Second internal hdd-its capacity decreased for no apparent reason

Βασίλης Νικολόπουλος 55 Reputation points
2026-09-10T06:14:05.4866667+00:00

My laptop has two internal drives an ssd that installed the programs and os and a hdd that i use for saving documents and media files.The hdd had capacity 41 GB at last Sunday 6/9/20206 and now have 35 gb wihtout download any large file.Do you what happens?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Settings
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  1. GsN5034 - IA 76,465 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-10T06:52:37.4266667+00:00

    Hello,

    Do you remember adding or copying any files to the HDD recently?

    You can use the free utility called 'TreeSize' to identify exactly which files and folders are consuming the most space on your internal HDD.

    https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xp9m26rsclnt88

    After identifying the files or folders that are taking up significant disk space, you can consider deleting unnecessary files or temporarily moving them to another drive for testing purposes.

    Once this is done, monitor the drive for the next two days to determine whether the used disk space continues to increase.

    This can help identify whether a specific file or folder is continuously consuming additional disk space.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-10T06:14:24.4066667+00:00

    A drop from 41 GB free to 35 GB free on the HDD can happen even without downloading large personal files. Common causes include:

    • Windows update files or servicing data
    • System restore points
    • Logs and cache files
    • Growth in system files such as hibernation or paging-related files
    • Hidden temporary files or old update backups

    Shrinking the HDD volume will not create more usable free space. It only changes partition size.

    Useful checks in Windows 11:

    1. Open File Explorer and select This PC.
      • Check the HDD free space shown under Devices and drives.
      • If the drive is low on space, it may appear in red.
    2. Check whether Windows installed updates recently.
      • Go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
    3. Check restore point usage.
      • Search for Create a restore point.
      • Open it, select the system drive, then choose Configure to see restore point disk usage.
    4. Run Disk Cleanup for system files.
      • Search for Disk Cleanup.
      • Select the drive.
      • Choose Clean up system files.
      • This can remove temporary files, Windows Update leftovers, and older system data.
    5. Review storage in Windows.
      • Go to Settings > System > Storage.
      • Look for temporary files or unusually large categories.
    6. If needed, move large personal files to OneDrive, a USB drive, or another external drive.

    If the missing space appeared suddenly overnight, the most likely causes are update-related files, restore points, or cached system files rather than a large user download.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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