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Missing disk space - invisible file? 7.5 GB invisible file on C:\ drive

#1 kgee

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 04:52 PM

7.5 GB of disk space has gone missing from my C: drive.
It's really frustrating - my C: drive is only 20 GB to start with and I now have only 500 MB free, so I really need to figure out what's going on.

Windows Explorer shows C: drive properties of 20 GB disk size and 500 MB free.
I have made hidden files visible. If I add up all the folders under the C: drive they come to 12 GB (almost all in C:\windows).
I have my virtual memory set to all go to the D: drive. My recycling bin is empty. I have set System Restore to use zero disk space. I ran chkdsk and all looked OK.

I ran "disktective" and it shows that I have a single file in the C:\ directory that is 7.5 GB in size, but doesn't tell me what that file is or how I can get rid of it.
I tried "attrib -s | findstr SHR" but didn't turn up anything significant.

What the heck is going on? Anybody know any good disk utilities that might help?

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#2 hamluis

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 05:07 PM

Try Disc Space Reporter - Disk space information tool - http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System...-Reporter.shtml.

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#3 Ken-in-West-Seattle

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Posted 17 February 2010 - 07:04 PM

do you have hibernation turned on?

Also note, any 20g drive is sure to be out of warranty and near end of life.

500g drives are 50.00

backup yer stuff.

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#4 MrBruce1959

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Posted 17 February 2010 - 11:07 PM

kgee, on Feb 16 2010, 04:52 PM, said:

7.5 GB of disk space has gone missing from my C: drive.
It's really frustrating - my C: drive is only 20 GB to start with and I now have only 500 MB free, so I really need to figure out what's going on.

Windows Explorer shows C: drive properties of 20 GB disk size and 500 MB free.
I have made hidden files visible. If I add up all the folders under the C: drive they come to 12 GB (almost all in C:\windows).
I have my virtual memory set to all go to the D: drive. My recycling bin is empty. I have set System Restore to use zero disk space. I ran chkdsk and all looked OK.

I ran "disktective" and it shows that I have a single file in the C:\ directory that is 7.5 GB in size, but doesn't tell me what that file is or how I can get rid of it.
I tried "attrib -s | findstr SHR" but didn't turn up anything significant.

What the heck is going on? Anybody know any good disk utilities that might help?

Sure it is not a system volume information file (system restore) or a backup file?

Please take notice. Oreo and I will not be available until June of 2012.
Thank you for understanding my absence, it is job and college related, so all is good. If I do not answer your PMs this is the reason why. See you all soon!
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#5 computerxpds

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Posted 18 February 2010 - 11:58 AM

hi,

Windows 7 creates a separate partition on a hard drive for important windows files for example boot files and etc. and it cannot be deleted.

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#6 rowal5555

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Posted 20 February 2010 - 12:09 AM

Also, it may be a manufacturers hidden recovery partition to restore your system to factory settings.

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#7 cryptodan

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Posted 20 February 2010 - 01:19 AM

20Gigs is not the recommend size of drive for Vista or Windows 7.

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#8 computerxpds

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Posted 20 February 2010 - 10:22 AM

i have run windows 7 on a 20 GB hard drive before just fine. also yeah i forgot about the recovery or OEM partition.

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#9 Layback Bear

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Posted 21 February 2010 - 08:28 AM

IMHO I would do as Ken-in-West-Seat... has posted. Just stick a bigger hard drive in and be a happy computer person again.

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#10 Aus Smithy

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Posted 22 February 2010 - 01:27 AM

It may be old System Recovery files. To clear old System Restore sets - Log in as Administrator, Open COMPUTER, Right click on C: Drive, Select PROPERTIES, Hit DISK CLEANUP and let it do its work. When the results come back Select the MORE OPTIONS tab at the top and then hit CLEAN UP under the System Restore and Shadow Copies heading. Then keep selecting Delete and OK until it has cleaned everything up. You should then Defragment your C: Drive.

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