Disk Cleanup has been very useful for a long time on the Windows platform. We often use Disk Cleanup to access memory and help us fix various problems. But what if our savior gets sick?
You then. Many times, while running disk cleanup, it gets stuck on calculation. Even waiting for hours doesn’t help. There is no particular process that it crashes frequently. While for some it’s stuck on Mixed Reality, others experience Windows update related issues.
Whatever the cause, it’s time to tackle the problem in its infancy. In this post, we will tell you how to get the disk cleanup process back to working. That is, it won’t get stuck on recalculation. Instead, you should be able to recover your storage space easily.
Let’s check the solutions.
Cancel and restart
Before you try other methods, cancel the drive cleanup in progress. Then restart your PC. If you’re lucky, your problem will be fixed that way. Give it a try. If the problem persists, cancel again and restart your computer. If doing it twice doesn’t work, then try the solutions mentioned below.
Run the troubleshooter
Most of the time, the drive cleanup will get stuck for distribution optimization files, Windows updates, or something like that. To fix it, you need to run the Windows Update troubleshooter. Here are the steps for the same:
Step 1: Open Windows settings and go to Update & Security.
Tip:
Step 2: Click on the Troubleshooting option available in the right sidebar.
Step 3: From the left side, click on Windows Update followed by Run the troubleshooter. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Empty the trash
Disk Cleanup gives you an option to empty the recycle bin. However, since it doesn’t work, try deleting it manually. Sometimes that also helps in troubleshooting.
To do so, right-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and select Empty Trash from the menu.
Alternatively, open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking it. Then press the Empty Recycle Bin option present at the top.
Delete the content inside the SoftwareDistribution folder
The SoftwareDistribution folder contains the Windows update files. Sometimes these files get corrupted and thus Windows or apps from the Microsoft store cannot be updated. Corrupted files are also responsible for messing up the disk cleanup process.
To fix it, you will have to delete the contents of this folder. For that, follow these steps:
Step 1: In your C Drive, go to Windows folder assuming Windows is installed on C drive. If it is installed on some other drive, navigate there.
Step 2: Open the SoftwareDistribution folder.
Step 3: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A to select all files. Then press the Delete key to remove them. You can also right-click and select Delete.
You may get a pop-up stating that some files have not been deleted. Ignore those files or try logging in with Administrative Privileges. Once all files and folders have been deleted, empty the recycle bin, then restart your PC.
Delete temporary files
Another thing you can try to do is delete temporary files. These files, as the name suggests, are temporary cache files. Deleting them won’t have any ill effects on your PC. However, doing that can help solve the problem.
To delete them, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Run application with the Windows + R key combination.
Step 2: Enter %temperature% in the Run box and press Enter.
Step 3: You will be taken to the Temp folder located at C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Temp. You can also open it via this link.
Step 4: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A to select all files in the Temp folder. Press the Delete button to delete them.
Step 5: Empty the Recycle Bin, as shown above, and restart your PC.
Hopefully, you will be able to complete the drive cleanup process.
Run storage consciousness
Windows 10 comes with a native feature to manage and replenish storage. Called Storage Sense, it automatically detects the space used by various things on your PC and helps you reclaim that space.
When you use this feature, it will delete temporary files and other cache files without your help. Sometimes using it can also help to fix hangs when cleaning disks.
Here’s how to go about it.
Step 1: Open Settings on your PC and go to System.
Step 2: Click Archive from the left sidebar.
Step 3: First, enable Storage Sense by clicking the toggle button present in Storage Sense.
Step 4: Click Windows Temporary Files (C). Wait for your PC to scan the files.
Step 5: In addition to the pre-selected ones, select Delivery Optimization File and Trash. Then press the Delete File button.
Step 6: Wait for the process to complete and then restart the PC.
Patience won’t hurt
While the above solutions should fix your problem, sometimes patience also helps. That is, we are used to the quick disk cleanup process. However, sometimes, it takes a while. So wait a few minutes or even hours to see if the problem is fixed automatically.
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Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
