How can I find the location and delete the backups created by the Dell support assist

@Radar_scientist:

Personally, I uninstalled SupportAssist entirely because of the amount of storage it was consuming, not respecting the limits selected.  I now rely on Dell Update and online scans for my Dell updates.

Revo Uninstaller Pro does a great job of removing SAC.  Reboot after the uninstall, and delete the SARemediation folder and all subfolders.  It can be found at C:\Users\ \ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation.

I hope this helps.  Have a great day.

Regards,
-Phil

@lmacri @garioch7  Thank you for your reply.  I have tried all these methods but still, I could not reclaim my c drive space. 

I have already uninstalled the support assist from my laptop but there was nothing in C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\SystemRepair\SnapShots folder. I have followed the step to make the file and folder unhidden but still, there was nothing to delete. there was a folder named config. inside the above folder, I have deleted it but still, nothing happens. As my c drive is almost filled up what I should do? from Tree size, I am attaching the snapshot please suggest to me the best method to clear space in my c drive.

Hi Radar_scientist:

What is the model of your Dell computer, what is your current operating system (if Win 10 let us know the version and build - see the TechSmith article How to Check Windows 10 Build), how much RAM (memory) is installed, and how large is the hard drive? Have you upgraded the operating system (e.g., from Win 7 SP1 to Win 10) since your computer was purchased? Your TreeSize images show you're only using ~ 100 GB of disk space on your entire C:\ drive, which isn't much more than the ~ 85 GB I'm using on my Inspiron 5584 (256 GB Toshiba SSD, see images below).

It looks like you have a few remnants left behind from your SupportAssist uninstall (e.g., C:\ProgramData\PCDr) but nothing looks especially concerning at first glance if you have a hard drive that's 256 GB or larger. Have you looked in Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features to see if there is any software installed that you don't need or use on a regular basis? For example, I noticed that Anaconda3 (Python and R programming languages), MATLAB and McAfee (which might be a trial version of McAfee LiveSafe that was installed at the factory) are all taking up GBs of space in your hidden C:\ProgramData folder. If you have a Win 10 OS do you have any UWP (Universal Windows Platform) apps listed at Settings | Apps | App & Features that you don't use that are taking up excessive disk space?

Have you run Windows Disk Cleanup  to purge your temporary files and old system files to see if that frees up any disk space? See the MS support article Disk Cleanup in Windows 10 for instructions.

Are you only running out of disk space, or is your computer slow (e.g., unresponsive, freezing or just sluggish) because you are running out of free RAM (memory) as well? Open the Windows Task Manager  and select the Performance tab to see how much memory is being used. The Startup tab will show you what programs start automatically at bootup (Status = Enabled) and are consuming high amounts of system resources (Startup Impact = High or Medium).  See the How-To Geek  article Windows Task Manager: The Complete Guide for more information.

Assuming you have a small hard drive and don't have any large partitions other than your C:\ drive (e.g., you haven't created a D:\drive to store personal data) you might have simply reached the point where your physical hard drive isn't large enough to run all the third-party software that you've installed.

Just FYI, here are TreeSize images for my own hard drive, showing my entire C:\ drive (~ 85 GB used of the total 256 GB hard drive, image only shows folders larger than 0 KB that are not empty), my 8.5 GB C:\Program Files folder (folders larger than 200 MB only) and 3.8 GB hidden C:\ProgramData folder (SupportAssist installed but System Repair / Dell SupportAssist Remediation disabled, folders larger than 200 MB only). Note that my C:\Users folder is likely larger than yours because I have over 20 GB of music files stored in C:\Users\<myusername>\Music).

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64-bit Win 10 Pro v20H2 build 19042.1110 * Firefox v90.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2106.6 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.4.3.125-1.0.1387 * Dell SupportAssist v3.10.0.47 * Dell SupportAssist Remediation v5.4.1.14954 * Dell Update for Windows 10 v4.2.1 * TreeSize Free Portable v4.5.1
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G 256 GB NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620

Hi @lmacri, the windows version is attached in the snapshot. 8Gb RAM, hard drives 120 Gb SSD with 2TB of HDD. The 120 GB SSD  is a C drive. I didn't update my windows from 7 to 10. I purchased it with windows 10. Anaconda3 (Python and R programming languages), MATLAB, and McAfee (is purchased version) I use regularly. I do the disk cleanup quite frequently. My system is not slow it is working fine only problem is low disk space in the c drive. I want to clean it up. Almost 16 Gb of free space was in c drive, and one day the support assist runs, and then it takes almost 8 Gb of memory, and from then, I tried everything, but I cannot free up the memory. If you have any solution, please suggest me.  I thank you so much for your replies.

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@Radar_scientist wrote:

...8Gb RAM, hard drives 120 Gb SSD with 2TB of HDD. The 120 GB SSD  is a C drive....Almost 16 Gb of free space was in c drive, and one day the support assist runs, and then it takes almost 8 Gb of memory, and from then, I tried everything, but I cannot free up the memory....

What is the model of your Dell computer, and has the service warranty expired yet?

This won't be of any help to you now, but you might want to read Susan Bradley's 19-Apr-2021 Skimping on Drive Space Means Windows 10 Update Woes on ComputerWorld that states "A 100 to 128GB drive is much too small, even with everything in the cloud". There is a feature called Storage Sense built in to Windows 10 at Settings | System | Storage that you might want to investigate - see the 04-Feb-2021 PC Mag article How to Free Up Hard Disk Space on Windows 10 for more information. I have Storage Sense disabled on my own Inspiron 5584 because I don't want Windows automatically cleaning my hard drive and emptying my Recycle Bin, but like TreeSize Free, it gives you a quick overview of what folders are using the most disk space on your hard drive.

When you say that SupportAssist used up "8 Gb of memory" I'll assume you meant 8 GB of disk space and not 8 GB of RAM (memory), but post back if that's incorrect.  I can't think of anything that would cause SupportAssist to suddenly decrease your free disk space by 8 GB. When the System Repair feature (a.k.s SupportAssist OS Recovery / Dell SupportAssist Remediation) is enabled in SupportAssist it will accumulate system repair points (snapshots) in the hidden folder C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\System Repair. This folder can eventually grow to more than 50 GB of space over time on some systems because of a known bug in the software (see employee NikhilKiroula's 28-Jul-2021 post in Zaghan's SA OS Recovery Taking Up Too Much Storage) but I don't think that System Repair would cause that hidden folder to jump in size by 8 GB in one day. I also don't see how an accumulation of Dell system repair points in that folder could be the cause of your lack of free disk space given that your TreeSize images <above> shows that your C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\System Repair folder is currently only using ~ 240 MB of disk space.  Here's a TreeSize image I captured back in May 2021 when I used to have System Repair enabled that shows this folder was using a max. of ~ 25 GB of disk space to store system repair points.

It's difficult for me to know what SupportAssist could have done to suddenly use up 8 GB of space. That information might have been logged on the History tab of SupportAssist (for example, see the image below of my SupportAssist History that shows a 350 MB update for the SupportAssist OS Recovery Tools was installed yesterday on 30-Jul-2021) but you said you've already uninstalled SupportAssist so viewing that history that is no longer an option. I don't know if these logs were deleted when SupportAssist was uninstalled but you might find some useful information in these hidden folders:

• SupportAssist logs at C:\Program Data\SupportAssist\Client\Agent\Logs\Application Logs
• Dell Update logs at C:\ProgramData\Dell\UpdateService\Log
• Individual Update Package logs at C:\ProgramData\Dell\UpdateService\UpdatePackage\log

What Dell software is still installed on your computer, and are you using another method (e.g., Dell Update v4.2.x or the blue "Check for Updates" button on the support page for your Dell computer model) to check for available Dell software and driver updates? From Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features on my Inspiron 5584:

Uninstalling Dell SupportAssist will not remove associated programs like Dell SupportAssist Remediation (a.k.a. Support SupportAssist OS Recovery Tools) and the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin for Dell Update so there might be Dell software other than SupportAssist that you can uninstall to regain a few GB of space (note that I've never used Dell Digital Delivery Service and Dell Mobile Connect and just haven't bothered to uninstall them yet).  See employee DELL-Chris M's SA Uninstall / Reinstall for more information - your SupportAssist is already uninstalled but if you use those instructions as a guideline just don't reinstall SupportAssist when you reach the last step.  If Dell Update or some other update mechanism offers to reinstall SupportAssist or the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Tools (a.k.a. Dell SupportAssist Remediation) just decline / uncheck the update.

I can also see what look like remnants of SupportAssist on your computer (e.g., the hidden 2.3 GB C:\ProgramData\PCDr) that might free up a few GB once they're cleaned up.  User @garioch7 mentioned <above> that Revo Uninstaller Pro does good job of uninstalling Dell programs like SupportAssist, and if you want to use the 30-day free trial of Revo Uninstaller Pro garioch7 might be able to guide you through the process of removing the last remnants of SupportAssist using the Forced Uninstall feature this program. See the 12-Jul-2021 comments I posted in adi_jha30's thread 70+ GB System Recovery File in C Drive about using the trial version of Revo Uninstaller Pro to remove the last remnants of a program called of Dell Backup and Restore (an obsolete Win 8.x program you won't find on your Win 10 system).

Again, if you only have a 120 GB system drive and your C:\Program Files folder is already using over 30% (34 GB) of your used disk space then I think you need to take a hard look at your installed programs and decide if there's anything you can live without. To save disk space I use the Portable version of many of my favourite utilities (e.g., CCleaner Free, TreeSize Free, Process Explorer, SUMo Free, Revo Uninstaller Free, etc.) and just run them from a removable USB thumb drive when needed so they don't take up disk space on my 250 GB SSD. You might also want to consider uninstalling McAfee when your annual subscription expires [if you do, be sure to wipe the last remnants off your system with the McAfee Consumer Product Removal (MCPR) tool] and just use the built-in Microsoft Defender as your antivirus.

Hopefully garioch7 will have some other suggestions for freeing up disk space on your C:\ drive.
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v20H2 build 19042.1110 * Firefox v90.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2106.6 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.4.3.125-1.0.1387 * Dell SupportAssist v3.10.1.23 * Dell SupportAssist Remediation v5.4.3.1535 * Dell Update for Windows 10 v4.2.1 * Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.5925 * TreeSize Free Portable v4.5.1.566 * Revo Uninstaller Free Portable v2.2.8
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G 256 GB NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620

You need a more detailed directory analysis , Install WINDIR STAT and run a Scan on C drive

Within Few minutes you will find the CULPRIT FOLDER and Delete it.

https://windirstat.net/download.html

Please also uninstall SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin from Program and Feature to eliminate the issue completely. 

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@XPS_Man wrote:

You need a more detailed directory analysis , Install WINDIR STAT and run a Scan on C drive...Please also uninstall SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin from Program and Feature to eliminate the issue completely.

Hi XPS_Man:

The OP of this thread, Radar_scientist, already analyzed their C:\ drive using TreeSize Free and the image of their hidden C:\ProgramData folder <above> shows that C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\System Repair folder is only using ~ 240 MB of disk space.  Manually deleting that folder is not going to recover the GBs of disk space that Radar_scientist is trying to free up on their relatively small 128 GB SSD.

The image I posted <here> of my installed Dell programs shows that the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin for Dell Update uses ~ 64 MB of disk space on my Inspiron 5584.  Uninstalling that program (along with the ~ 94 MB Dell SupportAssist Remediation program) might make it easier to manually delete the hidden and protected C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation\System Repair folder but I don't see how that would free up GBs of disk space.
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v20H2 build 19042.1110 * Firefox v90.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2106.6 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.4.3.125-1.0.1387 * Dell SupportAssist v3.10.1.23 * Dell SupportAssist Remediation v5.4.3.1535 * Dell Update for Windows 10 v4.2.1 * TreeSize Free Portable v4.5.1.566
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G 256 GB NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620

@lmacri @XPS_Man @garioch7  Thank you all for your replies, but I didn't find the solution to my problem. @lmacri  My dell system is Inspiron 5570. I think removing some of the applications from my system is the only option left to free up some of the space in the c drive.  Is there any possible way that I can opt to remove all the installed app so that I can install only those which are required of me? The system reset type of thing in which nothing should be left should be like a newly purchased laptop? 

@Radar_scientist you started this thread for removing SupportAssist backup files as they were taking space. But I think your issue was never supportassist 

You only have 120GB SSD and if you don't wanna upgrade to higher capacity . You will have to use the machine with some software modifications. 

1. Reinstall OS using stock Microsoft image, you can make a bootable USB media creation tool  

This image will not have any dell bloatware so your used space after install would be less than 20GB 

2. Once you have reinstalled OS . Change location of your user folders (Desktop Documents downloads) to D drive (if you have any) or a Fast Memory Card 

3. Run Disk Clean regularly 

@XPS_Man  Yes, you are right. I had started this thread to uninstall the support assist because the problem started due to this only couple of weeks before my c drive was free nearly 16 Gb, but with some windows update, and this support assists my c drive is only 8 Gb is free, This thing had happed a couple of times before as I remembered once when disk c drive was free around 38 GB, and once 28 Gb was free. At that time, this has consumed some 3-4 GB space in the c drive. At that time, I didn't bother because I had enough space remaining; I ran the disk cleanup and removed the windows update and temporary files.

After spending this much time and effort, I didn't find any solution, and I have tried everything as suggested here and done some research through the internet. So, at last, I have no choice left to format the c drive or reinstall the window again. And as per my knowledge, 120 Gb SSD is not less disk space for the C drive. Because I have a 2 TB HDD for the storage, over time, the program file and program data files in the C drive have grown significantly due to the updates, so I think removing everything and starting with a fresh and installing everything with its latest version is the solution.

Thanks for your reply.

Note: If anyone has any better solution, please add to this thread; due to this, I am not closing this thread.

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@Radar_scientist wrote:
..I had started this thread to uninstall the support assist because the problem started due to this only couple of weeks before my c drive was free nearly 16 Gb, but with some windows update, and this support assists my c drive is only 8 Gb is free, This thing had happed a couple of times before...

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Hi Radar_scientist:

Are you absolutely certain it was a SupportAssist update, and not a Windows Update, that caused the quick drop in free disk space on your SSD?  Here are a few more things you should check before you try a PC reset or clean re-install of your Win 10 OS.

What is the install date of your last Feature update to Win 10 v21H1 (check at Settings | Update &  Security | Windows Update | View Update History ) and is it possible that you were upgraded to v21H1 around the same time that your large chunk of free disk space disappeared? What is the current size of your C:\Windows\WinSxS folder (see the image below of my folders in C:\Windows that are larger than 1 GB; my C:\Windows\WinSxS folder is currently using ~ 8.2 GB on my Win 10 Pro v20H2 machine)? If you run Windows Disk Cleanup with Administrator rights (right-click and choose Run as Administrator) and select Clean Up System Files as I previously suggested how much extra disk space can it recover? Note that I could free up an additional 4 GB of space on my machine just by selecting the option to Cleanup Windows Update, but I prefer not to do that just in case I want to uninstall a buggy update and need an older Windows update.

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...Is there any possible way that I can opt to remove all the installed app so that I can install only those which are required of me? The system reset type of thing in which nothing should be left should be like a newly purchased laptop? ...
...Because I have a 2 TB HDD for the storage, over time, the program file and program data files in the C drive have grown significantly due to the updates, so I think removing everything and starting with a fresh and installing everything with its latest version is the solution....

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I've only performed a reset back to factory condition on my Inspiron 5584, but I don't think that's what you want since this will roll back your entire system to it's factory settings (i.e., the original Windows version installed at the factory along with SupportAssist and all the original Dell software and utilities and pre-installed third-party software like trial versions of McAfee LiveSafe, etc.).

If you were planning to reset your Win 10 machine from Settings | Update & Security | Recovery | Reset This PC here are some tutorials that might help you decide whether you should use the "Keep My Files" or the "Remove Everything" option that will re-install your Win 10 OS and remove all your user accounts and personal files as well as any third-party apps (either installed at the factory or installed by you after you purchased your machine). Since you have a second drive (2 TB HDD) be sure to read the warning in the MakeUseOf article to disable the Delete Files From All Drives setting if you choose the "Remove Everything" option so that you don't erase your personal files on your HDD.

• TenForums:           How to Reset Windows 10
• Laptop Mag:          How to Reset your Windows 10 Laptop: Format your PC
• Windows Central: How to Reset a Windows 10 PC to Factory Settings
• MakeUseOf:          4 Ways to Factory Reset Your Windows Computer
  
  
  

Note that I've never tried one of the Win 10 resets described in these tutorials on my Inspiron 5584 so if anything goes wrong someone else will have to jump in and provide assistance.  In the end, simply performing a clean re-install of Win 10 after using the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable Windows 10 USB drive as XPS-Man suggested <above> might be the simpler solution if you're certain there's nothing you want to keep on your 128 GB SSD.  Even if you decide to try the built-in PC Reset, you should still create a bootable USB with the Media Creation Tool before starting just in case something goes wrong during the reset (e.g., you try a cloud download of Win 10 and your internet connection fails).

If you decide to perform one of these resets or clean re-installs be sure have a plan in place to keep your BIOS, drivers, and chipsets updated (i.e., are you going to use Windows Update to update any available drivers it finds, use the blue "Check for Updates" button on the support page <here> for your Inspiron 5570, download and install the latest Dell Update v4.x from that support page and use Dell Update to check for available driver updates, etc.).
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v20H2 build 19042.1110 * Firefox v90.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2107.4 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.4.3.125-1.0.1387 * Dell SupportAssist v3.10.1.23 * Dell SupportAssist Remediation v5.4.3.15135 * Dell Update for Windows 10 v4.3.0 * TreeSize Free Portable v4.5.1.566
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G 256 GB NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620