Windows System Volume Info very large

23rd August 2022

I’ll just put this here

vssadmin list shadows > vssadmin-list-shadows.log

vssadmin list shadowStorage > vssadmin-list-shadowStorage.log

vssadmin delete shadows /for=c: /oldest
may need to do this a number of times to free up some space, see list shadows

reboot

vssadmin resize shadowStorage /For=c: /On=c: /MaxSize=5%
i’ve seen a default of 10% on servers

https://windowsreport.com/system-volume-information-large/

1. run elevated command prompt (cmd with administrator rights): type

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

freed about 100-200Mb

2. delete files in %SystemDrive%\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

freed  1-2 Gbs

3. run elevated command prompt (cmd with administrator rights): and type:

TAKEOWN /F “C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository” /R
ICACLS “C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository” /T /L /GRANT *S-1-1-0:F
RD /s /Q “C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\”

freed many Gbs!

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/all/large-amount-of-disk-space-lost-just-in-minutes/3f97f6c9-08ec-4523-ae50-9889026ff723