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  3. Where did the disk space go?

Where did the disk space go?

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  • C Chris Losinger

    i was actually wondering that myself, this week. i added up the sizes of all the folders, as reported by Explorer, and they didn't add up to the amount shown as used in C:\'s properties. and yeah, 30G sounds like the size of my discrepancy.

    image processing toolkits | batch image processing

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    Christopher Duncan
    wrote on last edited by
    #18

    So far system restore sounds like the most likely culprit.

    Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

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    • C Christopher Duncan

      I've got about 7 gig in the Windows folder, 1 gig in program files, 30 gig in a virtual pc hard drives / config folder and some other odds & ends. So, roughly I have about 40g accounted for. 30 has gone missing.

      Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

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      kinar
      wrote on last edited by
      #19

      Ahhh...I thought you meant this was a fresh install of vista... No idea

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      • C Christopher Duncan

        I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

        Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

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        Todd Smith
        wrote on last edited by
        #20

        Is one reporting based on actual disk space used and there other reporting based on the byte size of the files? A file might only be 1k bytes but take up a cluster size of 4k for example. So lots and lots of small files can eat up a considerable amount of disk space. check properties on a file example: Size: 911 bytes (911 bytes) Size on disk: 4.00 KB (4,096 bytes)

        Todd Smith

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        • C Christopher Duncan

          I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

          Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

          C Offline
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          Christian Graus
          wrote on last edited by
          #21

          Christopher Duncan wrote:

          with a 150 gig hard drive. I

          They still make them that small ? :P

          Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. "! i don't exactly like or do programming and it only gives me a headache." - spotted in VB forums. I can do things with my brain that I can't even google. I can flex the front part of my brain instantly anytime I want. It can be exhausting and it even causes me vision problems for some reason. - CaptainSeeSharp

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          • S Skymir

            My bet is the system restore directory after having downloaded the most recent patches. Windows is surprisingly effective at making the restore folder invisible unless you really go looking for it. And yet it still leaves the dozens of uninstall folders mucking up the windows folder...

            The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything.

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            Dan Neely
            wrote on last edited by
            #22

            So how do you find the system restore directory...

            It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

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            • C Christopher Duncan

              I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

              Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

              M Offline
              M Offline
              Miszou
              wrote on last edited by
              #23

              WinDirStat[^] will show you exactly where all your disk space has gone.

              The StartPage Randomizer - The Windows Cheerleader - Twitter

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              • C Chris Losinger

                i was actually wondering that myself, this week. i added up the sizes of all the folders, as reported by Explorer, and they didn't add up to the amount shown as used in C:\'s properties. and yeah, 30G sounds like the size of my discrepancy.

                image processing toolkits | batch image processing

                C Offline
                C Offline
                Christopher Duncan
                wrote on last edited by
                #24

                Yep. Deleted system restore points & turned it off, went from 82g free to 103.

                Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

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                • C Christopher Duncan

                  I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

                  Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                  R Offline
                  R Offline
                  Rama Krishna Vavilala
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #25

                  May be it accounts for all the videos and movies from Bunny days hidden somewhere on the disk.

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                  • C Christopher Duncan

                    I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

                    Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                    D Offline
                    D Offline
                    Douglas Troy
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #26

                    Chris, Come now, you already know the answer to that question: Vista has it. You're not allowed to know where, or why it has it, but it does. It's keeping it "safe". Using it for it's own purposes, that are far too complex for your feeble human brain to comprehend. Stop asking so many questions, or the Vista might decide it doesn't need ... to keep you. :~


                    :..::. Douglas H. Troy ::..
                    Bad Astronomy |VCF|wxWidgets|WTL

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                    • C Christopher Duncan

                      I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

                      Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                      D Offline
                      D Offline
                      dighn
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #27

                      Most likely shadow storage. Vista reserves a ridiculous amount for that. Disabling system restore might get it back. http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/06/26/how-to-change-and-limit-system-restore-storage-space-usage-size-in-vista-with-vssadmin/[^]

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                      • C Christopher Duncan

                        Probably, but I tend to avoid java utilities. Thanks, though!

                        Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

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                        J Offline
                        Joe Woodbury
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #28

                        http://www.glaryutilities.com/[^] has similar functionality and more in a non-java app (I have no connection to GlarySoft, just a satisfied customer.)

                        Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine. - P.J. O'Rourke

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                        • C Christopher Duncan

                          Probably, but I tend to avoid java utilities. Thanks, though!

                          Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                          J Offline
                          J Offline
                          JimmyRopes
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #29

                          Christopher Duncan wrote:

                          I tend to avoid java utilities

                          Why? :confused:

                          Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
                          Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
                          I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

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                          • L Luc Pattyn

                            While I am aware of alternate data streams in theory, I can't remember having seen one ever. Do you know of some examples in XP and Vista? :)

                            Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles]


                            DISCLAIMER: this message may have been modified by others; it may no longer reflect what I intended, and may contain bad advice; use at your own risk and with extreme care.


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                            G Offline
                            Gideon Engelberth
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #30

                            Nearly all files that get downloaded from the internet will have an alternate data stream attached to it. That's what Windows uses to put the "This program is from the internet. Do you really want to run it?" message.

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                            • G Gideon Engelberth

                              Nearly all files that get downloaded from the internet will have an alternate data stream attached to it. That's what Windows uses to put the "This program is from the internet. Do you really want to run it?" message.

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                              Luc Pattyn
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #31

                              Interesting. I'll look into that. Thanks. :)

                              Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles]


                              DISCLAIMER: this message may have been modified by others; it may no longer reflect what I intended, and may contain bad advice; use at your own risk and with extreme care.


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                              • C Christopher Duncan

                                I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

                                Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                                G Offline
                                G Offline
                                Gary R Wheeler
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #32

                                Be careful. The emergent AI is using your PC to record store part of its memory. It would be just your luck it's using it to keep copies of its tax returns for 1983 to 1987, 1992, and 1996, as well as extra copies of the Topeka Kansas phone directory.

                                Software Zen: delete this;
                                Fold With Us![^]

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                                • C Christopher Duncan

                                  I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

                                  Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                                  R Offline
                                  R Offline
                                  Roger Wright
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #33

                                  How big is the swap file?

                                  "A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

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                                  • C Christopher Duncan

                                    I've installed Vista on a box (yes, I know, my first mistake) with a 150 gig hard drive. I've turned on settings to show hidden, system and other such files. Vista is reporting 80g free. Thing is, after inspecting the properties of every root level folder, including the hidden ones and the recycle bin, I can only account for around 40g. Anyone have an idea as to where the other 30 gig is hiding?

                                    Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                                    S Offline
                                    S Offline
                                    Steven Quick
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #34

                                    1: System Restore points - Clear out old ones 2: Shadow Volume Copy - A quick search will give you tons of info on how to check the size of this. 3: Update and Service packs install in a mode so that they are able to be uninstalled, you can make them permanent and free up quite a lot of space, there's a few cmd's for it search it up.

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                                    • C Christian Graus

                                      Christopher Duncan wrote:

                                      with a 150 gig hard drive. I

                                      They still make them that small ? :P

                                      Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. "! i don't exactly like or do programming and it only gives me a headache." - spotted in VB forums. I can do things with my brain that I can't even google. I can flex the front part of my brain instantly anytime I want. It can be exhausting and it even causes me vision problems for some reason. - CaptainSeeSharp

                                      C Offline
                                      C Offline
                                      Christopher Duncan
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #35

                                      Hey, it's a Dell. What can I say? :)

                                      Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

                                      S 1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • R Rama Krishna Vavilala

                                        May be it accounts for all the videos and movies from Bunny days hidden somewhere on the disk.

                                        C Offline
                                        C Offline
                                        Christopher Duncan
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #36

                                        Shhhhhhh! :laugh:

                                        Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

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                                        0
                                        • D Douglas Troy

                                          Chris, Come now, you already know the answer to that question: Vista has it. You're not allowed to know where, or why it has it, but it does. It's keeping it "safe". Using it for it's own purposes, that are far too complex for your feeble human brain to comprehend. Stop asking so many questions, or the Vista might decide it doesn't need ... to keep you. :~


                                          :..::. Douglas H. Troy ::..
                                          Bad Astronomy |VCF|wxWidgets|WTL

                                          C Offline
                                          C Offline
                                          Christopher Duncan
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #37

                                          Yikes. Taxi! :)

                                          Christopher Duncan www.PracticalUSA.com Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua!

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