The "Insufficient free disk space. Please free at least 5MB" error in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

is a notorious bug that typically occurs regardless of how much actual storage space you have. It is often caused by permission issues, corrupt configuration files, or memory management glitches. Top Fixes for PC

Grant Folder Permissions: Navigate to your game folder (usually Steam/steamapps/common/Call of Duty Advanced Warfare). Right-click the folder, go to Properties > Security > Edit, and check Full Control for all listed users.

Run as Administrator: Right-click the game's .exe file and select Run as Administrator. You can also set this permanently in the Compatibility tab under Properties. Modify Video Memory Scale: Go to your game's players2 folder. Open config.cfg with a text editor. Search for the line seta r_videoMemoryScale. Change the value from "1" to "0.5" and save the file.

Reset Virtual Memory (Pagefile): Some users fix this by setting their Windows Pagefile to System Managed. Go to System Properties > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory and select "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives".

Delete Configuration Files: Delete the files inside the players2 folder (back them up first). The game will regenerate clean versions upon the next launch. Fixes for Consoles (Xbox & PlayStation)

Here’s a detailed content piece you can use for a blog, forum post, or YouTube description.

Step 5: Re-enable Cloud Saves (Optional but recommended)

  1. Go back to Steam Properties.
  2. Toggle Steam Cloud ON.
  3. Launch the game again.
  4. When Steam asks "Which files do you want to keep?" select Local Files (the new, working ones). Do not select "Cloud" or the error will return immediately.

Fix 1: Delete the “players2” Folder (Most Effective)

The game stores your settings and shader cache in a folder that frequently gets corrupted.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to: Documents\Call of Duty Advanced Warfare\
  3. Find the folder named players2.
  4. Delete this entire folder. (Don’t worry—the game will recreate it cleanly.)
  5. Restart the game and try joining a server.

Fix 6: Verify Game Files (Steam)

Fix 4: Remove Third-Party Mods & ReShade

The 5 MB error is infamous for triggering if you have ReShade, SweetFX, or any custom texture mods installed.

Why this error will never be patched

It is important to set realistic expectations. Sledgehammer Games and Activision stopped supporting Advanced Warfare years ago. The "5MB error" is a legacy bug from the Xbox 360/PS3 era memory management system. The engine expects a specific memory address for saving, and when Windows 10/11 or modern console updates change how that address is handled, the game panics and throws the generic "5MB" error.

Because no new development is happening on this title, you must be your own IT technician. Fortunately, the steps above have a 99% success rate across the community.

Method 2: The "Windows Defender Controlled Folder Access" Fix

With Windows 10 and 11, Microsoft introduced "Controlled Folder Access" (Ransomware protection). If enabled, it blocks any unknown app from editing your Documents, Pictures, or Videos folders.

  1. Open Windows Security (Type into Start Menu).
  2. Click Virus & threat protection.
  3. Scroll down and click Manage ransomware protection.
  4. Toggle Controlled folder access to Off (temporarily).
  5. Test the game.

If you want to keep it ON:

  1. Click Allow an app through Controlled folder access.
  2. Click Add an allowed app > Recently blocked apps.
  3. Find s1_sp64_ship.exe and add it.

Part 1: The PC Fix (Steam)

This is the most common platform for the error. Follow these steps in order. Do not skip the "Hidden Files" step.

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Cod Advanced Warfare 5mb Error Fix Work

The "Insufficient free disk space. Please free at least 5MB" error in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

is a notorious bug that typically occurs regardless of how much actual storage space you have. It is often caused by permission issues, corrupt configuration files, or memory management glitches. Top Fixes for PC

Grant Folder Permissions: Navigate to your game folder (usually Steam/steamapps/common/Call of Duty Advanced Warfare). Right-click the folder, go to Properties > Security > Edit, and check Full Control for all listed users.

Run as Administrator: Right-click the game's .exe file and select Run as Administrator. You can also set this permanently in the Compatibility tab under Properties. Modify Video Memory Scale: Go to your game's players2 folder. Open config.cfg with a text editor. Search for the line seta r_videoMemoryScale. Change the value from "1" to "0.5" and save the file. cod advanced warfare 5mb error fix

Reset Virtual Memory (Pagefile): Some users fix this by setting their Windows Pagefile to System Managed. Go to System Properties > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory and select "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives".

Delete Configuration Files: Delete the files inside the players2 folder (back them up first). The game will regenerate clean versions upon the next launch. Fixes for Consoles (Xbox & PlayStation)

Here’s a detailed content piece you can use for a blog, forum post, or YouTube description. The "Insufficient free disk space

Step 5: Re-enable Cloud Saves (Optional but recommended)

  1. Go back to Steam Properties.
  2. Toggle Steam Cloud ON.
  3. Launch the game again.
  4. When Steam asks "Which files do you want to keep?" select Local Files (the new, working ones). Do not select "Cloud" or the error will return immediately.

Fix 1: Delete the “players2” Folder (Most Effective)

The game stores your settings and shader cache in a folder that frequently gets corrupted.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to: Documents\Call of Duty Advanced Warfare\
  3. Find the folder named players2.
  4. Delete this entire folder. (Don’t worry—the game will recreate it cleanly.)
  5. Restart the game and try joining a server.

Fix 6: Verify Game Files (Steam)

  • Right-click the game in Steam → Properties → Installed Files.
  • Click Verify integrity of game files.
  • Steam will replace any missing or corrupted files.

Fix 4: Remove Third-Party Mods & ReShade

The 5 MB error is infamous for triggering if you have ReShade, SweetFX, or any custom texture mods installed.

  • Navigate to your game install folder (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Call of Duty Advanced Warfare).
  • Delete any files named: dxgi.dll, d3d11.dll, ReShade.fx, or SweetFX folders.
  • Run the Verify Integrity (Fix 2) after removing them.

Why this error will never be patched

It is important to set realistic expectations. Sledgehammer Games and Activision stopped supporting Advanced Warfare years ago. The "5MB error" is a legacy bug from the Xbox 360/PS3 era memory management system. The engine expects a specific memory address for saving, and when Windows 10/11 or modern console updates change how that address is handled, the game panics and throws the generic "5MB" error. Step 5: Re-enable Cloud Saves (Optional but recommended)

Because no new development is happening on this title, you must be your own IT technician. Fortunately, the steps above have a 99% success rate across the community.

Method 2: The "Windows Defender Controlled Folder Access" Fix

With Windows 10 and 11, Microsoft introduced "Controlled Folder Access" (Ransomware protection). If enabled, it blocks any unknown app from editing your Documents, Pictures, or Videos folders.

  1. Open Windows Security (Type into Start Menu).
  2. Click Virus & threat protection.
  3. Scroll down and click Manage ransomware protection.
  4. Toggle Controlled folder access to Off (temporarily).
  5. Test the game.

If you want to keep it ON:

  1. Click Allow an app through Controlled folder access.
  2. Click Add an allowed app > Recently blocked apps.
  3. Find s1_sp64_ship.exe and add it.

Part 1: The PC Fix (Steam)

This is the most common platform for the error. Follow these steps in order. Do not skip the "Hidden Files" step.