Is it Safe to Delete Contents of System Volume Info in External Drive

[joseslepian]

The System Volume Information folder is taking up about 18% of one of my 2 external hard drives. (I can't remember if I have actively programmed anything to be stored in that file.) In any event, is it safe to delete some of all of the files in that SVI folder?

Thanks much!

 

[benjy206]

Basically the system volume folder is restore points. I wouldn't really recommened deleting it. It does a lot to keep your links in order. Also is you delete it you probable wouldn't be able to open some applications on it. You can turn off system restore under system settings in control panel. But this will stop restore for you computer also.

 

[joseslepian]

Thanks for your prompt reply!
Does the system volume folder on my external drive contain restore points for my main (C drive, or only for the drive it's stored on?
In either event, if it's not safe to delete the entire folder, is it safe to delete all files except the most recent file in that folder (and how do I know which one that is)?

Thanks

 

[benjy206]

No see it's not just restore points within that folder, it's other things also. If you use a program like Ccleaner to clean it up. That will do fairly well. It cleans what needs to be cleaned.

CCleaner - PC Optimization and Cleaning - Free Download

There is the link for it. If you use it make sure it includes your drive letter from the ExHDD

 

[joseslepian]

I'm sorry to be such a pain, but when I try to include that ExHDD, cc says that "for safety reasons you cannot select this specific location."

 

[benjy206]

Oh ok. You will have to you windows cleaner

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/818-disk-cleanup-open-use.html

 

[joseslepian]

Hmmm, windows cleaner found 0mg of space that could be cleaned. I've given up, but thanks so much for all the advice.

 

[benjy206]

There probably is files that could be removed but i can't tell you which or just tell you to remove things becuase you could mess it up and you don't want that to happen.

 

[gigagiggles]

"The System Volume Information folder is taking up about 18% of one of my 2 external hard drives."

The percentage can be configured in the System Restore tab for each individual drive; or System Restore turned off for each of the external drives. I have it turned off for all my external drives and 1% for the 700GB main drive, which the OS sees fit to allow a maximum of 10GB for System Restore, 8.8GB currently used. Curiously, there are empty SVI folders in every external drive and, importantly, the properties of the SVI folder in C:\ show it as empty too.

CCleaner has a System Restore tool that lists the available restore points. In the past, when the list was long, I would use the tool to delete the older restore points. So, turning off System Restore will leave the SVI folder and contents intact while deleting older restore points should reduce its size.

 

[Britton30]

System Volume Information Should be on your C:\ drive with the OS. Did the External formerly have an OS on it? It contains more than just restore points.

 

[benjy206]

All external HD have svi and recycle the svi isnt just restore points once you format it and start adding files or programs and run them off the ExHD it creates files in ther

 

[Britton30]

I have 2 externals and they don't have any System Volume on they but do have a hidden $Recycle or something like that.

 

[gregrocker]

Turn off Virtual Paging File on all drives beside the OS partition, as shown in Change Virtual Memory Paging File.

 

[nilank]

Hi joseslepian,

The System Volume Information (SVI) folder on your external drive stores system restore points for all drives on which system restore is active (same is with the SVI folders on other drives), but there it contains more than just restore points as already said so you can't delete it completely (even if you can, it would be back again). Here's all you need to know:

1. Click Start rb: > Right click "Computer" and click "Properties"
2. Now click "System Protection" on the left pane



3. Now select the External drive from the list and click "Configure"



4. Now here you can either turn off system restore for that drive, set the amount of disk space you want system restore to use, or delete the existing, old restore points by clicking on "Delete". This will clean up your SVI folder on your external drive.



Hope this helped.

 

[gregrocker]

 

[nilank]

What?

 

[Britton30]

What?

You kinda sorta repeated what Greg has already posted mate. :huh:

 

[nilank]

What?

You kinda sorta repeated what Greg has already posted mate. :huh:

Oh, I'm sorry. My bad. Greg was talking about clearing pagefile thing, so I took one step further to explain, in my own simple language, how to "clean" up SVI foler (which OP actually wants to do) by deleting old restore points.

I'm sorry if my post's kinda useless.

 

[DavidE]

How do you see how much space (18%) the System Volume Information folder is using?

I looked in Windows Explorer properties, and Windirstat and both show 0.
I was logged in with MY Administrator account for my screen prints, and this OS partition is using space for restore points.
I don't want to mess with permissions for this folder, but I only see the SYSTEM user listed...
Is that normal...? (no system issues for me)

I had problems with "ghost/unexplained" used space a LONG time ago, and basically what I did to recover the space:
- Copy (backup) all data I wanted to keep to another partition/hard drive/media.
- Format the partition with the space issue
- Copy data back to the partition

Yes, this approach does require space available on some other HD/partition/storage media.

I always believed my issue was caused (by me) using "common data partitions" on a Multi-Boot/Multi-User PC
Maybe I was just lucky fixing my problem...
Experts here may say "Don't do that"...

What I have learned and recommend is always have backups, so a recovery is possible...

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

I thought it was standard for all drives to have a hidden SVI folder. Both of my external usb drives have them but they are taking up no space. The Virtual Memory Paging File is off as is system restore on both drives. Is something wrong then



I also thought if you store a system image backup on the drive it needs the SVI folder also. Shows what I know