Too many reinstalls causing loss of FREE SPACE

In March I bought a New computer just for the new Microsoft Flight Simulator.

It has 500GB of memory.

The only thing that I loaded into the new computer was a

Word processor and a small puzzle program.

I even deleted a whole bunch of stuff that came with the computer.

I don't play games, except that puzzle thing and fly.

I pay my bills also. That's about it.

I then ordered the Flight Simulator (On Disk) and it will take 4 weeks to arrive.

In the meantime I loaded My FS X and fired it up.

I attempted to register it but Microsoft would not let me register it because it was on a second computer.

So, I removed FS X from my new computer and waited.

When My new Flight Simulator arrived I loaded it up.

All 10 disks.

I flew it for 3 or 4 weeks and got tired of having to insert disk 1 in order to fly.

So, I removed my new Flight Simulator from my new Computer.

I then downloaded another Flight Simulator from the Microsoft Store.

I flew it for a while until I got into trouble with an Update.

A Microsoft TEC fixed the problem but I had to reinstall the program.

When the TEC fixed my problem he also moved my community folder to the

the location listed below.

C:\Flight simulator\community (EMPTY)

......................... \Official\ Onestore (DATA) (132 GB)

Where ever the base program is , I don't know but I do know it is not that big.

Last week a new update problem appeared and I spent around 4 or 5 hours trying to figure it out.

What the heck, I removed the program and reinstalled it. The program was 90.5 GB so it took me 9.5 hours to reload ( 10 GB\hr ).

That fixed my problem.

I also had to install all the stuff from the Content Manager 59.5 GB.

When I look at the properties for the C drive there is 7.5 GB free space out of a total of 496 GB.

I figure that there is around 150 GB to 250 GB free space missing, perhaps more.

I suspect that a bunch free space got lost during all that reinstalling and I don't know what to about.

If I don't resolve this issue, sooner or later I will be out of memory all together. Then I will be in deep you know what.

VFRguy

Hi Glen,

I presume when you remove things, you actually “uninstall” them, rather than just delete them?

What you could try is a disc clean up. Press your Windows key & type Disk

You should see “Disk Clean-up”. A box will pop up, recommending you delete things like temporary internet files etc. This might give you a bit more space.. in fact, at the bottom of the box, it will say how much space you will get back.

There is also a “clean up system files” option. Again it might give you a bit more.

When you look at your C drive properties, have you clicked on Tools? You get an option to optimise your drive and also to defragment it... however this probably doesn’t need doing as Windows 10 does this automatically nowadays.

Also.. I presume your recycle bin gets emptied regularly? Always worth checking.

Hope some of this helps

Regards

Steve

Sorry about my poor choice of words.

Of coarse I mean uninstall.

I have done that disk clean up, scan and all that stuff.

It is just hard for me to believe I ran of space considering the small amount things I have installed.

I guess the time will come to learn how to add a second hard drive or something like that to store my FS files in.

By the way.

I found my first Aircraft Carrier a little while ago.

It is across the bay from San Francisco straight east.

I think I found 5 in FS X.

Not a problem Glen. I presumed you had, but had to check.

My flight sim takes up about 162gb but that includes several Marketplace addons (plus I have another 52gb of addons in my community folder)

I also have 10gb of rolling cache. Speaking of which.. do you also have rolling cache enabled.. if so, how much?

Still sounds like you have a lot of stuff on there that shouldn’t be.

I think a second (solid if poss) drive would be a good idea.

I keep Windows 10 on a 500gb drive & flight sim on a 1tb drive, which should see me for a long time.

I’m a bit stuck on suggestions at the moment.

Speaking of aircraft carriers, I found one off the coast of Dubai yesterday and another off New York today... but I presumed they were because of a carrier addon I bought a few weeks back (& haven’t used much since) but maybe they are part of the sim & not my addon?

On the world map.. try trying CARRIER for an airport. It certainly brings up a list of them On mine

Regards

Steve

I would start looking around using Windows Explorer to see where exactly the space is being consumed.

Cheers!

Don't know any thing about rolling cache enabled or how to enable it. Tell me.

And tell me what kind of drive to buy and how to set it up and while you are at it, fix me dinner.

I did a search, "Aircraft carrier" and nothing.

That is why I have never found one.

Thanks a lot fellas.

I will strap on my Ultralight and go land on some carriers.

VFRguy

In March I bought a New computer just for the new Microsoft Flight Simulator.

It has 500GB of memory.

The only thing that I loaded into the new computer was a

Word processor and a small puzzle program.

I even deleted a whole bunch of stuff that came with the computer.

I don't play games, except that puzzle thing and fly.

I pay my bills also. That's about it.

I then ordered the Flight Simulator (On Disk) and it will take 4 weeks to arrive.

In the meantime I loaded My FS X and fired it up.

I attempted to register it but Microsoft would not let me register it because it was on a second computer.

So, I removed FS X from my new computer and waited.

When My new Flight Simulator arrived I loaded it up.

All 10 disks.

I flew it for 3 or 4 weeks and got tired of having to insert disk 1 in order to fly.

So, I removed my new Flight Simulator from my new Computer.

I then downloaded another Flight Simulator from the Microsoft Store.

I flew it for a while until I got into trouble with an Update.

A Microsoft TEC fixed the problem but I had to reinstall the program.

When the TEC fixed my problem he also moved my community folder to the

the location listed below.

 

C:\Flight simulator\community (EMPTY)

......................... \Official\ Onestore (DATA) (132 GB)

 

Where ever the base program is , I don't know but I do know it is not that big.

Last week a new update problem appeared and I spent around 4 or 5 hours trying to figure it out.

What the heck, I removed the program and reinstalled it. The program was 90.5 GB so it took me 9.5 hours to reload ( 10 GB\hr ).

That fixed my problem.

I also had to install all the stuff from the Content Manager 59.5 GB.

When I look at the properties for the C drive there is 7.5 GB free space out of a total of 496 GB.

I figure that there is around 150 GB to 250 GB free space missing, perhaps more.

I suspect that a bunch free space got lost during all that reinstalling and I don't know what to about.

If I don't resolve this issue, sooner or later I will be out of memory all together. Then I will be in deep you know what.

VFRguy

Given that you sound not so savvy with the deep underbelly of computers I would suggest you download and use CCleaner, the free version is perfectly fine. This is a safe one click cleanup program I've used for years. It will cleanup temp and old cache files and should free up some space.

Although, 500gb these days is far from suitable as there is an unwritten rule that you should not really have less than 10% at worst, of drive space remaining as you could encounter all sorts of weird things go on as you deplete the free space. 7.5gb remaining is not a lot these days especially with msfs having potential to fill up the rest of the space with future updates.

.. I'm a qualified systems engineer. I'm a little interested in what your pc specs are.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

Thanks a lot Kelvinr

I'm on it.

Ran that cleaner program.

Not much of a change.

I guess I need to look into a second drive.

Yes, I use CCleaner as well and run it before updates. A very handy program!

Glen, if you have some old unused programs, you can use the tools part of CCleaner to identify and uninstall them. You probably have some things on there you did not know you had.

A Crucial or Kingston 1tb SSD might be an inexpensive option. Both are good economy brands. I have a 500gb Crucial SSD. I also have a 1tb M.2, which is a fast storage device. You need a MB that can support an M.2 to use one.

My bought this computer New from MSI on March 17 2021.

I uninstalled a bunch of crap that comes with new computers.

I installed a word processor called "OFFICE WRITER" (FREE) and a small PUZZLE program called "JIGIDI"(FREE) and MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR. That is all of the programs that I installed.

I think that I could put this computer back on a DAY ONE configuration and start from scratch.

Scary, but I think I could do it, if someone could convince me that it would solve the problem.

Cancel that

I just looked and I forgot to setup a restore point.

However, I think MICROSOFT can reinstall Windows 10 for me. (Not sure though)

OK,I talked to a Microsoft TEC and he showed me a way to wipe everything from my computer and make it looked like I just walked out of the store with a new computer.

I am not saying that is what I am willing to do.....NOT YET.

It would not be very hard for me to get ready to do it because I only have a few things to put on a flash drive. Documents and pictures.

This will be my “Last Ditch Option” (LDO)

VFRguy

I did it.

I went through the procedure to wipe out my hard drive and reinstall Windows.

It worked great.

I now have 252 GB free space.

Before this procedure I had only 7 GB free space. (I was sure something was wrong).

Not only that.

Before the procedure it took me 9.5 hours to download the 90.5 GB main body of FS.

This time it took me only 2.5 hours to download the same 90.5 GB.

I think that this is absolutely GREAT GREAT GREAT news.

I am very happy.

VFRguy

0

I’m pleased for you Glen. Glad you got it sorted.

Happy flying :)

Regards

Steve

I am just glad that I had the nerve to do that procedure.

turns out, It was very simple.

However I lost my free word processer (OFFICE WRITER).

I looked for it but I could not find it.

It looks and acts like MS WORD.

Is it called Libre Office writer.. or maybe WPS Office Writer?

see here..

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.techrepublic.com/google-amp/article/5-free-alternatives-to-microsoft-word/

Regards

Steve

Hi VFRGuy: Like you I purchased a new computer with enough 'power' to handle FS2020 (and that's all). When I purchased the Deluxe Premium version from the MS Store, I thought I purchased the disks. Not the case, however. I've attempted to D/L digital copy, but, unable to figure out the procedure. It seems as though I must be a subscriber to the Xbox game thing (with monthly fee). Do not want to do that.

1. Where did you purchase the disk version? (Europe, I presume)

2. Can the digital version from the MS Store be downloaded onto my computer so that I can run FS2020 offline .... on my PC only?

I know my questions are not in line with this thread. So, If you want to email me, please do at hbwjr24@gmail.com

Thank you,

HBWJr24

To HBWJr24

I really don’t think I am qualified to give advise.

I bought the Premium Deluxe version (10 disk) from EBAY.

I installed it with no problems.

I registered it with no problems.

I flew it with no problems.

I HATED it because I had to insert Disk #1 before each time I wanted to fly.

I uninstalled it.

I bought the standard version from the Microsoft Store.

I downloaded it with no problems.

I installed it with no problems.

I registered it with no problems.

I flew it with no problems.

Like you at first I thought that you had to pay a fee to XBOX.

NOT TRUE.

True, I did have problems but they had nothing to do with what we are talking about now.

The Forum guys will be glad to help you with any issues that you may have.

They can at least point you in the right direction.

They are nice guys.

The things I say must be taken with at least two grains of salt.

VFRguy

2. Can the digital version from the MS Store be downloaded onto my computer so that I can run FS2020 offline .... on my PC only?

In theory, yes, it should be possible to run the sim offline after installing it. Unfortunately, this has proven to be somewhat unreliable and shouldn't be relied upon. Note that the offline mode does need to be configured while the PC is still connected to the internet. Also, running offline means you won't have access to the photogrammetry scenery beyond anything you may have cached previously (there is far too much data to install locally).