How To Fix Disk Cleanup Stuck on Windows Update Cleanup

Disk Clean up is a utility tool of Microsoft that is primarily used to free up disk space on your computer’s hard drive. A system maintenance tool that analyzes and scans all the files that are store on your system files and deletes them to free some disk space.

These files includes but are not limited to cache, and temporary files and folders. Although disk cleanup utility a solid performing tool there are instances when certain issues can occur such as getting stuck at Disk Cleanup tool which we will be addressing today.

In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle Disk Cleanup Stuck at Windows Update Cleanup on Windows 10 issue.

What to do to fix Disk Cleanup Stuck at Windows Update Cleanup

There are several factors that can cause this problem ranging from a corrupted or missing files to a third party software. Listed below are the troubleshooting steps you need to do to fix this.

Before performing any of the recommended troubleshooting steps listed below it’s best to restart your computer first. This action refreshes the operating system and remove any corrupt temporary data that could be causing the problem.

Method 1: Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

Estimate Cost : 0

Time Needed : 5 minutes

Windows Update Troubleshooter is a tool that is designed to diagnose and resolve automatically issues that your computer might encounter. Although Windows Update Troubleshooter does not usually fix all problems and is not the only solution, however it is one of the first solution to try to fix issues on your computer.

Here’s how to run the windows update troubleshooter:

  1. Click on Start menu or Windows logo key located at the lower left.

    Disk Cleanup Stuck
    You may also just press the windows key on your keyboard.

  2. Click on Settings.

    Disk Cleanup Stuck on Windows Update
    It's an icon that looks like a gear to open Windows Settings section.

  3. At windows setting section, click on Update and Security

    Disk Cleanup Stuck on Windows Update
    This will open the update and security settings page.

  4. Click on Troubleshoot at the left pane.

     Disk Cleanup Stuck
    This will show you the troubleshooting procedures you can do on your PC.

  5. At right pane, click on Additional Troubleshooters

    Disk Cleanup Stuck on Windows Update
    Doing so will reveal other troubleshooters you can use.

  6. Locate and Click on Windows Update under the Get up and Running section.

    Disk Cleanup Stuck on Windows Update
    This will start the troubleshooting process.

  7. Click  Run the Troubleshooter tab.

    Disk Cleanup Stuck on Windows Update
    A new window opens and Windows will now detect problems.

  8. After troubleshooting process is complete and it could not identify any problem, click on Close and Exit Settings Section.

    If a problem is detected, it will display recommended solutions to fix it.
    Disk Cleanup Stuck on Windows Update

Tools
  • Windows troubleshooter
Materials
  • Windows 10

Check if Windows Update Cleanup stuck on Disk Cleanup issue still occurs.

Method 2: Delete Contents of SoftwareDistribution Folder

Before Windows update files are being installed to your Windows 10, it is stored in the SoftwareDistribution Folder. However, there are instances wherein the files on the folder gets corrupted or missing system files causing the cleanup utility gets stuck on Windows update cleanup during disk cleanup process. To help fix the problem, you can try to delete the contents from the folder.

To do this:

  1. Go to your Local Disk Drive C, then click on Windows Folder.
  2. Locate SoftwareDistribution Folder.
  3. Press Ctrl + A key on your keyboard to highlight everything on the folder.
  4. Right click on the highlighted files and click on Delete from the drop down menu.

Run Disk Clean up and Check if Windows UpdateCleanup stuck on Disk Cleanup issue still occurs.

Method 3: Delete Contents of Windows.old Folder

When upgrading to Windows 10, the older version of Windows will be stored at the Windows old folder which is very helpful if you want to rollback to an older version of Windows. There are instances wherein the files on the folder get corrupted or missing system files and causing Disk Cleanup to get stuck at windows update. Deleting contents from windows old folder can help fix the problem.

To do this:

  1. Open Window Folder and type C:/Windows.old at the address bar.
  2. Press Ctrl + A key on your keyboard to highlight everything on the folder.
  3. Right click on the highlighted files and click on Delete from the drop down menu.

After deleting contents from the Windows old folder, Run Disk Cleanup tool and check if Disk Clean up Stuck on Windows Update Cleanup issue still occurs.

Method 4: RUN DISM and SFC tool

It is highly possible that the cause of Disk Cleanup getting stuck is from a corrupted or missing files. It is thereby recommended to RUN a DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) and RUN a SFC (System File Checker) tool that will search your computer system files for any corrupted or missing files and repair them.

Here’s how to run the DISM tool:

  1. At the search bar on your Windows located at the lower left, type Command Prompt
  2. Right click on the Command Prompt result and click on Run as Administrator from the drop down menu.
  3. Type the following command and then press Enter
  4. Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth and press Enter
  5. Type DISM /Online/Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth and press Enter
  6. Wait for the process to complete as it can take a while.

After scan is complete, Check if Disk Cleanup stuck on Windows update cleanup still occurs

If after running DISM tool and the problem still occurs. You can try to RUN SFC tool to check if it will help.

Here’s how to run the SFC tool:

  1. At the search bar on your Windows located at the lower left, type Command Prompt
  2. Right click on the Command Prompt result and click on Run as Administrator from the drop down menu.
  3. Type the following command and then press Enter
  4. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Scanning for corrupted or missing files will begin. Make sure not to abort and just wait for it to complete.

After running SFC, Check if Disk Cleanup stuck on Windows update cleanup still occurs

Method 5: Run Disk Cleanup in Clean Boot

Clean Boot basically means booting up your computer system with minimum services requires thereby eliminating third party that may have caused the stuck error windows update cleanup to occur.

Here’s how to do a Clean Boot on your computer:

  1. Press Windows + R key on your keyboard to open RUN dialog box
  2. At RUN dialog box, type “msconfig” and press Enter or click OK to open System Configuration section.
  3. At System Configuration, click on Services tab
  4. Check the option Hide All Microsoft services
  5. Click on Disable All tab.
  6. Click Apply to apply changes made.
  7. Click OK to exit System Configuration window. When prompted to restart your computer, select Restart later.
  8. At RUN dialog box, type “msconfig” and press Enter or click OK to open System Configuration section.
  9. Click on Start up tab
  10. Click on Open Task Manager tab
  11. Look at the Start Up impact tab. Disable the one’s that have a High Impact by highlighting and then selecting Disable button from the lower right.
  12. Restart your computer. It will now start up in the clean boot mode.
  13. Perform the Disk Cleanup utility process.

Check if Windows Update Cleanup stuck on Disk cleanup still occurs.


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