Desktop not working: I need my hard drive back!

The issues aren't related to the new machine, they're all related to trying to recover your data from a faulty drive. It is not always an smooth process.

You understand that faulty drives are faulty right? Slow read times, extremely long read times are expected. You cannot be impatient when working with a faulty drive. A lot of issues are due to being unfamiliar with the processes, new machines, new OSes, different commands, etc.

The Solve PC Issues? Yes ALWAYS bring it up! I can't see what you see.

I don't know what Solve PC Issues means, but will guess that it refers to chkdsk. I don't really like to guess, so please refer to the exact command and give me a link to the post you are referencing.

You were correct to hold off on a repair and ask.
Safely remove the external drive if it is still connected
-> Computer -> right click the drive -> eject or safely remove
then physically disconnect the drive from the USB port

Then restart. If Win8 wants to repair the internal drive, let it.
We'll pick up after that operation is completed - DO NOT interrupt it.

---

When chkdsk has completed

I'm sure I typed them correctly.
Are you sure the folder name is Gateway HD?

dir c:\ should have listed something

It's possible that you cannot write to c:\

Try it this way
1) Download the attached ListcDrv.bat to your Downloads folder
2) open a command prompt window and type the following

cd downloads
ListcDrv
exit

The batch file writes the output to your Temp folder
attach the three files to a new post
Temp\cDriveList.txt
Temp\GwHD_list.txt
Temp\cGwHD_acl.txt

Slartybart said:

The Solve PC Issues? Yes ALWAYS bring it up! I can't see what you see.

I don't know what Solve PC Issues means, but will guess that it refers to chkdsk. I don't really like to guess, so please refer to the exact command and give me a link to the post you are referencing.

You know on the bottom right corner, there is a white flag like this:


That's where the message is.

Sadly, the bat file didn't a difference, and the new commands went nowhere. As for cmd, same results: non admin: access in denied on DriveList and GwHD_acl, with GwHD.txt.:
Volume in drive C is Windows
Volume Serial Number is 22DE-25EE

Under admin, same results as I said in this post:
Desktop not working: I need my hard drive back!

As for C:, when cmd pops up, C:\Users\Binker028\ or C:\Windows\system32\ already appears, that's normal right? I cannot delete that address, right?

UPDATE:
I clicked Solve PC issues and had it rebooted; the Gateway HD folder is now gone. Then of course, 82GB on my diskspace went down to 74GB, but that's part of the other issue which is now the main one. Now, how can we get my lost GBs back

Thanks - that notification is from Action Center. I guess the message was different when you said Solve PC issues.

In the future, please post the screen you see as you did for the Defender notification.

The bat file didn't produce three files in your Temp folder? Please look again. If you find them there, attach them to a new post.

C:\Users\Binker028\AppData\Local\Temp\cDriveList.txt
C:\Users\Binker028\AppData\Local\Temp\GwHD_list.txt
C:\Users\Binker028\AppData\Local\Temp\cGwHD_acl.txt

You can type
C:\Users\Binker028\AppData\Local\Temp\
in Windows explorer address field
or
Change the folder options (view hidden files and folders) to see AppData.

---

The Cmd prompt window titles and prompts you gave are correct.
An elevated (as admin) Cmd prompt is C:\Windows\system32\
A User Cmd Prompt is C:\Users\Username\ - in your case C:\Users\Binker028\

I'm beginning to think that System Protection might be creating Restore points and that is what is chewing up the space.

First things first - I need to see if those files are there. If not Plan M - we'll try it manually again.
Look in your temp folder and post the files.

Post 80 was edited - that was not what I read and replied to.

If I ask for you to attach a file - attach a file, don't ask me if I typed the command correctly.

If you change something, tell me you changed something (including a post). I don't want to have to quote everything you post.

In the revised post 80, you ask about HD2. I don't see HD2 in the list of C:\ and if I recall, you stated that you put it on Lucid Puppy. Where did you put this HD2 folder?

Chasing the missing disk space might be very time consuming.

Locate the iBuyPower utility to create the factory restore recovery media. Each mfgr is different and I could not find the information on their site. There might be a group iBuyPower in the Start menu (or Win8 equivalent)

Create the recovery media on a few DVDs. This set will contain all the software that originally shipped on the box.
Windows 8, iBuyPower utilities, and any other software.

Make sure that this is done correctly, you might need it in the future.

---

Follow this tutorial: Disk Cleanup - Open and Use
Skip step 6. To Open Programs and Features

If the space used by any category is not 0, select that category before hitting the OK button.

This might cleanup what is using the disk space.

Can you tell me what the SUPERdelete folder (created 06/01/2014 07:21 PM) is for? It seems to be associated with SuperAntiSpyware, but I don't recall anyone suggesting that.

Let me know if disk cleanup helped with the free disk space and let me know when you have the iBuyPower recovery media on DVDs.

Driver and utility disc: if you needed to reinstall a base driver or utility. This is NOT the Recovery media you need to create.

Disk Cleanup: It was worth a shot
I found more options..... and....
Did you tick them, did you gain more space?
...scared doing this.
Disk Cleanup is a standard Windows utility. Run it.

I have almost unlimited patience, almost..... if you want me to continue helping, you really have to stop posting ambiguous and incomplete information and answer questions.

Where did SUPERdelete come from?
Where did you place the HD2 folder you mentioned?

I couldn't locate the iBuyPower information that describes the Recovery media creation, I couldn't even find a manual on the website. So, if you have a printed manual or a digital manual - look there for Recovery options, recovery media.

I've been looking around and Win8 has a different approach to Recovery.

I still need to dig deeper, but it appears that Windows 8 does a lot of the work OEMs used to do. Although... Dell still offers a shortcut to create recovery media for it's machines.

Please follow this tutorial on the Microsoft site:
Create a USB recovery drive - Microsoft Windows Help

The key phrase is:
make sure the Copy the recovery partition from the PC to the recovery drive check box is selected
Otherwise you create Repair media, not the Recovery Media you need.

There is also a Reset option in PC Settings, I'm having a little difficulty understanding this and I don't have Win8 to test. Some instructions state that you need the Recovery media, others don't mention it. I suppose it depends on the mfgr and if a Recovery Partition exists with Win8 on it.

Create the USB recovery drive as prescribed in the tutorial above.

If you can't reclaim the disk space, then I suggest doing a Factory reset. This will make you PC just as it was delivered.

I'm also going to suggest that you create a partition for you recovery. This will isolate the process from the OS partition.

Once the disk space issue is resolved, you can take another stab at getting your data.

Do NOT repeat the same things as before. To make this as smooth as possible, you'll have to perform some tests. Simple copy, small file, one folder. I want to take this one small step at a time.

If those tests are successful, then build up the copy process. Again, not a wholesale large copy, but smaller chunks, verifying your data between operations.

Let me know two things
1) How much disk space was recovered.

You posted
I only would get 200-300MB.

EDIT: I found the more options, my mistake.

2) When the USB Recovery drive is created.

Ok, thanks

Disk Cleanup: Did not reclaim more than 200-300 MB.

Posting: The information is available on your monitor, or in a file. Members need to know what msg or popup is displayed and they need to see the file or report. There's no reason to "see it" or describe it - just post the file or a screen shot of what you see.

You don't have to try to beat the clock. This isn't real time trouble shooting / help. Members will see your post and respond to it. It can take a while especially when time zones are half way around the world. Patience is the key and even more so with a faulty drive - it takes a while.

HD2: Please provide a directory list of that folder

Command prompt
cd Desktop
dir /a /s > ListDT.txt
exit

Attach the ListDT.txt file to a post.

SUPERdelete: Ok, just wanted to be sure that you put it there and that was what cleaned the files in Gateway HD. I understand that the folder itself was problematic to delete.

Manual: Most mfgrs put documentation on the HD and have a shortcut or charm to access it.

Disks: You told me in post# 86 that your had a drivers disc and a utilities disc. You tell me now that you also have a Microsoft Windows Reinstallation DVD. This is information that will save time if provided when asked. Just so you know, some things require research or testing before I post them for a member. I spent at least an hour, probably more, trying to find a way for you to create the Recovery media. I ask questions of other members.
A lack of information wastes everyone's time.

Anyway, I think you can use the Microsoft Windows Reinstallation DVD to reset the machine. The manual would probably tell you. Look on your machine, look in your favorites. I don't know where iBUYPOWER stashes the documentation, but it has to be there. You could call iBUYPOWER support and ask them.

New USB sticks: Sure, get a few 4GB and a 16 GB. I think the will come in handy for you.
Do NOT overwrite the Lucid Puppy - you'll use that again.

Factory Reset: It will delete everything. Your machine will be as it was last week before you opened the box.
Yes, the HD2 folder will be gone
No, that is not what the DVDs are for. They were for creating the iBUYPOWER Recovery media.
Now that you told me that you have the Microsoft Windows Reinstallation DVD, I don't think you have to create those DVDs. You might though, the Microsoft Windows Reinstallation DVD might have an option to Reset and another option to create the Recovery media on DVD. You have to help find the documentation.

Recovered files: You say that everything except a few documents and some huge downloads were recovered. This too is news to me. I knew that you put things in HD2, but not that you had verified the data was what you needed.

This is both good news and bad news. Good that you know you have the data you need, and bad because of the amount of free space on the c:\ drive.

Post# 89 was very informative - thank you. This is the type of information members need to make good suggestions to help solve the issue.

MajorGeeks: I don't think either utility will help find the space. Directory Hog is not rated for Win8 (it might work, but why add another wrinkle). That plus they are utilities that you have to learn, I am not familiar with either one.

Native commands can serve that investigative function.

Attach the directory list of HD2 and I'll see if the space is chewed up in that folder. I suspect it is - something really strange might have happened during the copy (recursive directories, multiple copies...) I won't know until I can see the list.

It might take a full listing of your C:\ drive, but start with HD2.

I increased the size of the instructions to produce the test file to make it easier for you to locate it.

This might be coming to a close sooner than I expected. Good information = good help.