C Drive reports low disk space repeatedly

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  1. kaj
    Posts : 16
    Windows 7
       #1

    C Drive reports low disk space repeatedly


    Over the last few days I have repeatedly received a "C Drive is low on disk space" message. The drive WAS a 150 GB partition of a 1TB drive. I increased the space to 160GB and instantly the disk filled up again. Any case a few days ago it was only a third full...
    I have done disk clean up, defragged, run system file checker, run Malwarebytes (clean), glary utilities and also WinDirStat. This tells me that <Unknown files> are taking up 128GB of the space!! I have turned off hibernation and deleted the file for that. I have turned off acronis backup in case that's doing it. It has got to the point hwere I can't download CCCleaner because there's not enough room in the temp files I guess. I have on the C drive just Windows, a few apps installed in program files, but just about everything else is stored on other partitions - docs, music, tv, video, downloads, apps etc. Something is clearly writing massive amounts to the drive but I can't find out what because I can't open the <Unknown files> that WinDirStat reports - apparently I, or it, don't have access to them. Incidentally there are no System Restore Points - somehow that was turned off.
    I've tried everything I can find on the forums. I really want to avoid a fresh install. I'm thinking of restoring my acronis backup but I'm unsure when this all started.
    Can anybody help?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails C Drive reports low disk space repeatedly-drives.jpg  
    Last edited by kaj; 06 Jan 2011 at 19:08. Reason: Forgot some stuff
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 17,796
    Windows 10, Home Clean Install
       #2

    Welcome
    If not already tried run a full anti virus scan (be sure to update first)
    Download and run a full scan with malwarebytes.
    Did you update before running these two?
    Hard Disk Space - Free Up and Recover
    Last edited by Brink; 08 Sep 2011 at 02:18. Reason: link
      My Computer


  3. kaj
    Posts : 16
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks for replying so quickly. I have run full anti virus scans with Malwarebytes and Microsoft Security Essentials. I'm quite fastidious about making sure everything is updated, Windows 7 itself too. Thanks for the link too; I have already worked through that list, which is why I'm getting really frustrated!
    Any other suggestions?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 2,039
    Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #4

    Might help you....

    Disktective, freeware disk-space reporting tool for Windows

    <http://www.disktective.com/>

    http://www.snapfiles.com/screenshots...vestigator.htm

    <http://www.snapfiles.com/screenshots/diskinvestigator.htm>

    Regards....Mike Connor
      My Computer


  5. kaj
    Posts : 16
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thanks Mike. Still the same this morning. I ran Disktective as you suggested. It doesn't seem to show anything that isn't quite bona fide, and doen't indicate that the drive is full from what I can see (screenshot attached -tried to generate report but html file refused to upload here- attached). However WinDirStat does report this (also attached). My problem now is, how can I find out what these unknown files are and get rid?
    I did try Disk Investigator but Im afraid that's all greek to me!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails C Drive reports low disk space repeatedly-windirstat-jan-7.jpg   C Drive reports low disk space repeatedly-disktective-jan-7.jpg  
    Last edited by kaj; 07 Jan 2011 at 08:14. Reason: Forgot stuff
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 687
    Microsoft Windows 10 Professional / Windows 7 Professional
       #6

    Disable System Restore and see if free space comes back?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2,039
    Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #7

    Hmmm....something is obviously generating the 128 GB of stuff.

    Working with low level tools is always next to impossible if you don't know much about the stuff.

    I would try this;

    Best FREE Partition Manager Freeware for Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 32 bit & 64 bit. EASEUS free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.

    <http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm>

    have a look at the disk with the tool and see what it says.

    Make sure you have a backup first.

    If ncessary delete the partition and reinitialise it.

    Regards....Mike Connor
      My Computer


  8. kaj
    Posts : 16
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #8

    OldMX said:
    Disable System Restore and see if free space comes back?
    May try tomorrow but I 've only just turned it back on - there's no space left on the drive for it to work.
      My Computer


  9. kaj
    Posts : 16
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Mike Connor said:
    Hmmm....something is obviously generating the 128 GB of stuff.

    Working with low level tools is always next to impossible if you don't know much about the stuff.

    I would try this;

    Best FREE Partition Manager Freeware for Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 32 bit & 64 bit. EASEUS free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.

    <http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm>

    have a look at the disk with the tool and see what it says.

    Make sure you have a backup first.

    If ncessary delete the partition and reinitialise it.

    Regards....Mike Connor
    Thanks again Mike. WinDirStat reports <unknown> has gone up to 136GB today!
    Easeus just shows C Drive as full basically. I used it the day before yesterday to increase the c drive space by 10GB which was promptly filled.
    Tomorrow I may restore an acronis backup & see if that gets rid, failing that a repair install.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails C Drive reports low disk space repeatedly-easeus-jan-8.png  
      My Computer


  10. kaj
    Posts : 16
    Windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #10

    C Drive filling up update


    As an update, I restored my c drive partition from my acronis backup and the drive is back to its regular size. Of course the same thing may happen again, but if it does I'll actually reinstall.
    As a matter of interest after the restore I was having problems with my graphics card driver, and realised the the card wasn't seated properly (probably happened when I changed the monitor last week) ; so whether that could have caused my problem I don't know.
    Now all I have to deal with is "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)" on the UMBus Root Bus Enumerator in Device Manager. Always something sent to try us!
    Thanks to both of you for trying to help me out.
      My Computer


 
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