My Hardrive is filling up with WHAT?

[glennc]

Hello,
I have a 500 Gig system drive. It now only has 130 GBytes free. This is after I went through it and deleted all the programs I could. Things like removing most major components that I don't use from OpenOffice and /trial browsers. I checked my videos/pictures/music/documents and it came out that those were only 20 some Gbytes. What is using up 320 GBytes of my system drive and is there a way to find out and maybe free some up. On XP I had one drive of 160 GBytes and was only using less than a third of it with everything and three active accounts. Will someone please assist? I don't know how this is happening.
Thanks for any help!
glennc

 

[mitchell65]

Would suggest that you open your C drive and right click on each folder in turn and see which ones are showing excessive size. Then investigate that folder for possible multiple duplications. I would check you images and music and video folders first!

 

[Sean1082]

Try this:

Go to My Computer >> (C Drive >> Right click Program Files or Program Files (x86) >> Click on Properties

This will tell you how much that folder is using. If you're running a 64 bit system, which I am sure you are, open the properties menu on both of these folders. Give it a minute while it calculates how much each of these folders is using on your PC. Chances are these folders are using most of your memory as all the program / games are put into these folders.

 

[kellymac35]

You can also delete all but your most recent system restore point. Old system restore points will sometime eat up a good chunk of hard drive space.

 

[D13G0]

GO TO:
Start->computer->C drive (Right click)->Properties->In general tab below pie graph should be two options to check ("compress drive to disk space" [Probably not checked] and "allow files on drive to have contents indexed..." make sure both are checked!!!)->Click apply (or ok)

it may take awhile to complete. do before bed or something. Afterwards run CCleaner

I had only GB's left on my hard drive and afterwards I had around 10 (and for a 35GB hard disk space total it helps.)

 

[whs]

1. Run this program WinDirStat - Windows Directory Statistics. That will tell you how much is on your system.
2. Open an elevated command prompt (run as admin) and type (or paste) vssadmin list shadowstorage , then hit Enter - that will give you amount allocated for the shadowstorage (the area where the OS stores the restore points).
3. Once you have those numbers, it should add up to the used space. Post the numbers and we'll have a look at them.

 

[Arc]

It may be temp folders . If you dont run disk cleanup, sometimes temp tends to increase in size .

Look at temp folder : Press windows button and R simultaneously on your keyboard to open the run window; type %temp% and hit enter . You may need to delete it .

Most secured way to delete all the unnecessary things .... download CCleaner, check everything in the cleaner tab, and run cleaner . It will free up a lot of spaces .

But it will not remove the older unnecessary backups (those are automatically done ) . Tuneup utilities does it nicely , though it is not free .

So either use disk cleanup utility or ccleaner . You will get a lot of free space back .

 

[glennc]

Wow you guys are the greatest. I now have so many areas to investigate it will probably take all night. Thank you one and all. Here is what I can confirm at this time, all my documents, music files, pictures, videos are only taking say 20 Gig. I have have 118 Gig free. I regularly run CCleaner and let it delete all. Once a week or so I run WinUtilites, its like Advanced System Care, goes a little deeper than CC does. Since I have the System Reserved Partition hidden I only know remember that there goes another 100 GB.
So I will try all the methods that aren't above my skill level and we shall see what we shall see. I do appreciate the assistance.
glennc

 

[Hopalong X]

Windows Disk Cleanup right click and run as Administrator to get the temp Windows files etc.
I found that out the hard way. One of those Doh! moments.

Mike

 

[edwardrulez]

Trying Right Clicking On The C:\ Drive And Cleaning It And Defragment It

 

[rap33042]

Hi all:

Want a one-click disk clean up that will clean ALL the drives on your system?

Do this:

1. Open a comand box and type: cleanmgr /sageset:0 <--that's a zero
2. <Enter>

A window will open up allowing you to mark all the types of files you want cleaned.
After making your choices, close that window and the Command Box, too.

Now, open Notepad and type: cleanmgr /sagerun:0
Save this file with a .bat extension.

From now on when you want a quick and dirty way to run the Disk Cleaner on all your drives, just click on this .bat and watch the magic!
FYI:
You can use any number at the end of the command line from 0-65535.
You can set up that many unique .bat files.

 

[DeaconFrost]

1. Run this program WinDirStat - Windows Directory Statistics. That will tell you how much is on your system.

I'm surprised it took 5 replies before someone suggested this. Use this tool to figure out WHAT is taking up the space, and then you'll know how to resolve it.

 

[whs]

Here is what I can confirm at this time, all my documents, music files, pictures, videos are only taking say 20 Gig

What's in your user files is usually peanuts. The big space eaters come from the system - e.g. one restore point can take 1 GiG. Thats why I suggested the vssadmin to find out. And WinDirStat.

 

[glennc]

Again much appreciation. I haven't had the time yet, but I will begin tomorrow. So many good ideas and recommendations. I have no idea of how many Restore Points I have. Fingers crossed.
glennc

 

[whs]

Glenn, there is nothing wrong with a lot of restore points as long as you can afford the space. If not, we can reduce the maximum space requirements.

 

[Tepid]

WinUtilites, its like Advanced System Care

As already stated,,, WinDirStat will help you find what you are looking for.
If you want Information Overload on everything files related try Xinorbis also free.

As for the above mentioned software. I am not trying to start a flame war or anything.
I wouldn't touch either of those apps if you paid me to.
There is nothing that either one of those apps do that you can't find 3 to 6 well established and very trusted, totally free apps, won't do better.

a. find duplicate files - BAD BAD BAD Idea to run on the entire system. There just is no point to this, and has the potential if used incorrectly to do absolute devistation than anything good.

b. clean registry and Defrag Registry - Not needed. And also a bad idea to ever run on any system. I don't even recommend to anyone other than a real tech run CCleaners Registery Cleaner.

c. temporary files, application and internet browser history, cache and cookies - CCLeaner + ATF-Cleaner + MRU Blaster all will do just fine in Win 7 and all free

d. defragment - 7 does not need a third party Defrag, Let Windows handle the defrag. It works perfectly fine without interference.

e. built-in StartUp Cleaner - CCleaner and even MSCONFIG will do this for FREE

f. fix broken shortcuts - Generally not ever needed and coming here will get you a quick easy fix, again, for free

g. uninstall unneeded software - Again, free and built into Windows, but if needed, Revo Uninstaller or even CCLeaner will work. Generally, Built-In Windows Uninstaller will work just fine every time.

h. other features include secure file deletion - If really worried about this, Eraser is Free

i. recycle bin shredding - Again, Eraser is free

j. system maintenance tasks scheduling - ummm,, ok,, really not needed. You should be doing this on a regular basis manually anyway to make sure it is actually getting done.

k. undelete deleted files - Piriform - Recuva is all you really need for this, and free and made by the same guys that make CCleaner. But I would also recommend Softperfect File Recovery (scroll to bottom) and TestDisk Partition Recovery

Side Note: I do not recommend "EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition" because TestDisk Partition Recovery will do the same thing but will recover all of your data, not just up to 1 Gig and it's free and in many cases will find and recover more.

L. The Memory Optimizer - Ho boy, really really really really really, deep breath, really really really really really Not Needed
Let Windows Manage The Memory.

Again, this is not to start a Flame war or anything, but to inform those that do not know, or those who might see you using them and they might try them, those apps you mentinoed are best left alone and not used at all. Even if you can get them both for free. The sites you will see them advertised on most with awards and whatnot are the ones who get Paid for those awards and ads and recommendations. To the best of my knowledge if you see them advertised here it is by rotating ad link trading, just a guess. Even still they are best left avoided.

If I didn't think so, or did not think it was important information, I would not have posted all this.

 

[reloadxero]

same happened to me once with windows 7

would you happen to have installed 3dsmax by any chance?

it creates xml files that keep growing bigger and bigger.
deleting the xml files helped me.

 

[A Guy]

If you have hibernation enabled, the hiberfil.sys file can be quite big.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/819-hibernate-enable-disable.html

A Guy

 

[whs]

If you have hibernation enabled, the hiberfil.sys file can be quite big.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/819-hibernate-enable-disable.html

A Guy

Isn't it usually the size of your RAM.

 

[A Guy]

If you have hibernation enabled, the hiberfil.sys file can be quite big.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/819-hibernate-enable-disable.html

A Guy

Isn't it usually the size of your RAM.

Actually, I believe by default is is 75% of Ram? Glenn has 4GB = 3.072GB file size. Correct me if wrong, I know you can change the size with a command prompt.

A Guy