Users cannot free 8.63 GB of space

Another day, another inconvenience caused by Microsoft’s Windows 11 24H2 update.

Users who installed this version ran into an unprecedented problem: they could no longer delete the accumulated update files, which take up 8.63 GB of space, using the Windows Update Cleanup function.

Before the update, this operation was carried out without any problems.

The bug affects most users

The issue has been reported on multiple platforms where users have reported that neither running Disk Cleanup nor attempts to clean in safe mode have yielded any results.

An interesting aspect is that this situation occurs on (almost) all systems updated to Windows 11 24H2.

The CCU method: solution or problem?

Some experts suggest that this may not actually be a bug, but rather an intended consequence of the new cumulative update delivery method Microsoft introduced with Windows 11 24H2 and Server 2025.

This new approach, called Checkpoint Cumulative Updates (CCU), changes the way updates are sent, using checkpoints instead of delivering the entire update from the RTM release.

Workarounds and Warnings

Microsoft has confirmed that it is aware of the reports and plans to come up with a fix in a future update.

According to the sources, the 8.63 GB cache was created due to the new “checkpoint updates”. Experts do not recommend forcibly removing these components, because we could compromise the correct operation of future Windows updates.

It also appears that the actual size of the disk cache may be less than what is shown in Disk Cleanup, possibly overestimating the numbers.

Other bugs reported

In addition to the update cache issue, users have reported other bugs (Microsoft itself has discussed six more on its official website).

For example: the mouse cursor after the update became either invisible or disappeared altogether, depending on the “luck” of the user.

For now, the only definitive solution seems to be a clean install of the operating system.

Given that Microsoft is already working on a fix, this measure probably isn’t worth the effort for most users.

Source: Neowin