Windows
Low disk space caused by temporary files
The computer was running low on disk space because there were many temporary files on it. The technician connected remotely and cleared the temporary folders, which recovered about 40 GB and brought the drive back out of the red.
Killed once by someone from XL.net, on 2026-07-06.
Affects
Versions
- Windows
What you see
- The drive was running out of available disk space.
- The machine was in the red for free space.
Why it happens
Likely A large amount of temporary files had accumulated on the computer.
When it shows up
A Windows computer is low on free space and the temporary folders are unusually large or full of files that can be removed.
You are in this case if:
- Storage shows the system drive is nearly full.
- Temporary folders contain a large amount of data that can be deleted.
1 fix below
The steps that killed it
The steps are behind a quick check
There are two ways in and both take a few seconds. Signing in opens the steps on every bug page; so does reading the picture.
Or answer this
Drawing a picture for you.
Can't read it? Sign in instead.
Someone from XL.net killed this on a Windows computer on 2026-07-06. It is written up from that one repair, so it cites no outside page.