Missing Hard Drive Space?


  1. Posts : 10
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
       #1

    Missing Hard Drive Space?


    Fresh Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 Installed and updated with a few programs installed and some audio files.

    Just realizing that I am running out of space on my hard drive fairly quickly.

    Under My Computer(C Drive) it lists 28GB free of 110GB total.

    I have done the math(added up the C drive files, including the hidden files) and I should have around 54.4GB free, not 28GB.

    I know that pagefiles take up 1.5*RAM installed, I only have 2Gb RAM = 3.5GB paging file. And possibly a hibernate file of the same size for a total of 7GB extra taken up. But the math still does not add up.

    I have confirmed this by running windirstat, which says I am using 48.6GB on my C Drive(110 - 48.6 - 7 = 54.4)

    The Math:
    +110 (The Hard Drive)
    - 3.5 (Paging file)
    - 3.5 (Hibernation file)
    - 48.6 (Everything visible[and hidden] on C Drive)
    ----------
    54.4 GB

    Which is 26.5GB more that what I have listed(27.9GB)

    I have also not made a backup yet, so as far as I can tell that is not taking up space, and the C drive is 0% fragmented.

    Any help as to what would be taking up this space(26.5GB) would be greatly appreciated.
      My Computer


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

    Probably system files. Delete them, make new restore point for emergency.
    System Protection Restore Points - Delete
    If still a problem, run anti virus scan, scan with malwarebytes and scan with eset online.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       #3

    Avast has been causing this kind of problem for about a month. Take a read here.

    https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=166697.0

    the dwindling free space on my C
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 10
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thanks for the quick replies. I do have avast installed, I'll check that a bit later and get back.
    Been looking for a good excuse to get rid of avast for a while now, this may be it.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #5

    System Restore as mentioned takes up space.

    Use MSE and MBAM, that`s all you need.

    Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

    Malwarebytes | Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 10
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Ahh perfect :) That freed 35GB!(10GB over the maximum allowed in the restore point settings) Thank you everyone for your help, I used all of the links.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 17,796
    Windows 10, Home Clean Install
       #7

    Glad that we could help. It usually is the restore points. Want to reduce amt of space taken by the points?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 10
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I knocked it down to 2GB in the configuration settings, seems to be enough, one restore point is about 120MB for me.
    Thanks again
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       #9

    It good to see things are working now.
    Keep a watch for a while to make sure your setting stay.
      My Computer


 

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