lost disk space for system backup

[allend66]

Hello community..

New laptop Toshiba Satellite L500. 320Gb hard disk with 2 partitions, C + D (160Gb + 160Gb)

I used the windows7 home premium backup utility to make an image of my "C" drive. I saved the files on the separate partition "D".

The program advised me that although it was on a separate drive, it was actually on the same physical drive as my operating system and as such, in the event of hard disk failure, I would be boned. All logical stuff, and I accepted and went ahead knowing that I was about to buy a new external HD. So when I got my new USB external HD, I copied the backup files from D, pasted to X and then deleted the backup from D. (After a freak powercut once at a crucial time, I never move files, I always copy then delete the original).

Question: Why have I lost the 15Gb of space that was taken by the backup image of the C drive? I have system restore turned off on the D drive. I have run M$ disk cleanup utility, also CCleaner but I am mising 15Gb. I have also done: folder options --> view --> show hidden files and folders + Show protected sytem files, but cannot see anything on the drive. Any suggestions, please?

Thanks
D

EDIT: Also, when I right click on the backup image it says it has no size at all, so I only know how big it is from knowing the hard disk free space before and after. Why is this too?

 

[richc46]

Download windirstat and see for yourself
Ill get the link
http://download.cnet.com/WinDirStat/3000-2248_4-10614593.html

After you get to the segments on the HD, either click or put cursor (forget which) to get more information
Dont forget the worst case scenario.
Run anti virus scan
Download and scan with Malwarbytes, update before you scan

 

[allend66]

Thanks, will do when I get home. Post tomorrow.
...

 

[richc46]

Thanks let us know either way.
If good news you will be helping others
If bad, we can give further help
Have a nice day.

 

[allend66]

OK, an update: It's better, but still something isn't right... I'm only missing 8.5 Gb now, not the 15 from before.

To explain, I have the partition empty with one * 50Gb TrueCrypt container for My Documents. Hence, I checked that WinDirStat (see screengrab) and it tells me what I would like and expect to see: But Windows is telling me:

(Virus scan revealed A-OK)

 

[richc46]

It is probably shadow copies. You can do this to delete them all but the last one (system restore points)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/818-disk-cleanup-open-use.html

 

[allend66]

Thanks richc46, again, I'll have to wait to try this as I'm at work at the mo. Though I think I've tried disk cleanup AND system restore is turned off ( and always has been on this drive). Will post either way tomorrow.

Regards
D

 

[richc46]

If it did not work before, will probably not work now. You should not turn off System Restore on a permanent basis.

Try this
Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Storage>Disk Management

 

[allend66]

System Restore is only turned off on this (and external USBs, because they are simply data stores with networked back ups). SysRestore is always on for C Drive.

I'll try the disk management, and post later - thanks!

 

[whs]

Here is how you determine the size of your shadowstorage: Open an elevated Command Prompt (run as admin) and type vssadmin list shadowstorage, then hit Enter. It will show you the shadowstorage of each Partition. The Allocated number is the amount that is currently used.

 

[pjd]

@allend66 - How big is your windows\winSxS ?

Most of the stuff in there is hard links to files that also have links elsewhere - eg the Driver Store in System 32.

WindirStat and everything else I know (including windows - see folder properties) will count each hard link as consuming real space, so a 50K file with 3 links will apparently consume 150Kb, where as in reality its only consuming 50K. My WinSxS is reported as being 6.5GB big, in reality it's probably closer to 6.5MB small.

pjd

 

[allend66]

@ whs - tried that thanks, but it throws this error at me. ( "unexpected error " )

 

[allend66]

@ pjd - Windows tells me its 6.2Gb. WindirStat tries to analyse it but doesn't get anywhere. If I try to minimise the window --> Not Responding.

 

[whs]

Hmm, if both vssadmin and WinDirStat don't work, then you have some other problem - possibly with your disk. I suggest you run a chkdsk /F in elevated cmd. Maybe there is an irregularity on the disk.

 

[allend66]

@ whs, chkdsk confirms I have 61540628KB in 11 files, but I only have the one 50Gb truecrypt file (52428800KB). I imagine it's also counting system volume information and $RECYCLE.BIN and their contents, but as I have said, system restore is turned off - and never been on on this new laptop, and I have run CCleaner ( interestingly, after I ran CCleaner then reran chkdsk, it gave me 61540632KB in 12 archives). State of play: Still missing 8.5Gb, and confused.

It's not the end of the world, I can live with it, obviously would prefer to solve it but...

 

[whs]

I assume you did account for the binary conversion. In binary Gigabytes are always 7% less than in decimal.

 

[mjf]

Download windirstat and see for yourself
Ill get the link
WinDirStat - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

After you get to the segments on the HD, either click or put cursor (forget which) to get more information
Dont forget the worst case scenario.
Run anti virus scan
Download and scan with Malwarbytes, update before you scan

I may have missed it but I didn't see Windows 7 in the supported OS list?

 

[richc46]

WinDirStat - Windows Directory Statistics

 

[mjf]

thanks - looks usefull

 

[richc46]

When you get the pie chart, showing the segments, you put your cursor on the segment and you get the contents. It will help