So I am putting my comp hard drive on a diet..

Assuming you have dumped temp files (including all browsers you have installed) and cleaned out the download folders, there isn’t a whole lot else to do beyond uninstalling apps and moving data to a different location (external storage of some kind).

Every time Windows installs updates it keeps a kind of mirror of each update in a folder so it consumes more and more space. You can’t clean out this side-by-side folder or it will break the OS.

You could do a format and reinstall of a current rev and that will dump the folder, but it’s only a temporary fix. Not to mention you have to back up all of your data and reinstall all of your apps.

If it’s not a laptop, add a huge second HD and move as much data as you can to it.

The other option is to buy a new, larger drive and replace it.

Good luck.

 

It’s always been there, you just haven’t noticed until it grew enough. (Also it’s no longer a default view in windows, so it’s easier to miss.)

With that free space you’re fine. Don’t worry until you’re about 25 free. You can run defrag if you want, but not needed especially if that is a SSD.

 

My comp also die soon