reinstall win 8.1

I finished and the last thing I was trying to do was clean up system files.
It seems that it is hung up. After it calculates, I run to clean system files but the fan runs and the green bar does not end. It continues to say Windows update clean up.
There is very little there and should be removed fast but it seems to be dragging.
Is there a way to get this feature to work?

 

peter, I've read this post several times and cannot figure what it is you are trying to do or what problem you are running into.

You need to rewrite it, starting at the beginning.

 

First of all, thank you to MGs for the Happy Birthday Wish -I appreciate it. The older you get the fewer you know who give wishes.

Bernie, let me see if I can be clearer.
I have images of all my pc and the OS's but the laptop was not really way back clean - it was not a fresh install.

I wanted to have a clean install of Win 8.1 for the laptop.
I used the 8.1 iso disc and found the procedure has changed a bit. Once you insert the disc and use the generic key to install you cannot partition or choose anything except whether you want to bring anything with you or zero -I chose zero for the clean install. I installed, activated with my Win 8 key and installed my programs with all Windows updated.
Only Office and the printer were tricky but they are fine.

Now everything is up to date. and running fine with one exception:
If you click 'disk cleanup' it works; however, click it again until you see "cleanup system files". Usually this runs and when done it closes. This time mine just kept on running and although it removed some items each time I ran it, it still left some items behind and never really closed on its own. There must be a reason for this.
My conundrum is; should I image it as is or fix this "cleanup system files" before I image?

 

Hi David
I forgot to mention the first thing I did was to defrag and all updates are current. I just get nervous when the fan is running and it gets hot. I put ice gel in cloth on the hot part.
Defender is also like that the first run and is still slower than most - do you use it?
I guess I will let it run till it dies or succeeds. Then image if it is still kicking.
Would you image it even though c"lean up system files" does not complete?
Thanks again for your help.

 

I used ice packs wrapped in towel to keep it from overheating. Dell's heat sinks really are deficient.
You were right, it did complete the program after about an hour and a half. I am used to running it in about 10 minutes or less on used OS's not reinstalled ones.
Thank you for keeping me hanging in there. I now can image in preparation for whatever Win 10 throws my way.
Weekend is around the corner. :wave