How to Free Up Space on C Drive Windows Server 2012 r2?

Overview: You may be worried about drive space and searching for “how to free up space on C drive in Windows Server 2012 r2”. Then, this should explore this write-up to solve the prevailing concern.

Managing disk space efficiently is a critical task in itself, especially, in the case of server administration. With time, the server workload and volume increase, thus it is essential to ensure that the C drive (system drive) has sufficient space for smooth operation. One of the most sought-after is the Windows Server 2012 R2 system, which is no exception to this scenario.

Over time, the performance issues and potential system failures could be due to the cluttered drive with Windows updates, system service, applications, cache, temporary files, logs, and other unnecessary data. And on one day, you will find the C drive becomes full and the color changed to red in File Explorer.

In this case, it is recommended to free up disk space in Windows 2012 server as soon as possible. Otherwise, your PC will get slow, stuck, or even crash at times. Now, there are several ways to wipe the C drive in Windows Server 2012 (R2) such as using the native Disk Cleanup tool, CMD, or 3rd party data optimization software.

In comparison to other versions of Windows, Disk Cleanup is not enabled by default on Disk Server 2012. If you right-click the C drive with low disk space in File Explorer, you will not find the Cleanup button.

Attempting to run Disk Cleanup via the Run dialog results in an error message stating: “Windows cannot find ‘cleanmgr’.”

What Could Happen When the C drive on the Windows Server 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022 reaches full capacity?

As discussed earlier, when the C drive Windows Server 2012, 2016, or 2019 reaches its full capacity, it could inhibit the system performance and your workflow. Let’s find in detail the potential effects that it could have:

System Performance Low: Generally, the C drive is associated with numerous applications temporary files, log files, and other system data. Hence, when the C drive where the Windows Server operating system is located runs out of space, could lead to a considerable decrease in system performance.

System Instability and Crashes: An overloaded C drive can cause PC instability and frequent crashes. It usually happens when the OS is unable to write critical system files or temporary files due to lack of space. As a result, it could trigger errors, system freezes, and even system crashes. Further, it can disrupt essential services.

Limited Functionality: When the C drive is occupied, certain system functions may malfunction or become entirely unavailable. For instance, Windows updates and software installations may due to insufficient free space. Moreover, generating a hibernation space for malware attacks.

Data Loss and File Corruption: Performing operations like writing, copying, or saving data on a drive out of space can result in incomplete or corrupted files. The same cases could exist if files were being processed or modified at the time of the crash.

To address such problems, it is essential to take proactive measures on disk space usage on the C drive Windows sever.

Tech#1: Delete Temporary Files to Free Space on C Drive Windows Server 2012 R2

Temporary files have their significance as they help the system processes to execute faster due to which the PC apps store temporary data. But in the long run, these files get accumulated on the C drive damping the computer’s functionality. Here is the step-by-step guide to cleaning these files:

• To begin, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “%temp%” and hit Enter. This will open the Temp system apps files & folder.

• Use Ctrl + A on the keyboard to select all data.
• After that, right-click on the Windows pane and go to the “Delete” option.
• Another way of doing the same is by navigating to “C:\Windows\Temp” or “C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp” or “C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temp” and repeating the same process to clear the Windows Temp folder.

Tech#2: Freeing Up Windows Server 2012/16/19/22 using Disk Cleanup Utility

The Disk Cleanup application is a built-in software for Windows that helps you create free disk/drive space by removing unwanted files and other system components. Here, the identifiable files can be temporary internet files, log files, and even previous Windows installations. Let’s explore the steps:

Start by pressing the Windows key + R, and type “cleanmgr” in the Run dialog box. This will direct you to the Disk Cleanup utility.

OR

Open File Explorer, right-click C drive and select Properties.

Under the General tab, choose Disk Cleanup.

For removing old Windows Updates:

• From the given options, choose “Clean up system files“.

• Next, pick the drive where you want to perform the delete operation (usually the C drive) in the new window.
• After that, check the box adjacent to “Windows Update Cleanup“. Click “OK.”

• Now, wait for the system to examine the old Windows Update files, and then click “Delete Files” to remove them.

For usually Clean up of any drive contents:

• Select the drive (C:, D:, etc.) and click on the “OK” button.

• This will scan the selected drive for files and components as per the adjusted settings.
• Crucial – Review the list of files and components that are identified. Next, select the ones you want to erase.
• Henceforth, tap on the “OK” tab to start the cleanup process.
• Lastly, hit on the “Delete Files” button to remove the selected files and components.

Tech#3: Free Up Space on C Drive Windows Server 2012 r2 via Uninstalling Unused Programs

There must be several programs on your computer that you may no longer use or need. As these apps could be taking up a significant amount of disk space, especially if the additional components, libraries, or data files are active. Thus, uninstalling unused programs can provide valuable space on your C drive.

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. After that, type “appwiz.cpl” to bring the Programs and Features window.

OR

Search for and open the Control Panel. In the Control Panel, select Uninstall a program under Programs.

• First, identify the ones from the list of installed program that you no longer need.
• Right-click on the program, and select “Uninstall” or “Uninstall/Change.”
• Wait for the completion of the uninstallation process.
• Repeat this process for any other unused programs you want to remove.

Tech#4: Free Up Space on C Drive Windows Server 2012 r2/2016/19/22 through Compress System Files and Folders

Compact OS is the built-in feature of Windows that can help you reduce disk space by compressing the system files and folders. Usually, this option compacts files that are not accessed in daily usage. For example – the “C:\Windows\WinSxS” folder. To do this, follow the steps:

• Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows + R key.
• Next, type “compact /compactOS:always“. Then, press Enter to enable Compact OS.

• Wait for some time for process completion. It could depend on the size of your system files.

Tech#5: Free up Space on Windows Server C Drive by Moving the Paging File to Another Drive

The paging file is aka the “swap file” or “virtual memory”. The paging file, used by Windows, stores data that exceeds the physical memory (RAM). Located on the C drive by default, it can grow significantly when running multiple programs or working with large files.

• Commence by pressing the Windows key + R button to unclose the Run dialog box.
• Type “sysdm.cpl” in here and press Enter. This will direct you to the System Properties window.

• Click on the “Advanced” tab, and then click the “Settings” button under the “Performance” section.

• In the Performance Options window, click the “Advanced” tab, and then click the “Change” button under the “Virtual Memory” section.

• Uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option.
• After that, you can pick the C drive option and click the “No paging file” option.

• Click “OK” to apply the changes.
• If you have another drive available, select that drive and choose a custom size for the paging file.

Tech#6: Clean up Space on Windows Server 2012 R2 C Drive by Turn off Hibernation

By default, Windows Server comes with the hibernate mode enabled. Though, it doesn’t have any negative impact on your computer performance. Above all, you don’t need to disable this feature if you do not use it.

The hibernate mode allows you to store a portion of your disk space for the hibernation files, particularly hiberfil.sys. Generally, this specific file holds approximately 75% of your total system RAM. For instance, if you have a PC’s RAM of 8GB, this hiberfil.sys file will consume around 6GB. Thus, if you want to free up this disk space, you can switch off hibernation mode by following the mentioned steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows + R key and then type cmd in the Run box. And click OK to open the CMD.

Step 2. Type powercfg.exe /hibernate off command in the CMD (command prompt) window. After that, hit the Enter key.

In short, this command will turn off the hibernation mode on your PC. Also, it will free space in your C drive Windows Server 2012 r2.

Key Takeaways

In this guide, we have collected 6 different ways mostly sought by the Windows Server experts to free up space on C drive Windows Server r2. This is helpful when your PC runs slow or crashes at times reason can be a low disk space error. However, out of the 6 manual methods, Disk Cleanup is the most opted and proficient approach to clear drive space. Being an ally of yours, we suggest you go with the expert’s suggested solution and experience the vast way of wiping data.