How to FIX "We can't tell if your pc has enough space to continue installing Windows 11". (Solved)

This article provides comprehensive instructions to resolve the issue encountered when upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11: "We can't tell if your PC has enough space to continue installing Windows 11".

The error message "We Can't Tell if Your PC has Enough Space to install Windows 11" typically appears due to insufficient free disk space. Specifically, upgrading to Windows 11 requires a minimum of 65 GB of storage space. However, this message may also appear even if there is enough available space, which we will address in this guide.

How to FIX: Cannot Tell if Your PC has Enough Space to Install Windows 11.

Method 1. Fix "Not Enough Space to Install Windows 11" issue with simple steps.

Important: To work around the issue of insufficient space when upgrading to Windows 11, perform the following actions and then attempt the upgrade again:

Step 1. Disconnect all external USB devices that are not needed.

Disconnecting unnecessary USB devices can prevent conflicts during the installation process, freeing up system resources and ensuring that the installation media is not incorrectly identified as a storage location.

Step 2. Temporarily uninstall any non-Microsoft Antivirus/Security software.

Third-party antivirus software can sometimes interfere with system processes, including upgrades. Temporarily removing these programs can help to ensure that they do not block any part of the installation process.

Step 3. Disable BitLocker drive encryption (if it's enabled).

BitLocker encryption can prevent the installation process from accessing necessary files. Disabling it temporarily allows the installer to modify system files as needed.

Step 4. Free UP Storage Space. To do that:

1. Open Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click on Local disk C: and choose Properties.

3. Check if you have more than 64GB free space to install Windows 11. Then, proceed according to the result:
   • If you have enough free space (over 64GB), proceed to Method-2.
   • If not, perform the following actions and then try again to upgrade your system to Windows 11:
     1. Move some of your files to an external storage device (e.g., a USB disk).
     2. Run the Disk Cleanup tool to delete useless files from Windows.

Step 5. Try to upgrade your system to Windows 11. If you receive the same error, continue to Method-2.

Method 2. Repair Boot Configuration Data (BCD)

The usual method to repair the Windows 11 upgrade error "We can't tell if your PC has enough space to continue installing Windows 11" is to repair the Boot Configuration Data (BCD), also known as the "Boot Loader", after booting your system from a Windows 10/11 USB installation media.

* Note: This and the next method require you to start your computer from a Windows 10/11 USB installation media. If you don't own a Windows 10/11 USB Media, you can create one using these instructions:

• How to Create a Windows 10 USB Installation Media.
• How to Create a Windows 11 USB Installation Media.

To repair the BCD:

1. Start your computer from the USB Windows 10/11 installation media.
2. At the Windows Setup screen, press SHIFT + F10 keys to open the command prompt.

3. In the command prompt, enter the following commands in order:
   • diskpart
   • list volume
4. Note the Volume number of the FAT32 partition and the drive Letter of the Operating System (OS) volume. The OS volume is typically the one with the largest size in GB.

5. Select the FAT32 volume using its number with the following command and press Enter:
   • select volume 2

* Note: Replace the number "2" with the volume number of the FAT32 partition in your case.

6. Assign the drive letter “Z” to the selected volume with this command:
   • assign letter=Z
7. Type exit & press Enter to close the DISKPART utility.

8. Finally, execute the following command to fix the boot configuration data and press Enter:
   • bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI

* Note: Replace the letter "C" with the drive letter of the OS volume.

9. When you see the message "boot files successfully created", type the following command to close the WinRE session and shut down your PC:
   • wpeutil shutdown

10. Remove the Windows USB install media and then turn on your PC.
11. Try to upgrade your system to Windows 11.

Method 3. Repair Boot Configuration Data (BCD) by Recreating the BCD Volume.

The next method to resolve the error "there is not enough space to upgrade to Windows 11" involves deleting and recreating the BCD volume and then recreating the boot files.

* Note: This method is similar to the one above but involves completely erasing, recreating, and formatting the BCD volume before creating the boot files.

1. Start your computer from the Windows installation media.
2. At the Windows Setup screen, press SHIFT + F10 keys to open the command prompt.
3. In the command prompt, enter the following commands in order:
   • diskpart
   • list volume
4. Note the Volume number of the FAT32 partition and its size. Then note the drive Letter of the Operating System (OS) volume, which is typically the largest in GB.

5. Select the FAT32 volume using its number with the following command and press Enter:
   • select volume 2

* Note: Replace the number "2" with the volume number of the FAT32 partition in your case.

6. Proceed to delete the selected volume with this command:
   • delete partition override
7. Recreate the deleted volume (partition) with the following command:
   • create partition efi size=100

* Note: Replace the number "100" with the size of the FAT32 volume in your case. For example, if the FAT32 volume has size "500MB", type:

• create partition efi size=500

8. Format the created partition using this command:
   • format fs=fat32 quick

9. Finally, execute the following command to fix the boot configuration data and press Enter:
   • bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI

* Note: Replace the letter "C" with the drive letter of the OS volume.

10. When you see the message "boot files successfully created", type the following command to close the WinRE session and shut down your PC:
    • wpeutil shutdown

11. Remove the Windows USB installation media and then turn on your PC.
12. Try to upgrade your system to Windows 11 now.

Additional Method: Check and Repair Disk Errors

Another potential solution is to check and repair disk errors that might be causing the issue. This can be done using the chkdsk utility, which scans and repairs disk errors that could interfere with the installation process.

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type chkdsk C: /f /r and press Enter.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to schedule a disk check on the next restart.
4. Restart your computer to allow the disk check to run.

Summary

In summary, if you encounter the "We can't tell if your PC has enough space to continue installing Windows 11" error, ensure you have sufficient free disk space, disconnect unnecessary peripherals, and disable conflicting software. If these steps do not resolve the issue, repairing the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) or checking for disk errors can help. Following these detailed methods should enable a successful upgrade to Windows 11.

Did it work for you? Please leave a comment in the comment section below or even better: like and share this blog post on social networks to help spread the word.

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Konstantinos Tsoukalas

Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of Repairwin.com. Since 1995 he works and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

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