Fluctuating SSDs & Surface RT Tablet

[Muckle Dabuckle]

I know a lot of you out there are more technical than me (I'm an Android "stock jock") so maybe someone can help me out (even though this is potentially a Windows RT 8.1 problem).

I have a Surface RT (running Windows RT 8.1) for the last nine months with very few problems (just some infrequent crashing). Just a few days ago I started having trouble with disk space. I was trying to install a game "Cold Alley" on my Surface which takes up a little less than 1 gb of space (according to tech specs in the Windows Store). I had about 1.5 gb of free space when I started the download. Right before the download finished it gave me an error "not enough disk space." I tried it again and the app stuck on "pending." So I go and uninstall 2 gb or so of games to create more space. I try downloading "Cold Alley" again a few times and it sticks on pending, but I finally get it to start the download again. Right before it finishes I get the "not enough disk space" error yet again. I look at my storage space and it claims I only have 1.5 to 1.9 gb (it fluctuates every time I check) where I initially started. So basically those 2 gb of games I erased to make room just disappeared. It is as if every time I delete an app from my Surface I lose disk space instead of gaining more.

I've tried clearing the Windows Store cache, Windows update troubleshooting, syncing app licenses, and disk clean up. Nothing has helped. Is this just the nature of SSDs? Do they fluctuate and get touchy when they get really low on disk space? Or could my hard drive be failing? I'm not sure what to do. My last resort would be using my flash drive restore and brining it back to factory settings and if that doesn't work trying to collect on my warranty (still have a few months left).

 

[MoodyBlues]

First, please note, I do not do windows. With that said, I'm GUESSING that there are processes running while you're attempting to download the game, and they're using the disk space [perhaps writing temporary files]. If you really have only ~2GB of disk space available, and you're attempting to download a 1GB game, that could add up to not enough space. And, honestly, I have no idea how windows itself handles the downloading process--it's possible the 1GB game is also writing extra stuff to the disk that would get deleted once the download is finished, and it's taking up space.

 

[Muckle Dabuckle]

And, honestly, I have no idea how windows itself handles the downloading process--it's possible the 1GB game is also writing extra stuff to the disk that would get deleted once the download is finished, and it's taking up space.

Thank you for your response! I was kind of wondering if it was something like that. I wonder if each time I've unsuccefully tried downloading the game it snowballs and keeps writing "temporary" files that never get deleted because it never finishes the install process? Not sure how to find these files or if Windows is scheduled to automatically delete these files every so often (disk clean up doesn't seem to work).

Doesn't explain why the 2 gb of games I uninstalled weren't added to my disk space though (if I had 1.5 gb before, uninstalled 2 gb of games, I should have around 3.5 gb). Could the disk space fluctuation combined with the infrequent crashes be a sign of a bad SSD?

 

[MoodyBlues]

Thank you for your response!

You're welcome.

I was kind of wondering if it was something like that. I wonder if each time I've unsuccefully tried downloading the game it snowballs and keeps writing "temporary" files that never get deleted because it never finishes the install process?

That certainly sounds possible.

Not sure how to find these files or if Windows is scheduled to automatically delete these files every so often (disk clean up doesn't seem to work).

Sorry, I can't help with that. Someone who uses windows may be able to point you to its temporary storage director👍(ies).

Doesn't explain why the 2 gb of games I uninstalled weren't added to my disk space though (if I had 1.5 gb before, uninstalled 2 gb of games, I should have around 3.5 gb).

I have a vague memory of the weird way windows writes to disk...something about only removing bytes in groups of X... So it would go something like: delete a 2MB file, but only have 1MB of space reported as freed. (DON'T ANYONE QUOTE ME ON THIS!!! It's a vague memory from the unpleasant days when I had to administer some windows boxes. )

Could the disk space fluctuation combined with the infrequent crashes be a sign of a bad SSD?

I don't know. But someone else probably will!

 

[Muckle Dabuckle]

I have a vague memory of the weird way windows writes to disk...something about only removing bytes in groups of X... So it would go something like: delete a 2MB file, but only have 1MB of space reported as freed.

I can see that. So it's not 100% accurate, but deleting 2GB of apps should net me pretty close to 2GB instead of zero (or when it fluctuates about 500MB gained).

I'm experimenting with my disk space now and with my remaining 1.5GB (give or take) I just downloaded 'Frederick: Resurrection of Music' which is almost the EXACT same size as 'Cold Alley.' It installed ZERO problems.

After that I decided to play around a little more and deleted a bunch more apps and have around 2.79GB of free disk space. I tried downloading 'Cold Alley' again and it didn't work. I'm starting to think it's definitely a problem with that specific app. So it still seems like 'Cold Alley' left some sort of file on my computer after my first install try when I didn't have enough space and it's corrupting the install now that I most likely have the space. I have roughly 9GB of apps and almost 3GB of empty disk space currently (doesn't seem to be fluctuating anymore). I remember having a little over 13GB used before I tried downloading 'Cold Alley.' That would mean it's possible there is a file around 1GB in size floating around somewhere on my Surface. Wish I knew where to look!

 

[lunatic59]

If you've got a temp file hanging around, this might be helpful ...

 

[dmcjr22]

When it comes to hdds or ssds its a 50/50 chance its software or hardware related. I always go the software route first. Its quite possible because of the temporary files that its a storage space issue. But as far as checking the ssd try looking here Windows 8 Forums
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/6221-chkdsk-check-drive-errors-windows-8-a.html

 

[Muckle Dabuckle]

If you've got a temp file hanging around, this might be helpful ...

Wow! Thank you so much! That fixed all the problems and you saved me $3.50! All my disk space is back and the game is installed and working (see pic below). Seems like such an obvious solution and yet I didn't know how to do that.

This is what I did: Windows button + R, typed %temp% in the command line, deleted all temporary files (I forgot to look at the size of the temporary files folder in all my excitement), deleted files from recycle bin, logged out of the Windows Store, reset the Windows Store cache, reset my tablet. It all worked from there!

Thanks again!

 

[lunatic59]

Excellent!