C drive getting full

[D-Green 12]

I seemed to remember reading on here a few months back about someone’s c drive getting full very quickly. Computer is only used for fs2020. Does anyone know what if anything fs2020 adds each time you fly.  I have no rolling cache and add ons are on a separate drive. 

[sauviat 137]

@D-Green It was probably me. I wrote to MS about this and I got a human response! It was not an automated response.

I have the Premium Deluxe boxed version, so I didn't want my C Drive populated with MSFS. This is tied with MS Store, so I cannot respond about what happens to Steam.

You can select to have your downloads/installs placed on another drive and I elected my D Drive. Now, when all the updates come in they go to my D Drive i.e., D:/MSFSPackages (this is the name I gave to the folder).

The MSFSPackages folder has both the Official and Community folders in it. I use MSAddon Linker, which enables symbolic links to be made and thus nothing actually sits in the Community folder.

It seems that C Drives are relatively small in capacity size, whereas the D Drive is quite wholesome so you have the space to load a lot of addons. All the Official MS items go to the D Drive, etc. The folder/file structure is bizarre and I can't really explain its logic.

 

I trust this helps and remember much is stored in the either (cloud) and why certain items are remembered like control settings, etc.

Martin

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by sauviat

[D-Green 12]

Thanks very much for your reply. Im on Steam but I will look into that. Many Thanks.

[SAPilot 213]

1 hour ago, D-Green said:

I seemed to remember reading on here a few months back about someone’s c drive getting full very quickly. Computer is only used for fs2020. Does anyone know what if anything fs2020 adds each time you fly.  I have no rolling cache and add ons are on a separate drive. 

What is the size of your C-drive? 

[D-Green 12]

250 gb

 

[SAPilot 213]

5 minutes ago, D-Green said:

250 gb

 

That is borderline for size. I have 500Gb and have about 220 Gb free with only FS2020 and Windows OS installed on C-drive. Minimal stuff in Community folder. Rolling cache file of 40Gb. 

Edited April 25, 2021 by SAPilot

[regis9 4,011]

17 minutes ago, SAPilot said:

That is borderline for size. I have 500Gb and have about 220 Gb free with only FS2020 and Windows OS installed on C-drive. Minimal stuff in Community folder. Rolling cache file of 40Gb. 

Agree with this fully.  I’ve been through the frustration of a 250gb C drive before.  I actually ended up many Windows updates behind because there was insufficient space to do the update and Windows didn’t inform me. I also have a 500gb one now and don’t install anything on it that can go elsewhere and all is good.

[TrafficPilot 121]

I have noticed the same here.

Brand new build PC.

SSD is split between C (476GB) and E (476)

I put MSFS on the E drive but it appears to be using the space on my C drive. No rolling cache. Community folder also on E drive. Steam installed on E drive.

Not quite sure why it's eating so much into my OS space. I may remove it and reinstall. Or not bother and reinstall FSX!

[Dillon 2,197]

3 hours ago, D-Green said:

I seemed to remember reading on here a few months back about someone’s c drive getting full very quickly. Computer is only used for fs2020. Does anyone know what if anything fs2020 adds each time you fly.  I have no rolling cache and add ons are on a separate drive. 

I had the same problem back last September.  Your setup is different from mine as you use Steam.  Do a search on your C:\ to see where the growth is.  It’s usually in your local profile as that’s where FS puts things.  Once you find it your on your way to solving it.  Depending on what’s going on will give you the keys to the solution. It could be as simple as redirecting your Download folder to your larger dive with a folder you create for downloads.  Investigation is key then we can help you.

Edited April 25, 2021 by Dillon

[Brandon01110 407]

2 minutes ago, Dillon said:

You have to find out where the growth is happening.

🥒

[fppilot 4,358]

2 hours ago, sauviat said:

@D-Green It was probably me. I wrote to MS about this and I got a human response! It was not an automated response.

I have the Premium Deluxe boxed version, so I didn't want my C Drive populated with MSFS. This is tied with MS Store, so I cannot respond about what happens to Steam.

You can select to have your downloads/installs placed on another drive and I elected my D Drive. Now, when all the updates come in they go to my D Drive i.e., D:/MSFSPackages (this is the name I gave to the folder).

The MSFSPackages folder has both the Official and Community folders in it. I use MSAddon Linker, which enables symbolic links to be made and thus nothing actually sits in the Community folder.

It seems that C Drives are relatively small in capacity size, whereas the D Drive is quite wholesome so you have the space to load a lot of addons. All the Official MS items go to the D Drive, etc. The folder/file structure is bizarre and I can't really explain its logic.

 

I trust this helps and remember much is stored in the either (cloud) and why certain items are remembered like control settings, etc.

Martin

 

What Martin describes matches my installation exactly.  My system drive c : is a 250GB SSD and holds my OS and software and utilities unrelated to my two flight simulators: FSX SE and MSFS (Microsoft Store installation).  My simulators are on D : which is a 1 TB SSD.  My addons are managed with Addon Linker from a unique location on d :  

Edited April 25, 2021 by fppilot

[D-Green 12]

So my problem is the same as Traffic Pilot above.  My install drive was initially c drive but I then bought an SSD Drive and moved the install there. Addons go to the ssd drive also. C drive still seems to grow. I assume Microsoft FS2020 updates then go to the same drive (the SSD)?

 

[Dillon 2,197]

2 hours ago, D-Green said:

So my problem is the same as Traffic Pilot above.  My install drive was initially c drive but I then bought an SSD Drive and moved the install there. Addons go to the ssd drive also. C drive still seems to grow. I assume Microsoft FS2020 updates then go to the same drive (the SSD)?

 

Lock your page file down for the C:\.  Find out based on your C:\ size a good setting and manually set that size.

Edited April 25, 2021 by Dillon

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

7 minutes ago, Dillon said:

Lock your page file down for the C:\.  Find out based on your C:\ size a good setting and manually set that size.

Your page file is not what makes your C drive grow... and I would suggest leaving it as systems managed. 

Instead, look at what is actually on your drive as suggested above

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

6 hours ago, D-Green said:

Does anyone know what if anything fs2020 adds each time you fly.  I have no rolling cache and add ons are on a separate drive. 

It is not clear to me if you have MSFS installed on the C Drive, and MSFS addons on a separate drive, or if you have addons, including MSFS, installed on a separate drive.

Those two are not the same..

I ended up reinstalling MSFS on a separate 500 GB SSD.  That way, my 250 GB C drive is only half full, which includes email / pictures / downloads etc.. and can be managed by hand, and by using CCleaner.

Edited April 25, 2021 by Bert Pieke