NUC 7 System Drive Full

[webriggs]

I have an Intel NUC 7 with the fixed 32GB system drive on the motherboard.  It is full.  I have deleted everything I can to save space, I am down to only 132mg free space.  I have removed all applications.  All I can use this system for now is web browsing.  Every time I do a windows update I have to remove something to make room.  I am out of things to remove.

I have added additional memory and an internal hard drive.  Is it possible to have the hard drive recognized as the C: drive and reinstall windows on it?

Or is there an upgrade available to the motherboard to expand the 32GB system drive?

[n_scott_pearson]

No, no upgrade is available.

Are you using Windows 10's Disk Cleanup tool to clean up the system files?

Have you directed that user files be stored on this additional HDD?

Have you moved the installed Windows 10 applications and their data to this additional HDD?

...S

[ClariceStarling]

@webriggs "Is it possible to have the hard drive recognized as the C: drive and reinstall windows on it?"

Yes, but funny thing is it's harder to deal with the 32GB model than if you had just bought a NUC kit without any hard drive preinstalled - because the preinstalled drive confuses things.  When I tried a fresh install of Windows on my added SSD it kept wanting to go into the preinstalled 32GB drive, because there's no way to disconnect it that I could find.  I finally just cloned the preinstalled drive to the additional SSD.  Then you go into the bios and change the boot order so it boots from the additional SSD.  It sounds like you already bought the extra SSD.   What brand is it?  Most manufacturers should have a cloning program on their website.*  If not, there's similar freeware.

I'm sure people will tell you not to clone, but if you're not a computer expert and you just want to get it done and start working quickly, it's a lot easier than trying to do a fresh Windows install.  A fresh install is preferred, but it's much harder to implement when you can't disconnect the existing drive

* If you're not a computer expert, I recommend adding a Samsung SSD.  Then you download the Samsung Data Migration software from their website and it does it all for you ... it's really amazing imo! 

[n_scott_pearson]

Or, instead of all this hassle, after transferring the image to the HDD (or reinstalling, which I think is infinitely better) and verifying that it works (using F10 to select it for boot), you can just go into BIOS Setup (Visual BIOS) and disable the eMMC SSD. The parameter to do this is in Advanced | Devices and Peripherals | Onboard Devices. Simply uncheck parameter eMMC Built-in Storage.

Hope this helps,

...S

[ClariceStarling]

In my opinion, Intel shouldn't have sold 32GB NUCs as fully operational computers, because it's inevitable that the drive is going to fill up in just a couple of months.  It's more like they are kits as a practical matter.   The only good thing about it is that you got the operating system included.  So if a licensed Windows 10 OS is $120 when purchased separately, it turns out to be a good deal!

[ClariceStarling]

Or, instead of all this hassle, after transferring the image to the HDD (or reinstalling, which I think is infinitely better) and verifying that it works (using F10 to select it for boot), you can just go into BIOS Setup (Visual BIOS) and disable the eMMC SSD. The parameter to do this is in Advanced | Devices and Peripherals | Onboard Devices. Simply uncheck parameter eMMC Built-in Storage.

Hope this helps,

______________

That is helpful ... if @webriggs would uninstall his 32GB drive, then a new Windows installation should automatically go into his new drive.  He would have to use the Windows Media Creation tool to download Windows on a USB, then uninstall the existing 32GB drive, and then do the install on his new drive, right?   

[n_scott_pearson]

That's correct, though I would do it slightly differently. Disabling the eMMC will not affect the contents of the eMMC, so you can immediately do so and proceed to install Windows 7 onto the SATA SSD/HDD/SSHD. If you want to reenable the eMMC and boot from it, you can still do so. Once you are sure you no longer need the data on the eMMC, you can remove all partitions from it and create a single partition to use the drive for data storage.
...S
P.S. You know, you could use this opportunity to upgrade to Windows 10. You can install Windows 10 (essentially for free) from scratch using your Windows 7 license key.

[ClariceStarling]

I think he meant he had a new NUC Model 7something ... but that's still good info about using a Windows 7 license key.  I bet everyone doesn't realize that!

[ClariceStarling]

 Hi @webriggs,

Let us know what you decided to do and how it worked.  Since your 32GB drive just filled up, I bet you your NUC is only a few months old, right?  Definitely, a fresh Windows install is better,  but if you are going to clone, it's fair to say it works better on a new computer.   

[ClariceStarling]

I got my NUC7CJYS back in March for $180.  Now Simply NUC has them listed for sale at $399 and they are out of stock ... you can't even get one! 

[webriggs]

Just to clarify, my NUC did not come with the extra memory and HDD, I added them later.  It did come with Windows 10 installed.

I ended up getting an SSD instead of using the HDD.  I then disabled the EEMC for now and reinstalled Windows 10.  I then reinstalled the Intel drivers from the support page.  I did copy the license key before hand but didn't need it as it was registered to the device ID.

It's working fine now and I can start reloading the software I had to delete earlier due to the space limitations.  When things settle down I will re-enable the EEMC and find a use for it.

Thanks for all your assistance.

[ClariceStarling]

Samsung Magician is so cool ... they just updated it and it's even better!