Microsoft Addresses Disk Space Reporting Error in Windows 11 24H2
In a recent revelation, Microsoft has clarified that the perplexing issue of missing storage on Windows 11 24H2 devices stems from a “reporting error” within the operating system’s cleanup tool. Users, including this author, have observed a significant portion of disk space being consumed by the “Windows Update Cleanup” category after utilizing the Disk Cleanup tool, only to find their attempts to reclaim that space unsuccessful.
The tech giant emphasized that this anomaly is not a result of any alterations in the update implementation for Windows 11 24H2. Instead, it appears to be a bug affecting the accuracy of disk space reporting.
On October 14, 2024, Microsoft added this issue to its roster of known problems associated with the Windows 11 24H2 release. The company provided the following explanation: “This is a reporting error. When ‘Windows Update Cleanup’ is selected and Disk Cleanup is run for the first time, some or all files in that category (for example, 15 GB) are cleaned up correctly, and the related disk space is freed as expected.”
However, the company continued, “After this initial run, the tool may inaccurately report an amount of space still available for cleanup (for example, 88 GB) in the ‘Windows Update Cleanup’ category. This inaccurate amount of disk space is reported even though the space was already freed in the initial run.”
Microsoft has acknowledged that the tool misrepresents the potential disk space that could be reclaimed. The company is actively working on a resolution and has promised to provide updates as they become available.
The origins of this “reporting error” in the production build remain somewhat of a mystery, especially given the ongoing discussions about it within Microsoft’s Feedback Hub. Although Microsoft has responded to inquiries, their feedback has been limited to a promise to “look into this and circle back,” accompanied by a link to the Release Health Dashboard.
While this issue may be a source of frustration for users who prefer their systems to be impeccably maintained, it appears to be a minor glitch—one that does not warrant jeopardizing a functioning installation in pursuit of rectifying a reporting error.
Nonetheless, this situation contributes to the growing list of issues associated with Windows 11 24H2, which also includes challenges related to Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers and certain fingerprint sensors. Despite the overall smooth rollout of Windows 11 24H2, the emergence of a bug in the Disk Cleanup tool may leave users pondering what other surprises might be lurking beneath the surface.
