave in post #22. The Inspiron 3670 has one M2 SSD and up to two HDDs.

Inspiron 3670 Setup and Specifications | Dell US

The Reflect image will be on the HDD. You can replace the small SSD with the large one, then boot from a Reflect rescue USB to restore this image to the new SSD.

I was merely trying to show how to do this in one step, just clone from the 128 to the 512 in the enclosure. If you want to do multiple steps, no problem using any disk for the intermediate image.

rk911 · Jul 25, 2025

LIZZRD said:
About my desktop computer , Windows 24H2, is showing C drive has 5 GB free of 103 GB .
E drive 918 free of 930
I have selected in storage to have new downloads etc. sent to E drive but hardly anything gets put there.
What would be the easiest way to move some programs to E ?
thanks in advance ..

To avoid that I created several partitions on a second 1TB internal hard drive. One for data files and another for program installs. As cited, some, what I refer to as 'system-oriented' programs, are best installed on the C-drive. I also moved my music, photos and video files to separate partitions on the second drive.

abactuon · Jul 25, 2025

Find the ten largest files (start as Admin)

Get-ChildItem -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue C: -r|sort -descending -property length | select -first 10 name, @{Name="Gigabytes";Expression={[Math]::round($_.length / 1GB, 2)}}

Disable swap file, hibernation, and recycle bin.
Move the Downloads folders, etc. to another disk.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 25, 2025

rk911 said:
To avoid that I created several partitions on a second 1TB internal hard drive. One for data files and another for program installs. As cited, some, what I refer to as 'system-oriented' programs, are best installed on the C-drive. I also moved my music, photos and video files to separate partitions on the second drive.

I have all my true "data" on my data drive. That's Documents, Pictures, etc. However, I install applications on the Windows boot drive. My boot drive is 526GB with 360GB free, so I'm in no real danger of running out of room.

mck · Jul 25, 2025

LIZZRD said:
Ok, I knew this day would come. I have a 500GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 ssd that I bought last year.
I have a Reflect image or clone ? made, that is on/in my desktop. I guess I don't know how to load/boot from it since it is on the machine that I would be taking the card/stick out of. Any help there would be great. Or do I have to clone to a external hard drive ?

First, you need a backup HDD (mechanical HDD, not a SSD). Actually two backup HDDs preferred in the "rare" case that one backup HDD should die. Buy bare internal HDDs, that do not come in a USB enclosure.

Buy a USB3 docking station. I have a Sabrent dual drive docking station and it has been working well for me. A friend bought the same one and it's been working well for her also.

FUTURE: Do image backups to the two HDD backup drives labeled as Bkup-1 and Bkup-2. Alternate doing "image" backups to the two backup drives.

NOW THE SOLUTION TO REPLACING YOUR 128GB SSD with the 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD:

The idea is to first make an "image" backup of your current 128GB SSD to an external backup drive. Then physically replace the 128GB SSD with your 500GB SSD. Next, restore the "image" backup from the external backup drive to the 500GB SSD. --- (Restoring an "image" backup, many backup programs will automatically resize the C partition so that it (along with the other small partitions) fills the entire 500GB SSD. This is why restoring an "image" backup is better than cloning a 128GB SSD to a 500GB SSD.) ---

In your copy of Windows that's currently on the 128GB SSD, install a backup program.
Using the backup program, do an "image" backup of your 128GB SSD to your Bkup-1 drive.
Next use the backup program to create an "emergency flash drive" (aka a "rescue flash drive)
1. This is a bootable flash drive that will load a copy of your backup program into your computer, with no dependency on having Windows running.
2. An 8GB USB flash drive will be sufficient. Larger capacity is fine. USB2 or USB3 flash drive is fine.
Physically replace your 128GB SSD with your 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD.
Boot the emergency flash drive that was created in step-3.
Restore the backup on the external USB BKUP-1 HDD to the 500GB SSD.
Remove the emergency flash drive.
Boot into windows that's now installed on the 500GB SSD.
Use Disk Manager to see if there is any unallocated space on the 500GB SSD.
1. Many backup programs will automatically resize the C partition so that it (along with the other small partitions) fills the entire 500GB SSD. This is why restoring an "image" backup is better than cloning a 128GB SSD to a 500GB SSD.
If there is unallocated space on the 500GB SSD, then use a partition manager to increase the size of the C partition so that the entire 500GB SSD is used.
Done.

LIZZRD · Jul 27, 2025

I am expecting a 8GB flash drive and a 500 GB external HDD this eve or tomorrow.
Is there anything I should Enable, disable, manage or delete before downloading Macrium ?
I did a restore point, not knowing if it was needed.
I guess I will be imaging my C drive to my new external HDD. I'm assuming Macrium kind of 'walks' you through thier program.
What will I be loading onto the flash drive ?
thanks for everyone's help .

LIZZRD · Jul 27, 2025

any insight ?

Spunk · Jul 27, 2025

You can go to Installed Apps, and Uninstall all of the Dell bloatware you don't use.

Macrium Reflect is no longer free, but there are older free versions available.
Some of us have moved onto Hasleo Backup Suite

antspants - Tips for using Hasleo Backup (Free) for the first time

This Tutorial will help guide you with using Hasleo Backup (Free) for the first time. A step by step process for creating a Windows 11 system image which is a comprehensive backup of your entire computer, including the operating system, installed programs, system settings, and personal files...

www.elevenforum.com

Bree · Jul 27, 2025

LIZZRD said:
any insight ?

Your Windows folder is 3.7GB larger than mine, 21.7GB vs 18GB. If you expand the Windows folder you'll probably find that your WinSxS is the culprit.

You should be able to regain several GB by cleaning up WinSxS, something I do regularly.

Copy and paste the command below into Windows Terminal (Admin), and press Enter.....
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Analyze and Clean Up Component Store (WinSxS folder) in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to analyze and clean up the component store (WinSxS folder) to reduce its size in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The WinSxS folder is located in the Windows folder, for example C:\Windows\WinSxS. It’s the location for Windows Component Store files. The Windows...

www.elevenforum.com

LIZZRD · Jul 28, 2025

thanks for that Bree... the cleanup brought it down to 20.5
I did notice my installer was 6.3GB, your's 3.2 ...what's up with that ?
I received my extra drives. Just not sure what software to use for image yet.
I did get rid of my Macrium image I made about 9 months ago, And not sure if it would even had worked. I also didn't make a flash drive for boot.

I do like the idea of Hasleo being free, so thanks Spunk for that.

KevTech · Jul 28, 2025

You can still get and use Macrium Free.

Download Macrium Reflect FREE Edition 8.0.7783 - MajorGeeks

With Macrium Reflect Free Edition you'll be able to easily make an accurate and reliable image of your HDD or individual partitions. Using this image you can restore the entire disk, partition or...

www.majorgeeks.com

Bree · Jul 28, 2025

LIZZRD said:
I do like the idea of Hasleo being free, so thanks Spunk for that.

KevTech said:
You can still get and use Macrium Free.

You don't need to go to MajorGeeks. You can still get Reflect Free v8.0 direct from Macrium.

Link at the bottom of post #1 here: Latest Macrium Reflect 8 updates

KevTech · Jul 28, 2025

Bree said:
You don't need to go to MajorGeeks. You can still get Reflect Free v8.0 direct from Macrium.

What does it matter when it is the same file?
As you can see it is downloading from macrium on MG.

Solved C: drive running out of space

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