HDD space just dissapeared

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cptanthrax@gmai

I've had this problem with my hard-drive for a long time. My harddrive capacity is 145GB but now I only have 2.71GB remaining. Ive checked how much space ive used up and its not that much:

videos - 15.16GiB
music - 11.81GiB
apps - 288.39MiB
p0rn - 6.37GB

add up all of that, and my downloads folder it comes out to me using 34 GB of my harddrive.

i think this has to do with me not formating my computer correctly, when i was reinstalling windows xp. maby i need the program, "Partition Magic". But im not sure.

Someone please help me...

;(



this is my hdd, it if helps

Intel(R) 82801FR SATA AHCI Controller
 
i think this has to do with me not formating my computer correctly, when i was reinstalling windows xp. maby i need the program, "Partition Magic". But im not sure.
Click to expand...
go to my computer (right click )
go to manage
left click
scroll to disk management what do you see
 
right-click My Computer->Manage
use File->options to get to Disk Cleanup

run it, review and delete as you see appropriate :)
 
thank you

i already have a letgitamet copy of partition magic. i am at a library rite now. but i will try out your suggestions when i get home. i will get back to you as soon as i can...
 
maby i need the program, "Partition Magic". But im not sure
Click to expand...
Oh OK, you do have Partition Magic.

Anyway, what does Partition Magic state as your drive usage size is?
And is that different to what Windows states? (From Disk Management)
 
Update..!

I snooped around closly and cleaned up some unwanted ****, like some DVD

format movies (but i kept one thats 7.63GB). But thanks to CCleaner (and

kimsland) i cleared up 4gigs. Now i have a freespace of 15.4gigs/ (out

of) 145GB.

I am trying to closely folow your directions.. (pictures included)
Directions from:

(To)
kimsland - I used CCleaner to: Analyze and Run Cleaner. &. Scan and Fix

all issues in Registry. This freed up like 4 extra GIGs!

Samstoned - I uploaded some pix for you, so you can see. This is what my

"disk management" looks like..

jobeard - by saying run Disk Cleanup, you ment run Disk Defragment? cuz

thats what I tried to do. But it says, "to run Disk Defragmenter

effectively, you need atleast 15% usable freespace" (i have 10%). "There

is no enough disk space to properly complete the operation. Delete some

**** from your harddrive and try again". but i have an option to Defrag

anyway. I chose to Defrag later...

------

Maby it has something to do with me not being to access/(OR DELETE) the

SIDDARTH folder,....take a look.

no_access.jpg
xkpz0m.jpg


Now look at my...
Device_Management.JPG
2dl145f.jpg


heres the screenshot of partition magic if it helps:
Partition_magic.jpg
160qyjt.jpg


(if you are having trouble with these pictures, just email me, with your

techspot name in the subject)

Thank you..
 
Maby it has something to do with me not being to access/(OR DELETE) the SIDDARTH folder
Click to expand...

Wow, very comprehensive, well done with the reply.

Just in regards to the "SIDDARTH" folder
What is it?
How big is it?

There are tools to remove locked folders
ie Move On Boot
Which will remove (delete) the folder

Also, you do still have too much on the drive (less than 15% available)
Have you thought of backing up some Programs / Data to DVD or even to an another harddrive ?

A defragmented drive can slow your system access time, and also put more stress on a drive.

Just in regards to the original question

You can download FullDisk from HERE to find out which location on your drive all your Gigs are being used up
 
Update2

thnx,

as far as answering the question, "What is it?" im not really sure. when i scroll my curser over the folder it says its empty. When i drag the folder into the "Move On Boot" it says the folder is NOT empty. i clicked remove folder and it responded, "Access Denied" (same thing when i try to look in the folder". This folder mite be secretly taking up space because i probably didnt format my harddrive or reinstally my copy of windows correctly. But im not exactly sure that this is the fault.

as far as backing up. I have a normal CD writer 48x (no dvd burner), and only one HDD. But i dont care if defragmentation takes a long time, i will probably leave it going over-night...Are you trying to tell me that my system will be SLOWER after defraging?

I have used FullDisk. (Thank you for recomending it, its useful). And it shows that the Norton folder in my Program Files takes up a lot of space. When i click into the folder, and open the folder (the only one) Quarentine, my comp crashes(but its nothing crtl+alt+del cant fix).... I suspect a virus/trojen. (i need some anti-virus/anti-spyware tools, i have none :( .I will use Move on Boot for this.

ergyyw.jpg
 
Am I correct in seeing that NIS is 40 Gig !
No wonder no one likes Norton

I would recommend removing it
shock.gif
Because, when removing NIS, it will also ask, "Do you want to remove the files in quaratine" (dumb question anyway) Yes

You may want to save your licence info, before removing it.

But do it anyway.

After that reply back.

By the way, you can either re-install NIS fresh
grin_no.gif
Or download AVG Free :grinthumb

Your choice !
 
  • I just came across and bookmarked this Microsoft KB a couple weeks ago. Sounds like you should look through it to assure this isn't part of your problem. How to locate and correct disk space problems on NTFS volumes in Windows XP
  • Was going to tell you about a handy java based tool JDiskReport but looks like FullDisk provides similar function
  • You might also find ExplorerXP handy when you explore files/folders as it gives you folder sizes (which you don't get using Microsoft Explorer). Click on the Size column header to order by size. It provides a number of other handy features as well.

/* Edit */
And i second kimsland on that 40GB for Norton. Wow
And is that SIDDARTH folder kosher? Just that the MS KB mentions spyware infections so wonder.....
 
As usual Thank-you LookinAround
The fulldisk program is licenced software (ie Trial before buy) so your links do help

Also did you check out the pic for NIS, unbelievable !

Also check out my post here: https://www.techspot.com/vb/post576012-2.html
Totally unrelated to this post.
But had to say thank-you in helping me learn formatting looks nice :)
 
cptanthrax@gmai: Sorry we're stealing some bandwidth from your thread but...

Kimsland
  • Our posts crossed at just about the same time! had just commented on that 40GB. I agree. Wow
  • Nice job on the formatting! :grinthumb The post is nicely structured and visually easy to read.

/* Edit */
And, of course, you're welcome
 
update3

thnx lookinaround

the only folder in the c:\program files\norton was the folder "Quarentine" i tried to delete it and it looked like my computer crashed, then back to normal...and nothing happened (it didnt delete) literally 10 minutes later a window pops up saying "CONFIRM PERMINANT DELETE?" im like f**k yea! now i have 57gb (freespace) out of 145gb.

10navtl.jpg


Umm... i THINK my problem is solved...i just need to clearup some random files lurking around in my program files...what do you guys think?

one quick question. Will it make my computer slower after I defrag??

p.s. lookaround
/Siddarth is not a kosher food, its my REAL first name. L0L
 
No it will probably make it way faster, and it may save your Hard Drive life's expectancy.

Siddarth still requires assistance though.
 
hmm

When i look in "My Computer" it says Total Size: 145gb Free Space: 57.3gb. But according to FullDisk, i am using up 83gb (FullDisk indicates that, "C: has 61,744M bytes free (39%))

Sooo, subtract 62 from 145 and you get.....83gigs (i dont think im using 83 out of 145gigs on my C drive)

...i just confuzed myself

Correct me if I am wrong, because i suck at math...

kdpsew.jpg





BTW which is better AVG or avast! (my friend recomends avast!)
 
Well AVG but I don't think it matters too much. Avast is just as good (we're talking freeware by the way)

Now the graph.

You know lets just get rid of the "Siddarth" folder and go from there.

Is there anything in Add/Remove programs about "Siddarth" ?
Does Move On Boot, work in Safe mode ?
Can you boot from your Windows CD, go to a command prompt, and remove it.

Gotta get rid of this thing somehow!

Then we'll work out why Fulldisk sees a different size, probably looks at the size of the Hard Drive partition, where Windows looks at the File System size (the cluster size involved here)
 
Sorry for double post

Just noticed you had uTorrent on the desktop (from Pic)

If this is free, can you go to Add/Remove programs, and fully uninstall it

Then check that folder again
 
Disk Cleanup Utility is not defrag.

Click Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Disk Cleanup
 
update4

its not utorrent thats secretly taking up space, i kno where the temp/downloads folder is for utorrent. i will try to delete the siddarth folder with move on boot (safe mode) and get back to you.

i will try out the disk clean up thing too..

thnx
 
nice

wow the disk cleanup freed up like 2.5 gigs. and i tried out the move on boot in safe mode. i still cant delete the "suposedly" empty "Siddarth" folder.
 
You could try to boot up with your Windows CD to a command prompt
(you need to know the directory where Siddarth exists - pretty sure c:\siddarth)

Then once logging into Administrator by going
1
then
Enter after that

then type DEL C:\Siddarth
Enter

Hopefully it removes
If so
Type exit

And restart your computer to confirm it's gone.
 
If you're trying to get your numbers to add up, note that most MS tools (like Explorer) won't include statistics on file/folders you don't have access to (e.g. SIDDARTH). So you will see a size of 0 REGARDLESS of how big it really is unless you have access rights.

I'll refer you back to my post (#11 in the thread). Follow the instructions in the MS KB on File Attributes or NTFS Permissions. When you're done, if you find any folders without a Security tab, report them back here.
 
I'm doing this 2nd post just to make sure you're notified/see it... but thought to elaborate a bit.

Using Windows Explorer look at the C:\System Volume Information which contains your System Restore points. Properties will report a size 0! Download and use ExplorerXP (also in previous post) and you'll see the real size.

Also note you can have two different column displays, both Size and Size on Disk. Size is actual file size. Size on Disk is the amount of space used to actually save the file on disk
 
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