169GB unknown file in windirstat

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  1. Posts : 37
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #1

    169GB unknown file in windirstat


    Windirstat is showing a 169GB file and it is not restore points. This is on a secondary drive that does not contain OS files it simply stores all the program files. What could this file be and is there a way to delete it without having to reformat the drive and lose all my programs. All help is greatly appreciated.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 169GB unknown file in windirstat-uknown-file.jpg  
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #2

    It's probably restore points or backup shadow copies.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 37
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I tried to going to disk clean up to delete the recovery points and the file is still there.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #4

    Post an image of your system Advanced System Settings under the System Protection Tab and the Configuration for the disk. It will look like the image below. You can delete the restore points but the disk space is still allocated. You need to delete the restore points, turn off protection or reduce the size for the disk then reboot.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 169GB unknown file in windirstat-restore-points.jpg  
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 17,322
    Win 10 Pro x64
       #5

    That is listed under games, do you have star wars the old republic installed?

    The .tor file ext coinciding with the same yellow on the left would suggest it's from that game,

    File extension TOR - Open the .TOR file

    And it seems to be a known space hog,

    STAR WARS: The Old Republic - Swtor is using too much disk space
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 37
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Check Disk cleared the space!


    I am not sure what the issue was but after running a check disk (the full one that fixes bad sectors) the unknown file space completely disappeared! So although I never found out what the issue was at least it is resolved. Thank you everyone for your suggestions.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 37
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Correct. I do have the Star Wars game installed. I wouldn't be surprised if that had something to do with those unknown files. I rarely play it so I am just going to go ahead remove it. Thanks for your help.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 17,322
    Win 10 Pro x64
       #8

    You're welcome, glad you got it sorted out.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
       #9

    Sorry to necro the thread, but I thought I'd just drop in to point out that carwiz's solution did actually solve my problem. Previously had 60GB unknown space in windirstat and now, after turning off drive protection, it has reached the extremely high value of 0 bytes. Thank you carwiz.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1
    windows 7 home premium 64 bit
       #10

    This was driving me nuts on my Dell I-570. Almost half of my 500G hard drive was occupied by "unknown" according to windirstat. I shrunk the space available for restore points (this worked on my notebook computer) but that didn't help. I uninstalled the Dell backup utility but that didn't help. I ran chkdsk/r and rebooted more than once but that didn't help. I ran PatchCleaner which recovered a little (20G) space but I still had that huge (almost 200G) of unknown. I had run DiskCleanup, but that didn't help because I missed a step.

    FINALLY I ran Disk Cleanup (AGAIN) and here is the trick that worked for me: After DiskCleanup has computed the space it can gain back it displays a small window that lists the file categories you can delete (like Downloaded Program Files) with check boxes so you can select categories to "clean up". BUT, at the top of that window is a tab with More Options. Click on that tab and then check the "Clean up..." box for System Restore and Shadow Copies. And very soon (without rebooting) my missing space was available again.

    Hope this helps someone.
      My Computer


 
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