Windows Server Disk Quota – Setup and Configure

In the previous post, we looked at the disk quota functionality and how quotas are handy in limiting disk space utilization for shared systems. This is crucial in ensuring that all users get equal space allocation and systems’ performance is kept at an optimal level. In this post, we’ll take a practical approach and see how we can manage and control disk space utilization to prevent users from filling up the hard disk and leaving no more space for anyone. To recap some of the important features about disk quotas, the quota can only be applied to volumes which have been formatted in NTFS filesystem. They are mostly used in corporate networks but can as well be used on a home PC running Windows OS including the basic Windows 10 home. You can choose to set quotas per individual user or apply them on everyone. However, you cannot implement limits on groups. For best practices, quotas should be configured or set per volume basis and not per computer, and upon execution, newly added users will begin using them as expected. That said, let’s dive deeper and see how you can implement this functionality to manage and control hard drive space utilization.

Setting Quota Limits

Although implementing quotas can be done on any disk volume, it can prove quite tricky setting limits on Drive C, which is the Windows installation volume. Try as much as possible to enable quotas on secondary volumes or partitions and plan accordingly. There are two ways of setting quotas. You can set them per account or on a volume basis. Let’s see how you can set quotas on Account basis:

Setting up Quota Per Account basis on Windows

If you want to set disk space limit on end users, while at the same time having your account occupy unlimited space, follow the steps outlined below:

1. Fire up the File Explorer. This is done by using the (Windows key + E) shortcut.
2. On Windows 10, Locate This PC tab and click on it.
3. Under “Devices and drives,” right-click on the preferred drive that you wish to manage. In the menu that appears, select Properties option.
4. Select the Quota tab.
5. Click the Show Quota settings tab.
6. The Quota status Windows will open. Check the first option, which is the Enable quota management option.
7. Just below the option in 6 above, Locate and Check the Deny disk space to users exceeding quota limit option. This option enables disk space limitation.
8. Next, Click on the Quote Entries button at the bottom right corner of the window
9. In case the account you want to restrict is not listed, click Quota, and select New Quota Entry.
10. In the “Select Users” tab, click on the Advanced button. This displays a pop up window
11. Next, click on the Find Now button.
12. At the bottom of the Windows, a list of user accounts will be listed. Select the account you’d want to effect limits on.
13. Next, Press OK.
14. Press OK again in the previous Window.
15. Select the Limit disk space to radio button option.
16. Set the desired volume of space you’d want and specify the restriction unit size (for instance, MB, GB or TB).
17. Set the preferred space size before a warning is triggered and specify the size unit (for instance, MB, GB or TB).
18. Click on Apply option.
19. Finally, Click on OK.

After following and completing the above procedure, the quotas will take effect immediately users login in. Users will be restricted to the amount of disk space size set and get a warning when approaching the limit as specified in step 16 and 17 above.

Setting up Quota Per Volume basis on Windows

Should you decide to limit the available storage space for all users, follow the steps outlined below:

1. Fire up File Explorer. This is done by using the (Windows key + E) shortcut.
2. On Windows 10, Locate This PC tab and click on it.
3. Under the “Devices and drives,” section, right-click on the preferred drive that you wish to manage. In the menu that appears, select Properties option.
4. Hit on the Quota tab.
5. Click the Show Quota Settings tab.
6. The Quota status Windows will open. Check the first option, which is the Enable quota management option.
7. Next, Locate and Check the Deny disk space to users exceeding quota limit option. This option enables disk space limitation.
8. Select the Limit disk space to option.
9. Set the desired amount of space and specify the size unit (e.g., MB, GB).
10. Set the amount of space before a warning is triggered to the user and specify the size unit (for example, MB or GB).
11. Click Apply.
12. Click OK.
13. Finally, Reboot your computer.

Once you completed the above procedure, all accounts on your system will now be able to use part of the total available disk space storage. A warning will be triggered to alert or warn users that they’re approaching their maximum storage quota. Should the threshold be reached, users will no longer be able to create and store any more files on the volume. They will either have to delete existing files or move them to another location.

One can always adjust – increase or decrease – the storage quota by making changes to the Limit disk space to & Set warning level to options in step 8

If you decide that you no longer want to put restrictions on the hard disk volume users can use on a drive, you can use the same instructions. In step number 8, select Do not limit disk usage option and uncheck the Deny disk space to users exceeding quota limit as well as the Enable quota management options.

In summary, we have seen how you can plan and implement disk quotas on Windows Systems, both on per user account and volume basis. In the next post, we’ll see some of the challenges that are likely to occur and how you can go around them.