2020 WSUS-Server content Drive suddenly no space over 300GB *.ESD Upgrade files

Windows Update Server filling since a few months over the 350GB max. Value you know from WSUS-Server which runs over years

• You checked the internal WSUS GUI Command to clean (That does not free space often…)
• You cleaned the WSUS maybe even if free or commercial scripts like Adamj Clean-WSUS
• Still you don't get under 350GB for the WSUS content drive
• You are at a point where the SQL Cleanup stales, Your SQL Management Studio crash
• You would have to use sqlcmd.exe to clean the WSUS because no space left

Source:

The Source is mostly ESD Windows Distribution Files (*.ESD) or updating from Windows 10 to other W10 versions. These exploded that last few months. Maybe you did one update like a 1903 to 1909 and now you have the full range coming in. This is around 120 to 160GB on Data.

This add. to the 350GB you normally have with running a certain range of products from like 2010-2016 office and W7/W10.

Quick and Dirty Workaround:

When you can't approve new updates and they are urgent and you can't expand the Disk temporary because it's a VM or the storage team refuses to do so (Because they like to save money for the customer [Who understands why?])

1. Make sure nobody in your SBS or Enterprise does need those updates
2. Just delete them from the \WSUSCONTENT\ drive recursive with del *.esd /s
3. Find the person who turned the category on without thinking in advance ;-)
4. Cancel the Download in the WSUS-GUI and also DENY them if there still NON APPROVED

Check other WSUS category from us:

http://www.butsch.ch/category/WSUS.aspx

Afterwards choose "cancel download" and "DENY" them.