#Run Disk Cleanup

[techdirectarchive]

Analyse Disks with Treesize: Defragment and Shrink VMware Workstation VM Disks

In this article, we will discuss how to “Analyse Disk with Treesize: Defragment and Shrink VMware Workstation VM Disks”. If you’re looking to improve VM performance, defragmenting is the way to go. If you are trying to free up disk space on the host, compacting (shrinking) or disk clean up will be appropriate. Please see how to Map and disconnect Virtual Disk in VMware Workstation, and how to…

[elderscrollsconceptart]

Some users on PC have an issue where the Oblivion Remaster shader compilation is not completing.

The game may crash during shader compilation and if you relaunch the game, you can play, but stutters and FPS issues will be worse than if you had successfully compiled shaders. Shader compilation cannot be automatically re-ran so you need to force your PC to restart the compilation.

Here are the steps I took to "fix" this issue:

1. Roll back your Nvidia GPU drivers to 572.83

If you have an AMD GPU, I believe AMD released an updated driver for Oblivion Remastered that should mean no driver rollback is needed.

2. Delete your shader cache via the Disk cleanup windows program

3. Cut/paste this file OUT of this folder path:

steamapps\common\Oblivion Remastered\Engine\Plugins\Marketplace\nvidia\DLSS\Streamline\Binaries\ThirdParty\Win64\sl.pcl.dll

I personally dropped it into a desktop folder so I have it saved somewhere. Just make sure this file is NOT in that folder path anymore.

4. Delete Oblivion.ini from this location:

\steamapps\common\Oblivion Remastered\OblivionRemastered\Content\Dev\ObvData\Oblivion.ini

5. Open Oblivion Remastered and shader compilation should now begin.

If all went well the shader compilation should complete (may take a long time) and you should notice *some* improvements to stuttering as shader are now fully compiled.

Make sure you re select your graphics settings as they will have reverted to default. See below for my personal settings and performance notes. 👇

---

Next part is how I personally went from ~40fps outdoors to a solid 60fps average with occasional dips to 50fps at the lowest.

Caveat I have a high end PC, play on a 4k TV and don't play above 60fps. Your Milage may vary as everyone has their own hardware setup and graphical preferences.

---

1. Make sure your game is installed on SSD. Game just runs alot better on SSD and even warns you to make sure its installed on one.

2. FPS lock/VSync. If you need Vsync to play games like I do. Turn OFF the in-game VSYNC and force VSYNC ON in Nvidia control panel. IDK how AMD gpus work but id imagine you'd use AMDs version of control panel to do the same.

Set the FPS limit to 60fps (or whatever your preference) in the in-game settings. This can also be done instead in the Nvidia control panel so if you set the limit there, be sure to NOT have a limit set in-game settings.

3. DLSS of some kind is a must for most games these days. Especially if playing with Ray Tracing (as you can note below)

Set DLSS to either performance (looks worse, runs better), Quality (looks better, runs a bit worse), or DLAA (looks alot better but most performance hit out of all DLSS settins).

Use FSR if you are on an AMD GPU.

4. DLSS Frame Generation. This literally will give you like 10+ FPS. BUUUTT it gives you CRAZY input lag. Make sure if you use this you also set NVIDIA Reflex to Enabled+Boost. For me this game me the free 10+fps while eliminating the input lag almost entirely.

Note: If you use Frame Generation you will notice the menus in-game have a weird flutter/lag. Beyond this tho the issues are minimal.

If you use AMD GPUs make sure to use the FSR/FSR Frame Generation/XeSS options as these are AMDs versions of the NVIDIA options i discussed above

I know alot of ppl play on different hardware in general so to summarize the graphics settings:

Turn off VYSNC in game and force it via your GPU control panel. Use frame generation and DLSS/FSR as specified above. If your settings don't give you the performance you want, roll them back bit by bit.

ALSO: This may be relevant but as a precaution, make any major graphics settings changes *FROM THE MAIN MENU* After you make the changes, exit and restart the game. Sometimes the changes don't work if you make them while you have a save loaded + don't restart the game.

Hope this all helps at least somebody out there. Send asks or DM if you need any clarification, and remember, Milage may vary so experiment with your settings as needed.

[morgan-va]

Chapter 29: Remembering. (Serial Designation V x reader)

Masterlist

TW: Descriptions of pain and suffering

Back in her room, Uzi spins her chair around, a satisfied chuckle escaping her as N and V begin to stir. It worked. She actually got their memories back.

V, always the quickest to act, barely takes a second before her hand snaps into a chainsaw, the jagged edge revving to life as she growls. "What the hell, Uzi?! What gives you the right to snoop through our heads?"

She stops mid-threat, her optics flicking to the side. Uzi follows her gaze and freezes. Techie is still wired into the computer, slumped in the chair, motionless. Dimmed optics flicker with scrolling text.

ADMINISTRATOR LOCKOUT: SUCCESSFULBEGINNING DISK CLEANUP|||||________________________________ 7%

Uzi’s stomach drops. No. No, no, no. This shouldn’t be possible, Techie should have woken up, just like N and V. 

Unless...

No. That’s impossible. The only way anyone could be locked inside like this is if… they were inside their own memory simulation as well.

Her breath hitches. That human—the one N called Techie. There’s no way, right?

She snaps her head toward N and V. “Explain. Now. Who the hell was that technician?”

N shifts as his newfound memories resurface, "I know! That technician was—"

“An old friend,” V interrupts, her voice unusually subdued. Her optics don’t meet Uzi’s. "From before... everything happened."

V exhales sharply, glancing at Techie's lifeless form. "I wasn’t sure at first, but as I’ve spent time with them, I realized... That drone sitting in front of us? That’s that human."

Uzi’s eyes widen as V’s words sink in. Her voice rises into a near-shout. “And you didn’t think to mention that before I sent them into a memoryscape with that eldritch freakshow?!”

V doesn’t hesitate. Her chainsaw revs louder, the jagged blade stopping just short of Uzi’s throat. “Oh, I don’t know,” she growls, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe because you ambushed us and jammed yourself into our heads before I had the chance?”

Uzi swallows hard, glaring at V even as she leans back slightly from the weapon. “Fine. You make a good point.”

“Damn right, I do.” V lowers her weapon, but her glare remains sharp. “Now fix it.”

Not needing to be told twice, Uzi spins back to her computer, fingers flying over the keyboard as she desperately tries to regain control. Code floods the screen, scrolling too fast for her to process.

“Come on, come on…” she mutters, sweat beading on her forehead. Every second that bar inches forward, Techie’s chances of waking up shrink.

She grits her teeth and keeps typing. She has to fix this.

Light floods your vision. The sterile hum of fluorescent lights buzzes faintly overhead, and the scent of hot metal and solder fills your nose. 

A workbench stretches out in front of you, scattered with tools, wires, and diagnostic equipment. Right. Your final exam—robotics training. You’ve spent weeks preparing for this, and now you’re almost done.

The test was simple in theory: repair a malfunctioning worker drone suffering from an assortment of mechanical and software issues. Simple. But under pressure? Not so much.

You tighten the last screw into place, sealing the drone’s back panel before setting the screwdriver down with a shaky breath. This should be it. You double-check the wiring, hoping you’ve done everything right. There’s only one way to find out.

Your finger hovers over the power button for a split second before pressing down.

The drone’s optics flicker to life. A soft whir fills the air as it boots up, standing upright before turning to face you.

“Hello!” it chirps, its voice light and pleasant.

Success.

A grin breaks across your face. You did it.

Your professor strides over, their sharp gaze scanning the drone as they run through a quick diagnostic check. They lift the drone’s arms, test its mobility, and check the interface for any lingering errors. After a moment, they nod in approval.

"Everything seems to be in perfect working order," they say, turning to you with an approving smile. "Excellent job. You pass with flying colors."

Relief washes over you. You exhale a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, nodding in thanks as a few of your classmates glance over. Some are still deep in their own work, muttering under their breath as they struggle with their drones. Others shoot you brief looks—some impressed, others indifferent.

Not wanting to linger, you quietly gather your things. The exam is over for you, and there’s no point in sticking around. You sling your bag over your shoulder and make your way toward the door.

Just as your fingers brush against the handle, a loud clatter echoes through the room.

You turn on instinct. One of your classmates has just powered their drone on, and while it seems to function for the most part, something is clearly wrong. Its speech module is glitching, causing it to stutter and garble its words in a mess of static and half-formed syllables.

The student groans in frustration, their expression twisting into anger. "Ugh, stupid thing—"

Before anyone can stop them, they shove the drone off the table.

It crashes to the floor with a sickening crunch.

Without thinking, you rush over, grabbing the student by the arm and spinning them around. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" you snap, anger flaring in your chest. "You can’t just treat them like that!"

The student sneers at you, yanking their arm free. "Calm down. It’s just a hunk of metal," they scoff, rolling their eyes. "Besides, what do you care? You act like they’re people or something."

You clench your fists, heart pounding.

They laugh, shaking their head before shooting you a look of disgust.

"You really are a freak."

That phrase echoes in your mind as everything around you fades away—"You really are a freak."

Over and over again, through the black void.

You open your eyes, the soft sheets of your bed comforting as the morning sun peeks through the curtains. Today’s the day—you’ll be heading out of town for your new job. Some technician gig for a rich family out in the swamp. You’ve been looking for something like this for months, and the offer came out of nowhere, just like that! You didn’t even apply for anything—just created a profile through the JCJenson website, but you hadn’t had a chance to actually browse any listings.

You guess someone’s looking out for you after all.

Rising from bed, you stretch, shaking off the last remnants of sleep before turning your attention to packing. You double-check your suitcase, making sure you haven’t left anything important behind. Clothes, tools, personal items—it’s all here. Just as you’re about to close it, something small and round slips out from between your neatly folded shirts, rolling across the wooden floor with a soft clink.

You bend down, reaching for it. A small, smoky blue gemstone rests against the floorboards, catching the morning light. You pick it up, running your thumb over the smooth surface.

You’ve had this stone since you were a kid. It doesn’t hold any deep sentimental value—not really. You don’t even remember where you got it. But for some reason, you’ve always kept it close. A good luck charm, maybe. You can’t imagine ever parting with it.

You slip it back into your pocket, sighing in relief before zipping up your suitcase. Time to go.

You pick up your suitcase, gripping the handle tightly as you take a deep breath. It’s time.

With a steadying exhale, you step forward and open the door.

Only to find… nothing.

The hallway outside your room is gone, replaced by an endless, yawning void. Before you can react, the ground beneath you vanishes, and you plummet into the vast nothingness, the weightless sensation sending your stomach into your throat. You try to scream, but no sound escapes. Darkness swallows you whole.

You’re late.

You slept in.

Late for your first day of work at the Elliott’s.

How is this possible??

You throw the covers off and scramble out of bed, heart pounding as you yank on your clothes in a panic. Of all the ways to start this job, this is the worst. You barely have time to double-check yourself in the mirror before bolting out of your small basement room and up the stairs—

SMACK.

You collide with someone and nearly fall over, barely managing to steady yourself as they hit the ground.

A maid drone.

“Oh, crap, I’m so sorry—!” You quickly reach down and help her up, eyes wide with guilt. “I wasn’t looking where I was going, I—”

She dusts herself off, looking a little flustered but otherwise fine. “Oh, um, no, it’s okay! I-I was actually coming to wake you up.”

Wait.

You blink at her, confusion momentarily replacing your panic.

“My shift starts in—” You check your watch, only for your stomach to drop as you realize your mistake.

You read the time wrong.

You aren’t late.

Your face burns with embarrassment as you run a hand through your hair, letting out a breathless laugh. “Oh. Wow. Uh, sorry about that. Guess I freaked out over nothing.”

The maid drone giggles softly, her posture still a little stiff. “It’s alright. I was kind of worried you’d sleep through your alarm. I was the first one you met yesterday, remember? My name’s V.”

V.

You pause.

Something about that name stirs something deep in your mind, like an old song you can’t quite remember the lyrics to. It lingers on the tip of your tongue, just out of reach.

But then V smiles at you—timid, polite, a little awkward.

And the strange feeling slips away.

You smile at her. “That’s really considerate of you, especially since we only just met.”

V’s posture stiffens slightly, her eyes flickering as she glances away. “Oh, um… it’s not a big deal or anything.” She fidgets, adjusting her maid uniform. “I mean, if you’re late, it affects the rest of us, too. It’s just in our best interest to check up on each other.”

You chuckle. “Still, I appreciate it. Really.”

Her gaze flickers back to you, uncertainty melting into something softer. “...Well, you’re welcome, then.”

You nod, adjusting your clothes. “I’m looking forward to working with you and everyone else.”

V’s lips twitch into a small smile. “I’d be happy to show you around, introduce you to the others.”

“That’d be great.”

She gestures for you to follow, and you take a step forward—

—but the world around you begins to melt.

Colors blur, shapes distort, the floor beneath your feet ceases to exist.

You don’t even have time to react before the memory crumbles away entirely.

You walk over and take the clipboard from V, scanning the list. It was surprisingly thorough—she’d noted everything from loose doorknobs to fading paint along the baseboards.

You smile at her, “I really appreciate your help with all of this, V. I don’t think I could get through it without you.”

She stiffens, her fingers twitching as she looks away. “I-it’s no problem, I don’t mind. Really.”

You chuckle and, on impulse, pat her head.

Error: Unexpected Affection Detected.

You show V how to make pancakes, guiding her as she stirs the batter. She nods eagerly, then accidentally mixes too fast—sending batter flying across the kitchen. Some splatters onto both of you. There’s a moment of stunned silence before you burst out laughing, V quickly following suit.

“Not too fast,” you place your hand lightly over hers to help steady her grip. “You don’t want to splash it everywhere.”

She freezes at the contact for a moment, her optics brightening slightly, but she doesn’t pull away. “Got it,” she murmurs.

The two of you sit side by side in front of a large window, gazing out at the endless night sky. The soft ambience of the mansion fills the silence, the glow of the stars reflecting in her optics. Your shoulders brush, and static electricity crackles between you.

“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” you murmur.

V glances at you, her expression unreadable—until a faint blush dusts her face.

“It is,” she says softly.

You lie in bed, your fingers intertwined with V’s as she reads to you. Her voice is steady, soothing, filling the quiet room with a warmth you can’t quite describe. The world outside doesn’t matter. Here, in this moment, you feel safe.

Warmth pools in your chest, unfamiliar yet comforting. Is this… love?

And then, just like everything else, these memories fade away.

You open your eyes as pain wracks your body. Agony is all you can fathom. Your gaze darts around the room, but you can’t move. You’re strapped to some kind of table, hooked up to a mess of wires and devices. The room around you is dimly lit, a run-down laboratory, cold and unfamiliar. You can’t even begin to question where you are—the pain is overwhelming, searing through every nerve like fire. It’s worse than anything you’ve ever experienced.

You force yourself to look down, instantly regretting it. A gaping wound mars your chest, torn open where that eldritch beast’s tendril had impaled you. The sight alone makes your head spin. How are you still alive? No—why are you still alive? Every attempted breath sends agony lancing through what remains of your ribs, and you open your mouth to scream, but nothing comes out.

Then, the door creaks open.

Your stomach drops as Cyn steps inside. She’s in her worker drone form, as if mocking you with her small, unassuming frame—like she hadn’t just torn your world apart. She tilts her head, smiling as she watches you struggle. “Cordial greeting. I see you are awake. Perhaps human medical technology isn’t useless after all.”

Something shifts behind her. Your eyes widen in horror as a slick, black tendril slithers from her back, lazily extending toward a console beside you. It presses a few buttons with unsettling precision, making the monitors flicker. Another tendril whips off to the side, dragging a gurney into view, carrying a powered-off worker drone, its lifeless body still on the cold metal cart.

Wires snake out from the machinery beside you, latching onto the drone like some grotesque experiment. You can only watch in silent agony, unable to move, unable to voice the fear clawing at your throat. Cyn steps closer, her neon-yellow optics gleaming with sick delight as one of her tendrils picks up a thick cable. At the end of it is a long, wickedly sharp needle.

She holds it up, almost playfully, before leaning in.

“Hold still. I do believe this has never been attempted, until now. Giggle.”

You try to resist, but some unseen force clamps down on you, stopping even the slightest movement of your head. Your body betrays you, locked in place as panic claws at your mind. You can only watch, helpless, as the tendril moves the needle behind your skull—out of sight, but not out of mind.

Cyn tilts her head, watching you with amusement. “Don’t worry. I am not finished with you. And you won’t remember any of this. Well, hopefully.” She lets out a small giggle, her gaze gleaming like a predator playing with its food. “Human minds are so much more fickle than drones.”

You barely have time to process her words before searing agony erupts through your skull. The needle drives deep, and a sensation like a lightning strike surges through your entire body. Every nerve ignites, every fiber of your being screams in protest as darkness swallows your vision. But the nightmare doesn’t end there.

Because while you may no longer see, you can still feel.

Pain unlike anything imaginable overtakes you as something indescribable is wrenched from your very core. Your mind—your self—is being torn away from the brain that has been yours since the moment you came into existence. You are being ripped from your own body. Thought ceases, coherence shatters, and all that remains is raw, unbearable agony.

And then, just as suddenly as it began—everything stops.

ADMINISTRATOR LOCKOUT: SUCCESSFULBEGINNING DISK CLEANUP||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||__ 94%

Uzi’s fingers fly across the keyboard, desperation fueling her rapid inputs as she fights against the process. Lines of code blur together as she forces command after command, trying anything to halt the inevitable. But the counter ticks up to 95%, unfazed by her efforts.

V’s patience shatters. She steps forward, optics burning with frustration. “That’s it. Send me in. Like you did with us.”

Uzi doesn’t even look up, still typing. “That’s a terrible idea.”

“I don’t care.”

“If you’re still inside when the process finishes, you’ll be erased too.” Uzi’s voice is sharp, but there’s a flicker of hesitation beneath it. “And as great as that might be,” she adds with biting sarcasm, “something tells me N won’t like that.”

V’s claws shoot out in a blur, stopping just short of Uzi’s throat. Her optics bore into the worker drone’s, raw with something Uzi doesn’t expect—desperation. “Let me try.”

For once, Uzi is speechless. She stares at V, weighing the risk, the sheer insanity of what she’s about to allow.

She exhales sharply and yanks a cable from the terminal, holding it out. “Fine. Plug yourself in.”

You sit in the void of your memories, a vast and endless darkness stretching infinitely around you. Faint echoes of experiences drift at the edges of your perception—things you know you've lived through, but they remain just out of reach, impossible to grasp. It’s all slipping away, unraveling like loose threads in a tapestry you can’t seem to hold together.

You blink, text appearing in your field of view once again:

 A-S Backup Process Enabled.

Purging Incriminating Data

:)

A soft giggle cuts through the silence.

Cyn stands before you, a cruel smile curling her lips as she takes in your broken state. You stare up at her, defeated. There’s nothing left to fight for. Nothing left at all.

She snaps her fingers.

V appears beside her—tall, imposing, her claws gleaming under an unseen light. Her fanged grin is sharp and cold, lacking any warmth.

“A shame my experiment failed,” Cyn muses, tilting her head. “You were quite intriguing to watch.”

V’s claws extend with a metallic shink, her optics narrowing as she sizes you up.

Cyn continues, her voice chillingly indifferent. “I pitied V enough to give you a chance, to be a tool for me just like her, but it’s clear you belong with everyone else—as part of me, the Solver of the Absolute Fabric.”

V lunges.

Her claws clamp around your throat, pinning you to the ground as she looms over you, fangs bared. You don’t fight. You don’t struggle. You don’t even flinch. You’re done.

But then—

V hesitates.

The pressure around your neck loosens. Instead of tearing into you, she lets go, pulling you back to your feet. Her claws retract as she gazes into your eyes, something unreadable flickering across her face.

“As fun as it would be to kill you,” she drawls, smirking, “I think that’d be rather anticlimactic, don’t you think?”

You blink. Confusion stirs in the emptiness of your mind. “What…? Why aren’t you—”

V groans, rubbing her temple. “You’ll get it in a minute.”

Without warning, she raises her arm, her hand shifting into a gun. She fires.

Cyn shatters in a burst of pixels.

Before you can even react, V grabs you by the shoulders, her expression urgent. “Listen to me—you need to snap out of it.”

You stare at her, the weight of her words not quite sinking in.

“You’re inside your own head,” she presses on. “Cyn’s rewriting you. She’s trying to make you forget everything.”

You try to respond, to ask her what she means, but she shakes her head. “No time for that.” Her grip tightens. “You have to remember. Remember me. Remember Uzi. Remember what’s happening in the real world!”

The void trembles. Cracks split through the darkness, revealing blinding white light beneath. The world around you begins to shatter, pixel by pixel.

V’s optics widen in alarm. “No, no, no—stay with me!”

Panicked, she grabs you by the arms and yanks you into a hug, holding you tight. “Come on,” she pleads, her voice almost breaking. “You have to remember—”

The pixels overtake you both.

V gasps as she is suddenly yanked from the simulation, the world around her dissolving into nothing. She flips around, fury already building in her chest—only to see N standing there, holding the cable that had connected her.

Her optics widen in horror. “What did you do?” she screams, her voice raw with disbelief.

She spins back toward Techie, still slumped in their chair, their optics flickering with a new message.

ADMINISTRATOR LOCKOUT: SUCCESSFULDISK CLEANUP COMPLETE||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 100%

The silence that follows is suffocating.

Uzi stares at the screen, then at Techie’s motionless form. Her shoulders tremble, her expression caught between disbelief and devastation. She  failed.

N shifts, gripping the cable tightly as if he can somehow undo what he just did. “V, I—I couldn’t let you get erased too,” he stammers, barely above a whisper. “Losing both of you would just be… too much.”

V barely hears him. She is already at Techie’s side, dropping to her knees as the weight of it all crashes down. Her fingers dig into their arms as she shakes them, harder and harder, desperation creeping into her voice. “I can’t do this,” she chokes out. “Not again. Not again!”

And then, Techie’s system reboots.

Their optics flicker, the dull glow returning as their head tilts slightly.

“Hello,” they say, their voice eerily neutral. “Are you my new coworkers?”

Silence.

Uzi and N don’t move. V can only stare.

Because she knows. They all know.

Techie is gone. Completely erased.

V sits back, her arms falling limply to her sides as she gazes at the drone before her—not them, just an empty shell, stripped of everything that made them Techie. All that remains is the default programming of a Worker Drone.

How ironic.

All the destruction she has wrought, all the pain she has caused—and this is how the universe chooses to punish her. Not with fire, not with death, but with loss. Loss of something she only just got back.

N had forgotten his past. But she never had. She remembered everything. She knows exactly what she has done. And yet…

Here she is.

With a slow, weary exhale, she rises to her feet.

She takes one last look at the drone sitting before her, their optics scanning the room in vague curiosity.

What’s the point in fighting anymore? Cyn will win. She always wins.

She reaches out, her hand trembling as she places it against their cheek. A tiny crackle of static sparks between them.

The moment their metal touches, Techie’s visor glitches, their entire body shuddering violently.

V steps back in shock as the drone collapses, crashing to the floor in a twitching heap.

Even in her last act of comfort, she’s managed to kill something. How tragically ironic.

Your optics flutter open as your systems jolt back to life, rebooting in a rush of energy. The world around you sharpens into focus, bright and overwhelming, as everything comes flooding back at once. It’s disorienting—the sheer weight of your memories crashing over you like a tidal wave. You try to sit up, your joints stiff and unresponsive at first, but you push through the discomfort. Blinking rapidly, you take in your surroundings.

Uzi and N are standing in front of you, their expressions twisted in confusion, eyes locked onto you as if they’re unsure whether to believe what they’re seeing. You glance past them, spotting V in the corner of the room. She isn’t looking at you. Instead, she stares off into space, her posture stiff, her face unreadable. 

You turn back to Uzi, your voice hoarse and unsteady as you manage to speak. “Uzi? What… what the hell did you do to me?”

The reaction is immediate. Uzi’s eyes go wide, her whole body tensing. She sucks in a sharp breath, realization dawning in an instant—you remember her. Her shock is evident, but before she can respond, something else happens.

V moves.

Before you can react, she is suddenly in front of you, grabbing you by the shoulders and lifting you off the ground. The intensity in her yellow optics burns into you as she stares, searching your face with a desperate kind of urgency. “Techie?!” Her voice is sharp, demanding, almost frantic. She scans your expression as if looking for a glitch, for some kind of mistake.

Your body tenses at the sudden force, and you struggle slightly in her grip, groaning in protest. “Yes! It’s me! Please put me down.”

For once, she listens. She sets you down on your feet, a significant improvement over her usual habit of just dropping you. Your legs feel unsteady, but you manage to stay upright, adjusting to the sensation of simply being again.

V wastes no time. “Do you remember everything?” she asks, and something in her tone makes your systems freeze for a second.

Everything.

The word echoes in your mind, and suddenly, it all hits.

Your life—your entire life—rushes back to you in an instant, slamming into your consciousness with the force of a collapsing building. It’s overwhelming, the sheer amount of it, so much that it feels like your head might split open from the sheer pressure. Your time as a drone, your time as a human, all of it returns in a flood, every emotion, every experience, every loss, every joy. The weight of an entire existence, something you hadn’t even fathomed regaining, comes crashing down with relentless intensity.

You stagger slightly, your fingers twitching as you try to process the sudden influx of knowledge. It’s too much all at once, the past and present colliding in a way that makes your head spin. Every moment, every decision, every version of yourself that you thought was lost—it’s all here. You’re here.

And you have no idea what to do with it.

Your voice catches in your throat, your entire system struggling to process the sheer weight of what’s just returned to you. You force out a breath, trying to steady yourself, but even that feels like too much. "I... I remember..." The words are shaky, barely more than a whisper. "I remember everything..."

Your optics flicker slightly as a name slips from your mouth. "Cyn..."

At that, Uzi's entire posture shifts. Her expression tightens, and a look of realization flashes across her face. It’s like she had momentarily forgotten why any of this was happening—why they had gone through all of this in the first place. But now, with that single name spoken aloud, it all comes rushing back.

"Nope," Uzi says, cutting off whatever breakdown you’re about to have. "We’re putting the 'my entire life is a lie' crisis on hold. We need to leave. Now."

You barely have time to react before a glow ignites around her hand. That same energy surges outward, wrapping around you before you can so much as blink. The room distorts, reality twisting and folding in on itself, the world around you shattering like a fractured mirror. The force nearly knocks you off your feet as everything warps.

Then—nothing.

Except cold.

Your optics adjust to the sudden change in lighting, and you realize you’re no longer inside. The facility, the walls, the floor—all of it is gone. Instead, you're standing outside, the frozen wasteland of Copper-9 stretching out in every direction. Ice crunches beneath your feet, the wind biting against your frame. The brutal cold is nothing new, but the suddenness of it leaves you reeling.

You barely have time to process what just happened before you see them.

Standing in front of you, unmistakable even through the swirling snow, is Doll. Next to her is J—her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. And beside them...

A woman.

You don’t recognize her. She’s clad in a space suit, her helmet obscuring most of her features, but there’s no doubt about it, she’s human.

Your mind races, trying to grasp onto something—anything—that could make sense of this. Your eyes dart to the nametag on her chest.

Tessa.

What the actual hell is happening?

[indohyus]

some of my favorite chill internet activities that aren't just passive scrolling:

organize my Pinterest boards, delete irrelevant pins, plan crafts & art projects

go thru my likes & follows on tumblr, curate my blog, tag posts

take quizzes on sporcle lol

find local artists on Bandcamp, listen to new music, download free albums & tracks

read articles that my mutuals have reblogged, explore their substack and deviant art pages

make lists of books, movies, and shows I want to watch that I've discovered thru the internet

watch trail cam, aquarium, nest livestreams

go thru my watch later on YouTube and find something I wouldn't normally watch, find a video that teaches me something new

send my friends music and videos and articles I think they'll like

look for free/cheap events in my area and add them to my calendar

look for & read webcomics

boredbutton

play games from the flashpoint archive

look for books on the internet archive

watch music videos for songs i prominently remember from childhood

brainstorm fan fiction, headcanons, essays on any topic

investigate the life story of a public figure I'm interested in

general housekeeping for my files & storage, run disk cleanup on my computer

Tumblr ask games, tag games, and bingo cards

find & download/bookmark pirated media

try and find that fic I read one time

search topics on the marginalia search engine and fall down a rabbit hole of blogs from 10+ years ago

"if x fictional creature was real, how would it's physiology work?"

make memes and edits using photopea, canva, imgflip, etc.

model buildings on the free browser version of SketchUp

[ms-demeanor]

I downloaded CCleaner at the recommendation of an IT friend. I believe u know what ur talking abt but why is it bad

Short answer:

While running a registry cleaner is useless at best, it's dangerous at worst. As mentioned, the registry is home to lots of important values that both Windows and third-party programs use. If you delete, move, or damage these keys, critical system functions could fail to work.

Since registry cleaners are automated, there's a good chance that their registry scan could tag something as unnecessary when it's actually important. And unless you're a registry expert and check every entry before deleting them, you could cause major damage to your system by deleting something inadvertently.

Basically it's extremely unlikely that registry entries are going to cause problems simply by having a lot of them but it's extremely likely that registry entries are going to cause problems if they're messed with without a lot of really careful attention.

Your computer is a really, really, really smart machine and even with tens of thousands of entries your registry isn't a challenge for the computer to read or access*, but it is a challenge for YOU to read or access. So what registry cleaners have done over the years is marketed themselves as a way to "clean up" your registry and make things faster which doesn't actually make any sense in terms of how the computer works but makes *intuitive* sense to a human looking at a big confusing registry full of entries and extensions that you don't understand.

You shouldn't mess around with your registry unless you are very certain you know what you're doing and have taken a good, complete backup of your computer very recently. You shouldn't trust third parties to mess around in your registry at all.

People tend to like the other tools offered by programs like CCleaner but those are pretty much just a middleman doing stuff that there are already tools built into the OS for. You don't need special software to clean up junk files or adjust what runs on startup, disk cleanup and task manager can do that without installing a third-party software on your computer.

And that is *aside* from the fact that CCleaner specifically has had some incidents of running malware and registry cleaners generally trying to get you to either click on ads or purchase upgrades.

*back in the beforetimes of the 90s registry entries did sometimes cause problems and Microsoft made its own registry cleaner, which went out of support in 1998 because it did kind of help with some stuff but created more problems than it resolved and also it became obsolete when computers started having more processing power and memory and the underlying software was improved. And here's a post that's nearly 20 years old discussing why registry cleaners aren't necessary and can cause problems.

[chiefofboatwatsonstittymug]

When the bosses are always complaining that the computer is slow but it's running Windows 7 and none of them know what the phrase 'disk cleanup' means suggesting it has never been maintained

[regalvoid]

i love you run Disk Cleanup as Administrator

[fitlifefuel]

How to Free Up Space on Windows 10: A Comprehensive Guide

As your Windows 10 system accumulates more files and applications, it can start to slow down and become less efficient. Freeing up space not only improves your system’s performance but also extends its lifespan. In this guide, we’ll explore various methods to free up space on Windows 10, going beyond the basics to ensure you have a well-optimized system.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Understanding Disk Space Usage

Utilizing Built-in Windows Tools

Disk Cleanup

Storage Sense

Uninstalling Unnecessary Applications

Managing Temporary and Cached Files

Cleaning Up System Files

Windows Update Cleanup

System Restore and Shadow Copies

Using Third-Party Disk Cleaners

Handling Large Files and Folders

Moving Data to External Storage

Using Cloud Storage Solutions

Conclusion

1. Introduction

As modern software and files grow larger, managing disk space effectively becomes crucial. This guide offers practical steps and tips to reclaim disk space on your Windows 10 computer, ensuring it runs smoothly and efficiently.

2. Understanding Disk Space Usage

Before freeing up space, it’s essential to understand how your disk space is being used. Navigate to Settings > System > Storage to view a detailed breakdown. This will help identify which areas need attention.

3. Utilizing Built-in Windows Tools

Disk Cleanup

Windows 10 features a built-in Disk Cleanup tool designed to delete unnecessary files. To access it:

Type “Disk Cleanup” in the search bar and select the app.

Choose the drive you want to clean.

Select the file types to delete (e.g., temporary files, system cache).

Storage Sense

Storage Sense automates disk cleanup. To enable it:

Go to Settings > System > Storage.

Toggle on Storage Sense and configure settings to regularly delete temporary files.

4. Uninstalling Unnecessary Applications

Unused applications take up significant space. To uninstall them:

Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.

Review the list and uninstall non-essential programs.

5. Managing Temporary and Cached Files

Temporary files can quickly accumulate and consume disk space. Use Disk Cleanup or third-party tools to regularly clear these files. Browsers also store cached data, which can be cleared from the browser settings.

6. Cleaning Up System Files

Windows Update Cleanup

Old update files can take up substantial space. Disk Cleanup includes an option to remove these:

Open Disk Cleanup and select Clean up system files.

Choose Windows Update Cleanup.

System Restore and Shadow Copies

System Restore points and shadow copies can consume significant disk space. Manage these by:

Typing “System Protection” in the search bar.

Selecting the drive and clicking Configure.

Adjusting the Max Usage slider to limit space usage.

7. Using Third-Party Disk Cleaners

Third-party tools like CCleaner provide more comprehensive cleaning options. They can remove junk files, clean registries, and manage startup programs to free up space.

8. Handling Large Files and Folders

Identifying and managing large files is crucial. Use tools like WinDirStat to find large files and folders. Consider moving non-essential large files to external storage.

9. Moving Data to External Storage

Free up space by moving data such as videos, photos, and documents to external hard drives or USB sticks. Ensure you regularly back up important data to avoid loss.

10. Using Cloud Storage Solutions

Cloud storage services like OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox offer substantial space. Move infrequently accessed files to the cloud to save local disk space.

11. Conclusion

Regular maintenance and mindful storage practices can keep your Windows 10 system running efficiently. Use the tips and tools outlined in this guide to manage and optimize your disk space effectively.

External Authoritative Sources

Microsoft Support: Free up drive space in Windows

CCleaner Official Website

How-To Geek: The Ultimate Guide to Freeing Up Space on Your Windows PC

By following these detailed steps, you can efficiently manage and optimize your disk space on Windows 10, ensuring your system remains fast and reliable.

[elizabethplaid]

Idk wtf is happening, but my C: disk is nearly full on my computer? It wasn't like this a month ago; I don't know what happened. I've been deleting temp files, cookies, cleared my desktop. Uninstalled unused Steam games; moved nearly all of my desktop stuff to my D: drive.

It's not the documents/pictures/music folders, as those seem to be reasonable chunks of data. It says 6GB of 218GB free and has a red "nearly full" bar. That's 2GB better than it was before the clean-up.

If anything, I've been downloading a lot of images to my D: drive lately, but that shouldn't affect the C: drive.

I've run CCleaner and the disk cleanup utility. Next step will be asking my dad for help.

[mushtoons]

Hi there! I noticed you guys were attempting to reset your computer in hopes of it running faster but unfortunately there was not much improvement and there was a loss of files. I really love your guys art and wanted to help out a bit. Though, please research and take some advice with a grain of salt.

1. When reseting a computer without wanting to lose data - BACK IT UP - whether this be through a USB drive, the cloud, or an external hard drive, this will ensure no important data is lost

2. Assuming this computer is a desktop and not a laptop, if it’s really old, reseting it will do a moderate job at improving the speed. Upgrading the components inside the desktop is ideal here, mainly:

- Changing the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) to an SSD (Solid State Drive) or upgrading the HDDs storage capacity

- Upgrading the RAM

- Upgrading other components inside such as the processor would help too but it’s pricey

3. Lastly, clean out the desktop to remove dust an debris using computer air dusters

^^^ Turn off and Unplug any connections before upgrade or cleanup ^^^

Optional: Switch your OS

- Linux is known for being much faster than other OS’s and uses less hard drive space and Windows

- Windows tiny 11 is lightweight as it’s a stripped down version of Windows 11

Hopefully, this information is actually helpful to you all!

we did a few of these!! sadly our old girl is a laptop and shes barely kicking but she's kicking none the less! thank u sm for this!! there are a few we're gonna try and hopefully they work!!!! ahhh!!!

[rudolf-mackenzie]

How to Speed Up Your Windows 11 PC

1. Manage autostart programs-disable unnecessary startup program.

Here is how to stop a program from starting automatically

Select the Start  button, then select Settings  > Apps  > Startup .In the Startup Apps area, find the program you want to stop from starting automatically and set it to Off.

2. Clear memory via disk cleanup

To delete temporary files:

In the search box on the taskbar, type disk cleanup, and select Disk Cleanup from the list of results.

Select the drive you want to clean up, and then select OK.

Under Files to delete, select the file types to get rid of. To get a description of the file type, select it.

Select OK.

If you need to free up more space, you can also delete system files:

In Disk Cleanup, select Clean up system files.

Select the file types to get rid of. To get a description of the file type, select it.

Select OK.

3. Uninstall obsolete programs

Select the Start  button, then select Settings  > Apps.

Find the programs you don’t need, click on it and then select “uninstall”

4.  Turn off shadows, animations, and visual effects

In the Windows 11 search box, type sysdm.cpl, press Enter, and then click the sysdm.cpl icon. That launches the Control Panel’s System Properties dialog box. Click the Advanced tab and click Settings in the Performance section. That brings you to the Performance Options dialog box. (Make sure you’re on the Visual Effects tab of the dialog box.) You’ll see a varied list of animations and special effects.

These are the animations and special effects you’ll probably want to turn off, because they have the greatest effect on system performance:

Animate controls and elements inside windows

Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing

Animations in the taskbar

Fade or slide menus into view

Fade or slide ToolTips into view

Fade out menu items after clicking

Show shadows under windows

However, it’s a lot easier to just select the Adjust for best performance option at the top of the screen and click OK. Windows 11 will then turn off the effects that slow down your system.

5. Turn off background apps

Select the Start  button, then select Settings  > Apps .

Scroll to the entry of the background app you wish to adjust settings for.

Click on the three-dot icon and then on “Advanced options”.

In the “Background apps permissions” section, select “Never”.

6. Turn off app notifications

Select the Start  button, then select Settings  > System> Notifications, and move the slider to “Off”.

7. Make sure you have the latest updates for Windows and device driver

Select the Start  button, then select Settings  > Windows Update  > Check for updates.

Select the updates you want to install, then select Install.

Restart your PC and see if it seems to run better.

8. Check for low disk space and free up space

You may improve performance if you free some disk space on your PC.

To check for low disk space

Select the Start  button, then select Settings  > System  > Storage . Open Storage settings

Your drives will be listed in the Storage area. Note the amount of free space and total size for each drive.

9. Pause OneDrive Syncing

On the taskbar, look for OneDrive  near the notification area.

Select OneDrive  > Help & Settings  > Pause syncing,and then choose how long you want to pause syncing your files.

10.  Check for and remove viruses and malware

Running a system scan to find viruses and malware. If you’ve already installed a security suite such as Norton Security or McAfee LiveSafe, you can use that. Windows 11’s built-in anti-malware app, Windows Defender, also does a great job. 

Just type Windows Defender in the search box, press Enter, and click Scan Now. Windows Defender will look for malware and remove any it finds.

11. Last but not the least , if your have a non-genuine Windows 11 on your computer , please activate it with a genuine Windows 11 Key from the Microsfot partner store keyingo.com

[jommunism]

Run disk cleanup as admin. likely lots of old windows updates and stale packages. if that doesn't fix it, open PowerShell as admin and run this command

dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase

any computer people wanna explain how the hell this works

it wont let me do shit bc i apparently have 81 gigs of apps clogging my c drive, but my largest app is 0.4gb?????? its not system applications either because system is its own segment of storage. wadda hell are you talking about

[hawkstack]

Migrating Virtual Machines to Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization with Ansible Automation Platform

As enterprises modernize their IT infrastructure, migrating legacy virtual machines (VMs) into container-native platforms has become a strategic priority. Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization provides a powerful solution by enabling organizations to run traditional VMs alongside container workloads on a single, Kubernetes-native platform. When paired with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, the migration process becomes more consistent, scalable, and fully automated.

In this article, we explore how Ansible Automation Platform can be leveraged to simplify and accelerate the migration of VMs to OpenShift Virtualization.

Why Migrate to OpenShift Virtualization?

OpenShift Virtualization allows organizations to:

Consolidate VMs and containers on a single platform.

Simplify operations through unified management.

Enable DevOps teams to interact with VMs using Kubernetes-native tools.

Improve resource utilization and reduce infrastructure sprawl.

This hybrid approach is ideal for enterprises that are transitioning to cloud-native architectures but still rely on critical VM-based workloads.

Challenges in VM Migration

Migrating VMs from traditional hypervisors like VMware vSphere, Red Hat Virtualization (RHV), or KVM to OpenShift Virtualization involves several tasks:

Assessing and planning for VM compatibility.

Exporting and transforming VM images.

Reconfiguring networking and storage.

Managing downtime and validation.

Ensuring repeatability across multiple workloads.

Manual migrations are error-prone and time-consuming, especially at scale. This is where Ansible comes in.

Role of Ansible Automation Platform in VM Migration

Ansible Automation Platform enables IT teams to:

Automate complex migration workflows.

Integrate with existing IT tools and APIs.

Enforce consistency across environments.

Reduce human error and operational overhead.

With pre-built Ansible Content Collections, playbooks, and automation workflows, teams can automate VM inventory collection, image conversion, import into OpenShift Virtualization, and post-migration validation.

High-Level Migration Workflow with Ansible

Here's a high-level view of how a migration process can be automated:

Inventory Discovery Use Ansible modules to gather VM data from vSphere or RHV environments.

Image Extraction and Conversion Automate the export of VM disks and convert them to a format compatible with OpenShift Virtualization (QCOW2 or RAW).

Upload to OpenShift Virtualization Use virtctl or Kubernetes API to upload images to OpenShift and define the VM manifest (YAML).

Create VirtualMachines in OpenShift Apply VM definitions using Ansible's Kubernetes modules.

Configure Networking and Storage Attach necessary networks (e.g., Multus, SR-IOV) and persistent storage (PVCs) automatically.

Validation and Testing Run automated smoke tests or application checks to verify successful migration.

Decommission Legacy VMs If needed, automate the shutdown and cleanup of source VMs.

Sample Ansible Playbook Snippet

Below is a simplified snippet to upload a VM disk and create a VM in OpenShift:

- name: Upload VM disk and create VM

  hosts: localhost

  tasks:

    - name: Upload QCOW2 image to OpenShift

      command: >

        virtctl image-upload pvc {{ vm_name }}-disk

        --image-path {{ qcow2_path }}

        --pvc-size {{ disk_size }}

        --access-mode ReadWriteOnce

        --storage-class {{ storage_class }}

        --namespace {{ namespace }}

        --wait-secs 300

      environment:

        KUBECONFIG: "{{ kubeconfig_path }}"

    - name: Apply VM YAML manifest

      k8s:

        state: present

        definition: "{{ lookup('file', 'vm-definitions/{{ vm_name }}.yaml') }}"

Integrating with Ansible Tower / AAP Controller

For enterprise-scale automation, these playbooks can be run through Ansible Automation Platform (formerly Ansible Tower), offering:

Role-based access control (RBAC)

Job scheduling and logging

Workflow chaining for multi-step migrations

Integration with ServiceNow, Git, or CI/CD pipelines

Red Hat Migration Toolkit for Virtualization (MTV)

Red Hat also offers the Migration Toolkit for Virtualization (MTV), which integrates with OpenShift and can be invoked via Ansible playbooks or REST APIs. MTV supports bulk migrations from RHV and vSphere to OpenShift Virtualization and can be used in tandem with custom automation workflows.

Final Thoughts

Migrating to OpenShift Virtualization is a strategic step toward modern, unified infrastructure. By leveraging Ansible Automation Platform, organizations can automate and scale this migration efficiently, minimizing downtime and manual effort.

Whether you are starting with a few VMs or migrating hundreds across environments, combining Red Hat's automation and virtualization solutions provides a future-proof path to infrastructure modernization.

For more details www.hawkstack.com

[yamicsoftwindowsrepair]

Clean and Optimize Your Windows Registry with Yamicsoft Windows Manager

The Windows Registry is the brain of your operating system — a vast database that stores low-level settings for the OS and all installed applications. But as you install, uninstall, and use programs over time, the registry can become bloated with invalid, outdated, or redundant entries. This can slow down your PC, cause system errors, or even lead to crashes.

Enter Yamicsoft Windows Manager, a trusted all-in-one optimization tool that includes a powerful Registry Cleaner to keep your system running smoothly.

Why Registry Cleanup Matters

While the registry is essential to Windows functionality, it can also become a major performance bottleneck if not maintained. Common problems include:

Orphaned entries from uninstalled programs

Invalid file associations

Broken shortcuts and path references

Obsolete driver data

Application leftovers

Cleaning the registry can result in faster boot times, fewer system errors, and more responsive software behavior.

How Yamicsoft’s Registry Cleaner Works

Yamicsoft Windows Manager includes a smart, user-friendly Registry Cleaner that goes beyond basic scans. It is designed to safely identify and remove invalid registry entries without harming system stability.

Key Features:

Deep Scan Options

Scans multiple areas of the registry including COM/ActiveX, file types, fonts, application paths, shared DLLs, and more.

Safe Cleaning with Backup

Automatically backs up registry changes before cleanup, allowing easy restoration if needed.

One-Click Repair

Fix multiple issues instantly with just one click.

Exclusion List

Add sensitive or trusted entries to the exclusion list to prevent them from being modified.

Registry Defragmentation

Compresses and reorganizes the registry structure to reduce access time and increase system speed.

Benefits of Using Yamicsoft for Registry Cleanup

✔ Improved System Performance: Faster application loading and smoother multitasking.

✔ Greater Stability: Fewer crashes and error messages.

✔ Enhanced Boot Time: Reduces startup lag by eliminating invalid startup references.

✔ Automated Maintenance: Schedule regular registry scans and cleanups.

✔ Beginner-Friendly Interface: No technical knowledge required — safe for everyday users.

Best Practices for Registry Maintenance

Always backup the registry before making major changes.

Avoid using multiple registry cleaners — stick with a trusted tool like Yamicsoft.

Combine registry cleaning with disk cleanup and startup optimization for best results.

Conclusion

The Windows Registry plays a critical role in system performance and stability. With Yamicsoft Windows Manager’s Registry Cleaner, you get a safe, efficient, and effective way to maintain your PC’s health without diving into complex settings. Whether you're a novice or a power user, this tool helps you clean, repair, and optimize your system in just a few clicks.

✅ Download Yamicsoft Windows Manager Today

Experience smoother performance and fewer errors. 👉 https://www.yamicsoft.com

[mooncorebunny]

Note: Microsoft helpfully removed the automatic cleanup button from the disk drive Properties window in Windows 11. It can still be run through the start menu - just search for "Disk Cleanup".

i thought my laptop was on its last leg because it was running at six billion degrees and using 100% disk space at all times and then i turned off shadows and some other windows effects and it was immediately cured. i just did the same to my roommate's computer and its performance issues were also immediately cured. okay. i guess.

so i guess if you have creaky freezy windows 10/11 try searching "advanced system settings", go to performance settings, and uncheck "show shadows under windows" and anything else you don't want. hope that helps someone else.

[regalvoid]

Look, just run Disk Cleanup as an Administrator okay? Check all the boxes, clear it all out.

It is very satisfying to see big number go down and if you havent done it before you will probably free up a lot of space