When “low disk” warnings begin to pop up on your computer, it can only mean one thing: you’re critically low on disk space. You have to delete something to free up room, but you can’t delete any software, files, or folders. In fact, you can’t get rid of anything at all! There’s only one thing you can do: expand the current space you have to fit everything in. But how do you get more PC storage without clearing disk space? Let’s take a look at a few solutions.
Also read: How to Remove Bloatware from Windows
1. Extend your Hard Drive Partition
Before spending your money on new hardware and hard drives, it’s worth visiting the hard drive and partition you want to expand to see if you can create some more space for it.
1. Go to “Start” and search for “disk management.” Click “Create and format hard-disk partitions.”
2. Check the file system for the hard drive partition you want to extend. This is in the “File System” column.
3. If the partition is listed as “NTFS” and you also have a partition listed as “Unallocated,” you’ll be able to extend your hard drive partition. You can even use unallocated space from multiple hard drives on your PC toward your hard drive of choice.
If you have unallocated space, right-click the partition you want to extend and click “Extend Volume.”
4. In the next window, pick the volumes you want to extend, “add” them to your selected partition, then click next and follow the instructions.
Also read: What Is a Mini PC and Should You Buy One?
2. USB Stick
Typical Storage Space : 8 GB – 512 GB
USB sticks are one of the more trustworthy ways of storing items from the computer. Simply plug one into a USB port, open it on your computer, then drag files onto the stick itself. It’s easy to carry with you, stores quite a lot of data, and can be plugged into any computer with a USB port (which is most!).
3. SD Card
Typical Storage Space: 2 GB – 512 GB
SD cards are in a similar vein to USB sticks but are a little more conditional regarding whether you can put them into a PC or not. Unlike USB drives, an SD card slot isn’t a guarantee on most machines. It’s usually something a laptop will have rather than a PC. As such, if you’re using an SD card purely on one device, it will do the job well. Porting data to another machine, however, may be tricky.
However, you can buy an SD card reader, which will let you read SD cards on any device with a USB port. These come in both USB-A and USB-C varieties, such as the Beikell Dual Connector SD Card Reader.
Also read: The 13 Best Custom PC Builder Websites
4. USB Hard Drive
Typical Storage Space: 256 GB – 4TB
Did you know that you can plug in a second hard drive through the USB ports? You can get both external and internal drives. If you want to use an internal hard drive, you have to make use of a hard disk enclosure though, but it is definitely one of the easiest ways to expand your storage by a large amount.
The cheaper option is a standard hard drive or HDD. You can get a lot more storage for less. But, if you’re running apps and games from the drive, you may want to consider a solid-state drive or SSD, which is faster, but costs a lot more. An SSD is also a little more durable than an HDD, which is great if you’re taking it with you.
USB hard drives are a fantastic choice for holding media files and games. Even better, you can carry them with you and plug them into other PCs to export the data.
5. Cloud Storage Services
Typical Storage Space: 2GB – 1TB
Everything is moving toward the cloud these days, and your data can join in! There are plenty of different cloud storage servers out there, but the popular ones are Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive. pCloud is another good solid option too. If you use multiple storage providers, use a cloud storage manager to help you manage everything.
It is easy to start using cloud storage – make an account, then upload your files to the online cloud. You can then delete the files from your hard drive and make room without completely losing your files. In fact, they’ll be accessible on all of your devices that can access the cloud! If you have confidential data, there is cloud storage, like pCloud, that provides extra encryption to prevent others from accessing your data.
6. Secondary Hard Drive/Solid State Drive
Typical Storage Space: 1 – 4TB (HDD), 128 – 512GB (SSD)
If you have the spare space on your motherboard, you can forgo having to transfer data and simply get a second drive to store things. A second HDD can act as a “mule” drive, storing huge files such as movies and recordings. Getting an SSD to work in tandem with an HDD works well, too: simply put all the software you want to load quickly onto the SSD and enjoy faster loading times. If using an SSD, follow these guidelines to ensure it runs better.
7. Wi-Fi Hard Drive / Network-Attached Storage
Typical Storage Space: 1 – 4TB
USB hard drives are great, but sometimes you want to keep those USB ports free. Wi-Fi hard drives and sometimes network-attached storage (NAS) are often marketed as “home clouds” and connect to other devices over a Wi-Fi connection. This has the added bonus of being accessible by everyone who connects to the router, meaning you can set one up for your family or workplace. Some even allow you to access the hard drive via a web interface!
8. Compress Data
If you have files and folders that you rarely use and don’t need to edit often, save space by compressing them versus deleting them. Windows has a built-in compression tool to create .zip files. You don’t even need to download anything extra.
If you want to compress a group of files, place them into a single folder. Or, you can simply compress a single file. Right-click the folder or file and select “Compress to ZIP file.”
This creates a new file. You can open it and view most files without having to decompress it. If you need to edit anything, you’ll need to decompress the file. Right-click and select “Extract All.”
Once you’re done, delete the original files or folders.
The amount of space you save varies greatly. For example, with a group of Microsoft Office documents that are text only, the compressed file was 80% smaller than the original set of files.
This doesn’t work as well with video and audio files. In most cases, you’ll save 5-10% at most. However, you can use other tools to lower the quality or convert to a different file type that doesn’t take up as much space. The Windows Video Editor works well and is included in Windows.
You can also use VLC Media Player for audio and video, Handbrake for videos, Monkey’s Audio for audio, and Audacity for audio. All are free to use.
Also read: How to Clean Up and Make Space on Your Windows “C” Drive
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I delete when my C: drive is full?
You have a variety of options for what to delete. Of course, you can always delete files you no longer need and uninstall programs/apps you don’t use. Outside of that, you should consider running Disk Cleanup. This gets rid of temporary files, along with other files, you don’t really need.
If you never empty your Recycle Bin, do that now. Many users delete files, but don’t empty the bin. Until you empty the Recycle Bin, all those deleted files are still taking up space.
It’s also a good idea to ensure your hard drive is actually full and not malfunctioning. Start by checking your hard disk health. Or, if you’re getting a disk full error when doing something, such as installing Windows updates, try these tips instead.
How many GB do I need on my C: drive?
This depends on how you plan to use your computer. Most users need at least 256 GB. This ensures you have ample space for the operating system, updates, and a nice selection of apps/programs and files. Use this guide to better calculate how much space you need.
Can I move files from my C: drive to D: drive?
Yes. Many apps and of course, your own personal files can be moved. Some apps, such as Windows apps, cannot be moved off the main hard drive. To learn how to move your files and more about what you can and can’t move, check out our guide to moving files between drives in Windows.
Image credit: Unsplash
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