Something is eating my storage

spapakons · May 8, 2022

As far as I know System Restore is disabled by default in new Windows 10 and 11 installations. I always enable it just in case I need it, but I make sure I allocate a reasonable small amount of space. So I can go back to a restore point but also I have my valuable disk space free and available. If you have 2-3 restore points at any time, you should be OK. Usually we hardly go further back, unless we cannot fix the issue with going back at the last 2-3 points. This means we must be alert and fix any issue as soon as it appears, don't leave it until there is no a restore point we can return to fix it. Check for issues after each Windows Update, new drivers updates or new software installation.

BrianInEngland · May 8, 2022

I never use System restore, I use daily image backups instead.

barman58 · May 8, 2022

Mine is set to 1% and maxes out at 9.4GB ( 1TB System Drive ) current usage is around 6GB

I use scheduled automatic system backups so I do not technically need to use restore points but they can help to save time in recovery occasionally, (although I can't remember the last time I actually used it )

compiler · May 8, 2022

Actually, I don't think mine was enabled either. Just checked; it was disabled. Yet it was largely "taken." So I enabled it and checked restore points. There were none. So, I created one. I can't explain those facts (disabled, no restore points, yet tying up 53 gb).
I do monthly image b/u's, generally just before doing a Windows update. I've restored from B/U's, maybe 4 times in 15 years. I used System Restore once or twice when I messed up some setting badly and couldn't find it again.

Mel

TairikuOkami · May 8, 2022

System Volume Information is also used for shadow copies, like previous file versions, windows backup and so on.

Code:

vssadmin list shadows
vssadmin list shadowstorage

compiler · May 8, 2022

Tairiku:

Mine says 11 gb max.
But the Sys. Vol. Info file is 544 MB (down from 60 GB)

Mel

johnlgalt · May 8, 2022

spapakons said:
As far as I know System Restore is disabled by default in new Windows 10 and 11 installations. I always enable it just in case I need it, but I make sure I allocate a reasonable small amount of space. So I can go back to a restore point but also I have my valuable disk space free and available. If you have 2-3 restore points at any time, you should be OK. Usually we hardly go further back, unless we cannot fix the issue with going back at the last 2-3 points. This means we must be alert and fix any issue as soon as it appears, don't leave it until there is no a restore point we can return to fix it. Check for issues after each Windows Update, new drivers updates or new software installation.

Huh?

I've clean installed no less than 5 times since I built this machine in June 2020 - SR was never disabled upon installation, and I've never had to enable it, ever, and this was both Windows 10 installations (through March 2021) and WIndows 11 installations (Beta 2, Final release and twice more since final release).

compiler said:
Tairiku:

Mine says 11 gb max.
But the Sys. Vol. Info file is 544 MB (down from 60 GB)

Mel

Yeah, everyone's will probably vary slightly in some of the specific values. Nothing wot worry about.

spapakons · May 8, 2022

I also haven't used System Restore for years, thanks God, but as I say it is better to have enabled a feature you rarely need, than not to have it when needed it.