Unable to run disk cleanup

[techtitan100]

Hey all, sorry for all the recent posts here, but I am still getting used to the fact that I am now running Windows 8.1 and the issue I am having now is that it takes forever to run disk cleanup and have no clue why, I get stuck on Windows Update Cleanup for 20 minutes before I finally get to choose what to delete and when I say delete files it takes forever and then I can't finish it due to time, if anybody has any suggestions on how to speed up the process that would be greatly helpful thanks a lot guys

 

[Addictive Gamer]

Hi,
Do not interrupt disk cleanup process.
My PC is pretty clean and I got the same issue and it took more than 1 hour to complete. so just leave it and wait.
next time it will be shorter.

 

[Mooly]

Yes, disk cleanup is one of my major whinges with 8.1. Once you have a clean system then it will run quicker, although quicker is a relative term. I never seem to get away with less than 10 minutes or more.

I'm currently doing a clean install of 8.1 and the first clean up has taken nearly 90 minutes.

 

[Cliff S]

Hey all, sorry for all the recent posts here, but I am still getting used to the fact that I am now running Windows 8.1 and the issue I am having now is that it takes forever to run disk cleanup and have no clue why, I get stuck on Windows Update Cleanup for 20 minutes before I finally get to choose what to delete and when I say delete files it takes forever and then I can't finish it due to time, if anybody has any suggestions on how to speed up the process that would be greatly helpful thanks a lot guys

For a bit mor information on disk cleanup see this thread.

 

[md2lgyk]

I must be lucky, or maybe anal about keepiing my machine clean. I just ran disk cleanup (including system files) on my fully updated 8.1 laptop. It took barely 5 minutes. I don't remember it ever taking more than maybe 10.

 

[Cliff S]

I run it once a month 1-2 weeks after patch Tuesday. I wait in case the updates cause problems, because if you cleanup updates too early, you cannot revert back and then have to reimage the whole disk, because a restore point only works when the "old" files are there to replace the "new".

 

[Addictive Gamer]

I run it once a month 1-2 weeks after patch Tuesday. I wait in case the updates cause problems, because if you cleanup updates too early, you cannot revert back and then have to reimage the whole disk, because a restore point only works when the "old" files are there to replace the "new".

What do you mean by "reimage"? reformat hard drive and install again?
Never thought about this, doesn't backup contain all system files including updates?

 

[Cliff S]

What do you mean by "reimage"? reformat hard drive and install again?

I mean reimaging using an image backup using something like Macrium Reflect. Like you could do in windows 7(Windows 8.1 doesn't really support this)

Never thought about this, doesn't backup contain all system files including updates?

No just backup copies from your libraries. Systemfile copies are kept in the WinSxS folder with all pending changes. Even System cannot restore uninstalled files.

When I said "because if you cleanup updates too early, you cannot revert back", I should have said "roll back" instead of "revert", because Windows needs something to rollback to. Just like one can't rollback a uninstalled driver, it's not there any more.