SOVLED! Additional Free Space Is Needed On The Drive Where Windows Is Installed

Struggle to reset your PC as Windows keeps saying “Additional free space is needed on the drive where Windows is installed”? Then there is a good chance that your drive is nearly full and you must free up some space. Also, depending on the situation, you should consider taking advantage of Check Disk, rebuilding BCD, using System Restore and clean installing Windows. To understand what this error is all about and its troubleshooting ideas, read this article till the end.

What Is Going On 

Usually, if Windows fails to complete the reset, it’s going to inform people of the root of the problem. About “Additional free space is needed on the drive where Windows is installed”, you should give these suspects some thought: 

• Space.
• Drive. 
• Boot Configuration Data (BCD).
• Windows. 

A Few Fixes 

Note: If you still have access to the home screen, you should be able to carry out the solutions with relative ease. However, if the home screen is no longer accessible, you must boot into Safe Mode. 

• Step 1: Turn off your computer, wait for a minute and turn it back on.  
• Step 2: As Windows starts to load, turn off your computer. Repeat the process until you reach Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). 
• Step 3: In Choose an options screen, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
• Step 4: Press either 4 (F4) to boot into Safe Mode or 5 (F5) to boot into Safe Mode with Networking.

Free Up Some Space

• Step 1: Go to Search bar, type Disk Cleanup and hit Enter. 
• Step 2: Click the drop-down menu, pick the drive where Windows is installed (for instance, C:) and hit OK.
• Step 3: Check all the checkboxes under Files to delete then hit OK.
• Step 4: Allow the process to go all the way then restart your computer. 
• Step 5: Reset your PC one more time. 

Note: If you need more space, open Disk Cleanup, select Clean up system files, choose the C: drive and hit OK.

Rebuild BCD

• Step 1: Go to Search bar, type cmd and hit Run as administrator. 
• Step 2: In Command Prompt (Admin), run each of the commands down below: 
  • bootrec /fixmbr
  • bootrec /fixboot
  • bootrec /scanos
  • bootrec /rebuildbcd
• Step 3: Reset your PC and witness the result.

Take Advantage Of Check Disk

• Step 1: Open Command Prompt (Admin) then run the command chkdsk /f. 
• Step 2: Reset your PC.
• Step 3: Determine whether the issue persists. 

Use System Restore

• Step 1: Go to Search bar, type System Restore and hit Enter. 
• Step 2: Select System Restore then choose a restore point.
• Step 3: Initiate the restoration. 

Clean Install

• Step 1: Launch your web browser. 
• Step 2: Visit Microsoft’s official website, go to the Software Download page and download the Media Creation Tool.
• Step 3: After the download finishes, hit Run once prompted to run the tool.
• Step 4: Read the terms and conditions, check the checkbox next to I accept the license terms then hit Next.
• Step 5: Choose Upgrade this PC now, select Next and uncheck the  Keep personal apps and files checkbox. Next, hit Install, let the installation run its course and create a new user account. Last but not least, sign into your account and proceed to use your PC as usual. 

Frequently Asked Questions  

Which files can I delete to quickly get some space on Windows 10?

There are a couple of ways to free up space on Windows 10 but clearing the temporary files should be the first thing on your list. Temporary files can be found in the temp folder (%temp%) and you may want to clear all files except the ones that are currently in use. Besides that, it’s a good idea to upload files you do not regularly use to the cloud storage then get rid of the copies on your computer. Remember to delete the files in the Recycle Bin to get rid of them for good.

What is the best disk size for a laptop?

The size of your laptop disk depends on the intended use of your device. For college and personal usage, a space of 256-512 GB would prove adequate. Laptops for gaming and commercial purposes (video/photo editing) tend to require a disk space of 1TB and above.