Electronics

[eddyandme]

Got a cheap HP laptop.  It hasn't been working very well.  The problem I believe is that Windows10 keeps updating or trying to and drives almost totally filled up.  Been trying to dump previous Windows old stuff when I go the "fix issues" route, yet I can't delete any of it!  Will picking up a USB stick help?  It's horrible trying to type or just trying to get into somethng - jumps around also just shuts down.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanx!

[SilleeMee]

Did you try Disk Cleanup? 

If all else fails then uninstalling Win10 might be needed. Then re-install it and go from there. Make sure you have all of your files backed before you do that.

[eddyandme]

How do I do Disk Cleanup, @SilleeMee ?  I've wanted to dump W10 and pull up 8 actually.  

Thanx.

[WildDunes]

@eddyandme  Just start typing disk cleanup into Search. It will pop up after the first few characters. Click on that and it will take you to disk cleanup. Ccleaner will also find things not needed, duplicates, etc. Good luck.

[SilleeMee]

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@eddyandme wrote:

How do I do Disk Cleanup, @SilleeMee ?  I've wanted to dump W10 and pull up 8 actually.  

Thanx.

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@eddyandme 

First thing to do is backup your files onto an external drive. 

Then type Disk Cleanup  in the lower-left search box.

Click Disk Cleanup and a window will open looks like this:

Check all of the boxes with one exception...if you have downloaded files or pictures from the internet and placed them in a file then uncheck  Downloaded Program Files. Otherwise check all of the boxes.

Click Clean up system files (it's the box highlighted in red shown in my image above but your screen won't show that in red).

Next window will show progress...just wait until it's done and gone, just takes a few seconds.

Then a new window will open. Check all boxes then click OK.

A small window will open and ask if you want to permanently delete these files?

Click Delete Files.

At this point you will see the progress window open and this is where the deleting happens. When the window closes it's done.

[gardenman]

Those last four words "also just shuts down" makes me suspect overheating could be at least part of the issue. Computers tend to slow down dramatically as they get too hot and eventually shut down completely. If freeing up hard drive space doesn't help, then a combination of suction on one side of the vents and forced air on the other side of the vents with a hair dryer or can of compressed air might help clean out any gunk built up. A failed CPU cooler could also be an issue, but on a laptop that's a job for a repair shop unless you're exceptionally daring. Summertime is overheating season for computers. Higher air temps and higher humidity tends to make cooling less efficient and computers will throttle down or even shut off if they get too hot. You can add CPU temperature reporting software that will show you the CPU temp, but if you're desperately short on hard drive space, you're probably better off not adding anything new.

[eddyandme]

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@gardenman wrote:

Those last four words "also just shuts down" makes me suspect overheating could be at least part of the issue. Computers tend to slow down dramatically as they get too hot and eventually shut down completely. If freeing up hard drive space doesn't help, then a combination of suction on one side of the vents and forced air on the other side of the vents with a hair dryer or can of compressed air might help clean out any gunk built up. A failed CPU cooler could also be an issue, but on a laptop that's a job for a repair shop unless you're exceptionally daring. Summertime is overheating season for computers. Higher air temps and higher humidity tends to make cooling less efficient and computers will throttle down or even shut off if they get too hot. You can add CPU temperature reporting software that will show you the CPU temp, but if you're desperately short on hard drive space, you're probably better off not adding anything new.

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Thanx, @gardenman .  I do have a laptop holder that fans the laptop, but, don't use it when not in that room.  

What you said does make sense 'cause minimal space on drive - dare not try to add anything else.  Just turning it on overworks it, imho.  it's on overload and cannot keep up - just typing often cannot see/letters omitted - too slow.  Gonna try to dump some stuff - hope it works.  Don't think replacing a cooler w/b worth it - only 199$ laptop - which w/b close to repairs costs around here.

Thanx!