How Much Space Should You Allocate For Your C Drive?

According to Microsoft, you want a minimal of 64 GB on the C drive for a 64-bit Windows system and 32 GB for a 32-bit one.

However, this small partition will solely accommodate the barebone working system and preinstalled apps.

For most customers, it’s best to allocate at the very least 100-150 GB on your system drive. You must also have about 30-40 GB free always for updates and future downloads.

But chances are you’ll want a smaller or a bigger C drive relying in your utilization. Here are the beneficial sizes for the several types of information which can be normally current within the C drive:

• Operating System Files – 20-25 GB
• App Installation (+ Related AppInformation information) – Variable
• Personal Files (Optional) – Variable
• Temporary Files – 5-15 GB
• Hibernation File (hiberfil.sys) – about 40% of RAM by default
• Virtual Memory File (pagefile.sys) – about twice of your RAM
• Free Space – 10-20% of complete

It’s all the time best to maintain the non-public information organized elsewhere. So the complete measurement of the apps you want truly determines how a lot C drive house it is best to have.

Case 1: For Normal Usage

Minimum Total Space: 100-150 GB
Minimum Free Space: 30-40 GB

Most folks merely set up some utility apps on their laptop, with the whole measurement main as much as 30-35 GBs. In such instances, a 100-150 GB measurement for the C drive ought to be sufficient. 

It can even present further house for person information like Videos, Pictures, and Music. But it’s all the time beneficial to make use of different drives for such media and different information information. 

I might additionally advise disabling hibernation to release a number of GBs of house occupied by the hiberfil.sys file.

If you might be using a single SSD with 128 GB capability, don’t partition it into different drives.

It’s best so as to add an HDD/SSD in the event you want to prolong space for storing on your video games, media information, or some other information.

Case 2: For Minimal Usage

Minimum Total Space: 70-80 GB
Minimum Free Space: 20-30 GB

If nearly all of your PC utilization entails searching social websites, on-line purchasing, and checking emails, and also you additionally don’t want loads of apps, a easy 70-80 GB house ought to be sufficient on your use.

It will go away sufficient house on your OS information, short-term information, and future updates and guide downloads.

All the non-public information can go to the opposite drives, and also you gained’t have to fret about your C drive a lot.

If you want to optimize your storage even additional, uninstall all pointless apps and disable hibernation as nicely.

I might even decrease the pagefile measurement restrict, as your regular PC actions don’t eat loads of reminiscence.

It’s additionally a good suggestion to schedule common disk cleanups using Storage Sense to stop your C drive from filling up too quick.

Case 3: For Graphics and Video Editing

Minimum Total Space: 200-300 GB
Minimum Free Space: 30-60 GB, more for a bigger C drive

If you’re employed with giant information, for example, in graphics or video enhancing, you will have loads of space for storing.

Many productiveness apps themselves have giant sizes. The OS, the apps, and the related AppInformation information can occupy at the very least 100 GB in complete.

You can use different drives and even exterior storage to retailer the related information information. But it’s more handy to make use of the C drive as you’ll actively be engaged on these.

So a 200-300 GB measurement on your system drive is more acceptable.

The heavy-duty apps might create more short-term information or obtain sources from the web anytime. So a bigger free house, i.e., a minimal of 30-60 GB, can also be beneficial.

If you will have plenty of video games as nicely, it’s best to put them on different drives. You can simply change the sport library folder to another drive location in Steam.

Case 4: For Windows Servers

Minimum Total Space: 60-100 GB, thinly provisioned
Minimum Free Space: 8-10 GB

Servers don’t normally want loads of space for storing, and you may simply modify it sooner or later. So I might advocate a thinly provisioned 60-100 GB house. It will go away ample house for future updates.

You must also arrange disk monitoring for higher administration of disk house utilization. I might even run scheduled scripts to scrub up junk information on the C drive throughout monitoring.