Desperate to free up space on this ridiculous laptop

[Ph0enix]

So I have this laptop that only has 32 GB of space. The god damn updates literally take up 3/4 of it. I have exactly ONE program installed on it, Photoshop and it is only 1 GB. Everything else was pre-installed crap that I removed with Windows Powershell and successfully removed them using the following:

Get-AppxPackage *appname* | Remove-appxPackage

All were removed with the exception of Microsoft Edge which there is apparently no way to remove. Some removed parts but not all.
I also "uninstalled" the last update that stole all my space but now after one that required a restart the list will no longer load and there are still five left.
I also disabled automatic updates using services.msc because gpedit.msc was not on my computer. IT WILL NOT LET ME REMOVE THE UPDATE.

Is there anything I have still that I can safely remove and not harm the functionality of my computer?

It's an HP laptop that runs on Windows 10 Home Edition. I currently have the storage and my remaining programs shown below.

I literally worked on removing all that crap for over two hours and when I finally restarted to cement the changes windows installed the god damn update. I cannot explain the level of anger.

I now do not have enough space to do a restore point before the update. I would happily start over but disable windows updates first. Is there ANYTHING else I can do?




[Only registered and activated users can see links]
[Only registered and activated users can see links]
[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[Midas]

Try the W10 Enterprise Edition, it lacks all those useless apps that Windows installs.

PS: Also, try blocking the Windows Updater. Sometimes it overrides your config, but at least it doesn't update everytime.

[Ph0enix]

Try the W10 Enterprise Edition, it lacks all those useless apps that Windows installs.

PS: Also, try blocking the Windows Updater. Sometimes it overrides your config, but at least it doesn't update everytime.

You can install a different kind of windows? Apparently this is a hige problem with these laptops. When they were made, windows wasn't big so 32 was plenty but now they release massive updates that fuck up the computer. The apps that come with it is not the problem, I know how to remove them all now.

I did disable it. I want to factory reset and start everything over.

[Midas]

You can install a different kind of windows? Apparently this is a hige problem with these laptops. When they were made, windows wasn't big so 32 was plenty but now they release massive updates that fuck up the computer. The apps that come with it is not the problem, I know how to remove them all now.

I did disable it. I want to factory reset and start everything over.

The factory reset will install the same OS (W10 Home Edition, right?)
You can install your own OS through the BIOS startup with your own USB device (using Rufus to create a bootable ISO file)

[Ph0enix]

The factory reset will install the same OS (W10 Home Edition, right?)
You can install your own OS through the BIOS startup with your own USB device (using Rufus to create a bootable ISO file)



[Only registered and activated users can see links]


Lol I really wish I thought of the update before I started. I am computer savvy but to a point, but I don't have a USB. You don't see anything I can remove? I removed utorrent and photoshop but I still need another 2 gigs.

[Midas]

Hahaha, don't worry, is not as hard as it rings.
Sadly not, there not so much that you can erase (if you are using cK programs there); my Windows folder has a... 20,3 GB disk usage right now. It's not much better anyway.

[Ph0enix]

I am seriously about to lose it. I have been doing this since 11 this morning and every time I successfully remove and update this fucker restarts aND DOWNLOADS 3 MORE ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS

[Mama Bear]

Honestly, if your laptop is that small, I'd look to buying a new one. I bought a new laptop for under $200 for my tech-illiterate mother. They don't have to be dear. 32GB gives you nothing these days.

[Ph0enix]

Honestly, if your laptop is that small, I'd look to buying a new one. I bought a new laptop for under $200 for my tech-illiterate mother. They don't have to be dear. 32GB gives you nothing these days.

It doesn't and tbh it was a real design flaw. When it was made it was made to run a small version of Windows, it was supposed to be the smallest one available on any laptop. However, Windows began releasing these HUGE accumulative updates that ended up rendering these useless unless you bought an external drive. Each update is almost 10g! I would LOVE to buy a new one but honestly any tablets or laptops I ever had were given to me when someone else got a new one, like my last one, and I got this one because my father died in November. He barely used it and the memory was so full. I did a wipe and was able to factory reset it. I only downloaded Photoshop and Cheat Engine and I was happy with it but now I want Sims 4 lol. So I went through all of that deleting and was so happy I had the space for all three! Until I restarted and updates installed themselves. I have so much (mainly my car) that I need to spend money on before I think about anything like a new laptop. Also, this one is very sentimental to me bc it was my Dad's.

The good news tho is I called Microsoft who surprisingly did not charge me, and she took control of my computer from India and deleted enough in like 3 minutes to do the reset lol. Also while we were waiting for the updates, she loves Game of Thrones and wished my mom a happy mother's day and they have work parties every friday and they are her favorite. We are best friends now.

What kind of laptop was it? Mine is an HP Stream, those blue ones lol. He said it was around that price when he got it as he was very excited and needed lessons lol.

[Byte]

Used laptops on Craigslist or watch your local facebook swap/trade/sell for even better deals on used laptops. 32GB is impossible to work with. It's just a gimmick used to sell 'small' or 'travel' size notebooks. Screw the SSD and just get a 500gb laptop that may be a little slower, but can do what you want for $50 used until you can afford what you really want.

[iminnocent]

Well, to be honest... 32 GB is nothing.
I'd say your options are to either downgrade back to Windows 7 or another smaller version of Windows (please not Vista or 8 though) or get a new laptop.
Windows 10 is quite heavy and it only gets worse, soon enough, your current space won't be enough.
Trust me, a 500 GB, maybe even 1 TB regular Hard Drive laptop/notebook isn't that expensive and will serve you better in the long run.

[Ph0enix]

Well, to be honest... 32 GB is nothing.
I'd say your options are to either downgrade back to Windows 7 or another smaller version of Windows (please not Vista or 8 though) or get a new laptop.
Windows 10 is quite heavy and it only gets worse, soon enough, your current space won't be enough.
Trust me, a 500 GB, maybe even 1 TB regular Hard Drive laptop/notebook isn't that expensive and will serve you better in the long run.

I didn't know you could do that! You can replace windows?

[iminnocent]

I didn't know you could do that! You can replace windows?

Yes! You could either buy a copy of an older Windows distro, which I highly doubt you will find nowadays since they recently announced they will no longer be supporting and updating Windows 7 or you could download a pirate version and burn the image to either a CD or a bootable pendrive and go from there.
Or you could use Linux :P

[Ph0enix]

Yes! You could either buy a copy of an older Windows distro, which I highly doubt you will find nowadays since they recently announced they will no longer be supporting and updating Windows 7 or you could download a pirate version and burn the image to either a CD or a bootable pendrive and go from there.
Or you could use Linux :P

I heard of Linux but not in years, do you have it? Also I am trying to gt Sims 4 lol I need to clear literally .24MB but I have nothing left to delete xD I am just trying to find some way to disable the updates but everything keeps saying access denied -__-

[iminnocent]

I heard of Linux but not in years, do you have it? Also I am trying to gt Sims 4 lol I need to clear literally .24MB but I have nothing left to delete xD I am just trying to find some way to disable the updates but everything keeps saying access denied -__-

You'd probably have to remove them through regedit or something.
About Linux, every Linux distro is free and open source, so it's about finding the one most suitable for you. I personally use Kali Linux since it comes pre-shipped with tools and features I care about and use when programming. Maybe check Ubuntu?

[Ph0enix]

You'd probably have to remove them through regedit or something.
About Linux, every Linux distro is free and open source, so it's about finding the one most suitable for you. I personally use Kali Linux since it comes pre-shipped with tools and features I care about and use when programming. Maybe check Ubuntu?

It says I don't have it when I try to open it

[iminnocent]

It says I don't have it when I try to open it

Oh, now that's weird...
You should probably get another OS or a new computer. If you decide to get a new OS though, make sure to backup all your files and have someone help guide you through it :)

[Synth Salazzle]

I got a laptop for $50 off ebay and it had 500gb of space back in like 2013 (granted it was windows XP but at least it can connect to the internet, has some USB ports, and can do some other stuff, just don't expect to game on it. It also required a bit of TLC in fixing the body but nothing that cost me extra.) I still have it, and I use it for work related things, and it still works like when I bought it. Even upgraded it to win 7 and it's fine.

I would search ebay for cheap laptops in general because it's gonna be a LOT harder work with 32gb than it would be to just get something on the cheap side.

[Ph0enix]

Guys, I can't get a computer lol I have just admitted defeat. Even 50 bucks.. I have to buy a transmission and wheel bearing and brakes and pay this stupid failure to provide my insurance card plus the hundred bills I have. Trust me, I would LOVE a new laptop. Also this one is very sentimental I am very attached to it.

[Madotsuki]

Did your laptop come with Windows 10 or did you update it later? If Windows 10 is it's factory OS then it's likely that you won't be able to install older versions of Windows on it even if you tried. (This happened to me when I bougth a laptop with Windows 10, tried to downgrade it to Windows 7 but the hardware wasn't compatible anymore)
Linux is super light but you can't play most games on it. I have a Windows 10 and Linux Mint dual boot on my laptop because I mostly just use Linux for programming stuff

My suggestion for you, considering you can't get a new computer, would be first trying to read up on ways you can make Windows 10 faster. Windows 10 is a super heavy OS and many laptop users struggle with it as it makes them super slow. One thing I did on mine was disable Windows Defender as it kept using an absurd amount of my CPU and also disabled updates. I think there are many guides out there to help make Windows 10 less crappy on laptops so maybe try that first before thinking about changing OS.
If this doesn't work and you are willing to backup all your files and wipe this computer clean, I would suggest trying to install Windows 7, but keeping in mind that your efforts may be for nothing as a lot of laptops that come with Windows 10 are made so that older versions of Windows won't work on it.

[Mr. 49]

I don't know to what extent we're allowed to discuss here, but there are also Lite versions of most Windows distros that strip all of the additional crap, including Edge and can be installed via the methods mentioned earlier.

[eltiolukee]

try using treesize, that should tell you where all your space is used.
Some things that come to mind, check if you have Hibernation enabled. If it is, you'll have a file that that uses as much gbs as ram in your computer. To do this, open a CMD prompt with admin priviledges (right click - Open as admin) and type the following:

powercfg.exe /hibernate off

Another one you might want to try is disabling the pagefile, which will give you a couple gb's back. To do that, you'll have to:

Right-click Computer
Select Properties
Select Advanced system settings
Select the Advanced tab and then the Performance radio button
Select the Change box under Virtual memory
Un-check Automatically manage paging file size for all drives
Select No paging file, and click the Set button
Select OK to allow and restart.



Or, you know, you could save up a couple bucks and buy a 10-years-old laptop that will probable come with a 120gb hdd :P