Unable to get Windows updates due to lack of space.

[keith]

For Christmas I bought a secondhand Lenovo Idealpad Miix-31010icr which came with Windows 10. The problem is that it only has a 30gb hard drive. Currently without any programs installed it has used space of 24.7gb with a further 3.09 of free space. Windows Assistant has downloaded itself for updates 1607 cumulative and feasture update to 1903. Problem is that to do the downloads some 8gb is required but this is impossible to achieve as far as I can see. I tried this
computing.which.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/209253005-Install-Windows-10-updates-from-a-USB-drive which involves downloading the Media Creation Tool on another PC but it omits to say at what stage I need to insert the USB into the Lenovo. I inserted it after the Creating Windows 10 media setup had stopped.
The Windows Assistant gets as far as Windows 10 Will Work on This PC but option 2 (Insert an internal storage device with 11 GB free space available) is greyed out and therefore not an option.
If I insert the USB into the Lenovo and click on setup.exe I get as far as Getting updates - Making sure you're ready to install - Making sure your PC has enough space - Windows needs space to update where the External Storage Device is shown as D: with 14.4gb free and E: with 28gb free but when selected and next pressed all I get is "Next, we will help you free up 4.36gb on the C: drive". There is no 4.36gb free on C: drive so the next window is "Windows needs space to update" with the options to empty the Recycle Bin, Downloads folder and storage use. The first two are empty and the only options are to Refresh or go Back.
It seems I cannot get Windows away from using the C: drive for updates.
Is there a way round? I have installed a 16gb sd card and 64gb usb but Windows does not appear to be able to use them.

[nob]

Why the 24.7Gb? did it work ok for the last owner?

[Deleted]

Have you tried using Ccleaner ?

www.ccleaner.com

Windows Disk Cleanup ?


Is replacing the hard drive not an option ?

[Deleted]

Try EricGould1's post here:

answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/insufficient-disk-space-to-update-windows-10/ce66de91-311d-476c-93b0-c7ef5ea0ea84

[Deleted]

You don't say whether it's a 32-bit or 64-bit, but here are the requirements:


support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4028142/windows-10-system-requirements


Even with 64-bit, you should (in theory) still have about 10gb left over.

[Deleted]

Found this, it may help:

forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-based-Tablets/Low-storage-space-on-new-Miix-320/td-p/3902706

[banjo]

Is it possible that a backup is consuming loads of real estate? When you go from W7 to W10 there's a rather massive W7 goback that self deletes after 7 or 10 days (I forget which). I renamed mine to prevent auto erasure, but if you're prepared to walk a tightrope, there may be a way you could delete any such back up (at the point where you are getting the dialogues) before the "upgrade" continues. I'm not advising it, but it may be an option.

e&oe ...

[keith]

Thanks for the replies folks.
Nob. I don't know as I bought from a shop. Suspect it was Windows 7.

mrmatt. I have tried both Windows Disk Cleanup and Cclean and from what I have read online replacing the hard drive is not an option.
It is a 64bit laptop.
I have not tried EricGould1's solution. Kate_kp post on the same page sums it up "Unfortunately I have connected external storage of which Windows update says it will use 10GB, but it still needs another 2.62GB of space on the C: drive. I have run disk clean-up and there is literally nothing left for me to delete from the C: drive! "
The link you posted forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-based-Tablets/Low-storage-space-on-new-Miix-320/td-p/3902706 although marked solved exacted this later post "I don't know why is this topic marked as "Solved" !!! Nothing is solved in here"

I had thought there was a way of forcing Windows to use the USB or SSD that I had missed.

[nob]

Open the disk and have a look at the size of things on it.

[Deleted]

I think other users (on other forums) posted that there was an issue getting it to recognise USB memory sticks or SD cards, and that the only thing they could do was to send it back to Lenovo.

Does Windows Explorer recognise them ?

Have you been on to Lenovo's website to see if there is any support or downloads for your model ? Or any notices relating to it ? (you might have to enter your serial number)

[keith]

The disk shows just under 3gb free. System and reserved take up 13.4gb. Temporary files 4.32 though I have just run Disk Cleaner and Ccleaner with other files 4.88gb (Windows 10 updgrade, Bios, Drivers, searches and links though they don't all add up to 4.88gb more like 50mb). Apps and Games account for nearly 4gb.

Windows Explorer sees both the SD and USB. I have been through the Lenovo site and back without finding a solution. I still don't understand why Windows sees the drives when updating but refuse to allow access to them and insist in finding free space on C: when that is nearly impossible.

[Deleted]

I must say I'm rather puzzled, but I'm still trying to search for answers for you.

Don't know whether this is of any use:

support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4013876/windows-10-free-up-space-to-install-latest-feature-update

Or this:

www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2017/jan/05/what-is-the-best-way-to-deal-with-windows-10-updates-on-a-32gb-netbook

[nob]

answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-files/system-and-reserved-takes-up-too-much-space/acb69dfe-475c-490f-a735-a2a13b85d956

[keith]

Thanks for those. The problem with many of the solutions is they are no longer valid eg from this site: support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4013876/windows-10-free-up-space-to-install-latest-feature-update The advice is Select Start > Settings > Update & Security .
From the Windows update page, select Fix issues. The problem being there is no Fix issues option on my machine. The other problem is that solutions should work but they don't.

[Deleted]

From Update & Security, have you tried Troubleshoot ?


Then Windows Update.