Why Does My SSD Drive Keep Filling Up? (STEPS)

Why Does My SSD Drive Keep Filling Up?

A SSD drive can keep filling up due to the drive being filled with hidden system files. A computer infected with a virus or malware can also cause the SSD to keep filling up.

The SSD, which is solid-state drives, is effective stores of data. It resides inside the computer as opposed to a traditional hard drive.

With the help of semi-conductors as its basic constituent, it makes use of non-volatile memory chips to record and store information even when there’s no power.

People prefer the SSD over the traditional hard drive because of its storage capacity, lesser susceptibility to failure, etc.

All in all, it has enabled the effective storage of important data. However, when your SSD drive keeps filling up and border lining its storage capacity, you may face many problems.

A filled-up SSD usually points to slowed capacity, a slowed ability to work, no further storage of important data, hanging systems, etc.

These can potentially drive down your productivity and cause you to lose important hours of data. Are you wondering why your SSD drive keeps filling up? Read below to find out the reason why.

 

• Hidden files:

The storage status of your SSD could be full, even though you have saved no files on it. Furthermore, maybe you cannot see any files or folders on the screen. If this is the case, then you have hidden files and folders on your SSD. Some important documents, files, folders, and other items will perhaps take up most of the space on the disk.

In such an instance, try deleting the unwanted files. However, don’t do anything if you’re not sure. You may have the intention of deleting something non-important, but then delete something that is.

 

• Virus:

Virus and malware infestation can also lead to the SSD drive filling up. This can again lead to slowed capacity, a slowed ability to work, no further storage of important data, hanging systems, etc.

 

Causes of a full SSD drive

A full SSD drive is of no help to anyone. It does not serve any purpose. Moreover, it slows down the system, affects the capacity of the drive to store data, and leads to frequent freezing up of the screen of your device.

It’s important not to use more than 75% of the space available in the SSD.

 

A full solid-state drive has a lot of reasons behind having a full disk space.

Some of these causes are as follows:

1. Hidden data occupying your disk space

Storage status full without even saving data to the disk space

This is a case of seemingly full storage space. While your storage space seems full, hidden files and folders have a stronghold over the SSD’s disk space. This makes the disk space that should be available to you to be unusable and the SSD unserviceable.

Remove what is hidden to have empty disk space.

As stated above, if your system shows that your SSD is full even though you haven’t stored anything, then there are some hidden files and folders. Get these hidden files uncovered and delete the ones not required. Ensure care while deleting files as you may delete the important ones by mistake.

 

2. Malware and virus infestation

Doubts about its effects

Whether the virus and other malware affect the disk space or not is uncertain for now. But people may peg it as a reason for full disk space.

Resolving doubts about links between viruses, malware, and storage space

Many users have claimed that just after antivirus software works its magic, their device had started working just fine. Their storage space was also empty of hidden and malicious files.

 

Thus, it is not a bad idea to try an antivirus software for your device and SSD. You can even check if your computer is virus-free by booting it up in safe mode.

 

How to free up space on a SSD?

Freeing up space on an SSD sounds so technical and difficult. However, you can free up space sitting at home in a pretty straightforward way. Here, check out the following methods for the same:

• Check for file corruption and reboot system
• Check for viruses and run an antivirus software

 

Method 1: Check for file corruption and reboot system.

Often, in many cases, the file system may get corrupt. This can sometimes prompt the system to display the status of free space as full or incorrect. In this case, you can fix the problem by following the steps mentioned below:

1. Run the command prompt as administrator.
2. Allow it to go through the system and make certain tweaks here and there.
3. A dialog prompt will open up. Type the following: “chkdsk C: /f /v /x” into the blank field.
4. Press the enter key.
5. Again, type “Y” where the cursor ends up. This will schedule a system reboot.
6. Reboot your system and let it scan and resolve any file corruption.
7. After the system reboots, check to see if the problem persists and if the storage status is still showing an incorrect display.

 

Method 2: Check for viruses and run an antivirus software

As stated before, you can blame the full storage space of your SSD on viruses and malware infestation. But you cannot say for sure. The chances of an antivirus software repairing and restoring the system and SSD to their original condition are 50-50.

However, there is no harm in trying. So, follow the steps given below:

1. Navigate to the safe mode.
2. For this, if you are a Windows 7 user, press the F8 key immediately after pressing the power button of your computer for intervals of one second.
3. The menu for advanced boot options will open up.
4. Look through the options and use your arrow keys to navigate to the safe mode.
5. If you can’t find the safe mode option, select safe mode with networking.
6. Press the enter key.
7. However, if you use Windows 8 and Windows 10, then press the shift key and the restart button altogether.
8. Go to troubleshoot. Choose the advanced options option.
9. Then, select startup settings and click on restart.
10. After this is done, select enable safe mode or enable the safe mode with networking if you cannot find the former option.
11. After this, let your antivirus software run a full computer scan.
12. Again, restart the computer. Hopefully, the antivirus scan is successful in resolving your problem.

 

Why does my SSD keep filling up on its own?

You can find out numerous reasons why your SSD keeps filling up on its own. Some of the reasons are as follows:

1. Continuous installation and removal of software or applications can prompt a full SSD storage space. It could impact the WinSxS folder and the DLL files.
2. Furthermore, enabled hibernation options and space devoted to system restore points can also cause full SSD storage space.

 

To fix this, you can try out the following steps:

Method 1: Check to see if there is installed software in the empty space in the SSD.

1. Check to see if the installed software is occupying much of the storage space of the SSD.
2. For this, you need to see if there is an influx of files with an extension .log on your computer because of the installed software.
3. If this is the case, then the software is the root cause of the problem.
4. Deleting the installed software is the only way you can solve this problem.

 

Method 2: Disable hibernation files to the empty space in the SSD

1. Begin by pressing the Windows key and letter X key together.
2. Alternatively, you can right-click on the start button.
3. From the list of options, select the command prompt option set as an administrator.
4. Choose the user account control prompt.
5. Click on yes.
6. A command prompt window will open up.
7. Type the following where the cursor blinks: powercfg.exe/hibernate off.
8. This will disable hibernation and resolve your problem.
9. Close the command prompt window after you are done.

 

How to fix a SSD that is full for no reason

Method 1: Find and remove the hidden files, folders, and drives from the system.

To fix an SSD that is full for no reason, try to discover hidden files. They are more often than not responsible for an SSD being full. To remove them, follow the given steps:

1. Open file explorer. Click on view.
2. Then, navigate to options and change folder and search options.
3. This will open up the folder options window.
4. Now, under the hidden files and folder section, click on show hidden files, folders, and drives”.
5. Ensure that you uncheck all the hide options.
6. As you uncheck the hide protected operating system files (recommended) option, the computer system will give you a warning.
7. Don’t worry about it. The computer will restart the system.
8. Click on yes to confirm your selection.
9. Click on OK to save your changes.
10. Check the SSD storage space and if the status is still being displayed as full.

 

SSD filling up fast in Windows 7

Method 1: Switch up the system restore points to resolve a full storage space for no reason.

The system restore points also occupy some space in the SSD. So, to fix this unbalanced occupation, you can manage them.

1. Begin with right-clicking on the PC icon.
2. From the list of options, choose properties.
3. Next, click on system protection from the section on the left.
4. This will open up a mini-window. Select configure after locating it. You will find it at the bottom of the prompt window.
5. This will open up another mini-window.
6. Now, you will find a slider specifying the maximum amount that the system restore points can use. You can find this under the section, disk space usage.
7. Move the slider per your requirements.
8. Furthermore, you can even choose the delete button to delete a specific system restore point. Similarly, you can enable it or disable it.
9. Click on apply at the end.
10. Check to see if the problem persists.

 

SSD suddenly full in Windows 10

Method 1: Choose disk clean-up to empty space

Often, we use many programs that use temporary and cached files. They store these files on the SSD storage space, which can create problems in the future. The disk clean-up feature lets you somewhat refine your system. It bins the temporary and cached files stored in your Windows 10 system, cleans the recycle bin, and even finds the unwanted files and deletes them.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Find the search field on the taskbar at the bottom.
2. Type disk clean-up in the blank field and choose the required option from the list on the screen.
3. Next, a window will open up asking you to select the drive that needs cleaning up.
4. Select the required drive and click on OK.
5. Now, sit back and let disk clean-up do its job. The process may make time to calculate how much space to free up.
6. When the disk clean-up is done, run the disk clean-up on your Windows 10 PC to release the displayed storage space you can release.
7. Before doing this, ensure you delete only the unwanted files and folders.

 

SSD showing it’s full but it’s not

In case the SSD shows that it is full, but it’s not, try any of the methods mentioned above.

1. Check for hidden files.
2. Check for file corruption.
3. Check for virus infestation.
4. Perform a disk clean-up