How do I upgrade to windows 10 from 8.1 if my remaining free disc space is only 3GB

[Millar14]

Hi so my mum has a netbook laptop with a 32 gb eMMC hard drive. A lot of this is taken up by the operating system windows 8.1 and other windows files like updates. After ruthlessly removing anything non essential files and programs from the drive and even disabling hibernation (which is advanced for me) I'm still at a point that I have only 3gb of free space. When I try and upgrade to windows 10 it says I need 5 gb of free space (not sure if that means an additional 5 or 5 total, either way impossible after deleting all I possibly could it seems). So Im wondering if this process is even possible in my circumstances? I have a 16GB jump drive, could this be utilised?

Thanks all that can help.

David

 

[basroil]

Did you try enabling compression on everything but the key files? You might be able to add a tiny bit more space that way.

If that doesn't help, you'll have to risk a clean install and hope that the Win 10 installer accepts your 8.1 key

 

[USAFRet]

Hi so my mum has a netbook laptop with a 32 gb eMMC hard drive. A lot of this is taken up by the operating system windows 8.1 and other windows files like updates. After ruthlessly removing anything non essential files and programs from the drive and even disabling hibernation (which is advanced for me) I'm still at a point that I have only 3gb of free space. When I try and upgrade to windows 10 it says I need 5 gb of free space (not sure if that means an additional 5 or 5 total, either way impossible after deleting all I possibly could it seems). So Im wondering if this process is even possible in my circumstances? I have a 16GB jump drive, could this be utilised?

Thanks all that can help.

David

I have a system with a similar drive, a Asus Trasformer.

Unfortunately, you can't. It needs that space. You will need to do a clean install, from a USB device you create with the MS MediaCreation tool
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

[PaulR08]

Don't do a clean install until the upgrade because it will not accept the product key, clicking the pop up box to install as an upgrade is what will register your laptop and after this it is safe to clean install by formatting the drive and using an iso DVD or flash drive.

 

[USAFRet]

Don't do a clean install until the upgrade because it will not accept the product key, clicking the pop up box to install as an upgrade is what will register your laptop and after this it is safe to clean install by formatting the drive and using an iso DVD or flash drive.

With the version released in November, version 1511 build 10586, you can do a clean install with your original license key.

 

[wpgwpg]

8.1 is supported until 2023 so personally I'd say if it ain't broke don't fix it! Do you have a really good reason to want to upgrade? 16 GB is simply too little space to be fooling around with major system changes.

 

[Millar14]

The reason that I would like to upgrade to windows 10 (apart from the fact I think it's more straightforward for my mum to operate) is that it appears that the OS takes up less space than the "8.1 with Bing" OS currently installed. So, I think I would have at least double the free space left if I got windows 10 running on the machine, which is obviously desirable as this would not run into problems with no space left on the machine again and it running like a snail.

 

[basroil]

The reason that I would like to upgrade to windows 10 (apart from the fact I think it's more straightforward for my mum to operate) is that it appears that the OS takes up less space than the "8.1 with Bing" OS currently installed. So, I think I would have at least double the free space left if I got windows 10 running on the machine, which is obviously desirable as this would not run into problems with no space left on the machine again and it running like a snail.

Win 10 is smaller than a default 8.1, but still larger than a WIMBOOT 8.1 install.

As long as you use the 32bit version you should be able to just install 10 using a clean install .

 

[USAFRet]

The reason that I would like to upgrade to windows 10 (apart from the fact I think it's more straightforward for my mum to operate) is that it appears that the OS takes up less space than the "8.1 with Bing" OS currently installed. So, I think I would have at least double the free space left if I got windows 10 running on the machine, which is obviously desirable as this would not run into problems with no space left on the machine again and it running like a snail.

Yes, a current Win 10 install is smaller than an 8.1 install, which is smaller than a Win 7 install.
Why? Win 10 does not have 3 or 6 years worth of updates.

 

[Colif]

i don't mean to insult but i am amazed a 32gb drive still exists. MY first IBM had a 30gb drive in 1999, so its doing a good job just being alive still

 

[USAFRet]

i don't mean to insult but i am amazed a 32gb drive still exists. MY first IBM had a 30gb drive in 1999, so its doing a good job just being alive still

My Asus Transformer has one. I should have bought the 64GB, but this one does what I need it to do.

 

[basroil]

Yes, a current Win 10 install is smaller than an 8.1 install, which is smaller than a Win 7 install.
Why? Win 10 does not have 3 or 6 years worth of updates.

:lol:

No... The main reasons have to do with drivers and recovery. Win before 8 had something like 800mb in printer drivers alone that they reduced down to 200 (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dn448534.aspx). Win 10 further reduced it and then removed the recovery partitions (and compressed cabinet files more)

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, a current Win 10 install is smaller than an 8.1 install, which is smaller than a Win 7 install.
Why? Win 10 does not have 3 or 6 years worth of updates.

:lol:

No... The main reasons have to do with drivers and recovery. Win before 8 had something like 800mb in printer drivers alone that they reduced down to 200 (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dn448534.aspx). Win 10 further reduced it and then removed the recovery partitions (and compressed cabinet files more)

A clean install, after all existing updates:
Win 7 Home - ~40-45GB
Win 8.1 Pro - ~35GB
Win 10 - ~25GB

That's not all 'drivers'.

 

[Colif]

Win 10 is about 40gb unless you have no page file or hibernate files

okay, maybe less if you don't have 16gb of ram

 

[USAFRet]

Win 10 is about 40gb unless you have no page file or hibernate files

Then please explain how it works just fine on my 32GB Asus Transformer?
Yes, hibernation is OFF, and the pagefile turned down from the default. But that is also including a GB or so of applications.

 

[Colif]

Magic

um, I don't know... runs away

Without the two things I mentioned it can be 25gb so its not that much of a squeeze

 

[Millar14]

The reason that I would like to upgrade to windows 10 (apart from the fact I think it's more straightforward for my mum to operate) is that it appears that the OS takes up less space than the "8.1 with Bing" OS currently installed. So, I think I would have at least double the free space left if I got windows 10 running on the machine, which is obviously desirable as this would not run into problems with no space left on the machine again and it running like a snail.

Yes, a current Win 10 install is smaller than an 8.1 install, which is smaller than a Win 7 install.
Why? Win 10 does not have 3 or 6 years worth of updates.

Good point I can appreciate that. So, in a way I would be getting 3-6 years longer life out of the machine if I were to get win10 on it.... in a way lol.

What about downloading the windows media creation tool and making USB installation media, extracting the product license from my win8.1 machine and booting from USB. Could something along those lines work? I get that 8.1 key probably isn't sufficient for entering into Windows 10 for the clean install but I'm just spitballing.

Thanks everyone. I'm very new to PCs so i'm trying to learn. Trust me I've been doing my own reading and stuff too I just really appreciate the expert support from the community.

 

[Colif]

if you know your 8.1 key, you can use that to activate win 10. Just enter it when asked for a licence key in the installation process.