Undo NTFS compression

[mp5]

I have an 1TB external hard drive with no free space left, and contains only one visible file; Locker.flk - created by using Folder Lock. (Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit)
I was just curious to see if the "Compress or Encrypt files" in "Advanced Attributes" would make any difference, so I ticked off the box to "Compress content to save disk space".
When I then clicked "Apply" I got an Windows error message saying "Disk full, not enough space to complete the task"
But when I go back to see attributes settings it now has the box ticked - indicating compression IS activated, despite the error message.
No matter what I do, I can't undo it. "Disk full, not enough space..."

The main problem is that when I try to access my locked files using Folder Lock, it says;
"The Locker seems to be compressed at the file-system level in Windows. Please remove the compression, and try again!

- Windows won't let me undo the compression (that never happened), and until this gets undone Folder Lock will keep my files locked...

3 weeks ago I lost the main drive I used to store i.e. ALL family photos. Now this happens to the backup of that drive. I'm starting to feel sick...

 

[mp5]

Creating a registry entry...

(Short version of post above - without the yada yada...)

How do I create a registry entry that disables NTFS compression on a drive?

 

[torchwood]

filled up

1TB is an awfull lot of data, how did you transfer the data to it???

sounds more like a virus to me.

Please download MalwareBytes and run on both your Comp and your external hard drive.

When you DL malwarebytes please uncheck the 30 day trial.
And enable the rootkit scan in the scan options.

In Folder Lock (not an MS prog) are there any option to dissable.

Roy

 

[mp5]

It's a ext. USB drive used as a backup for a few years. Folder Lock have created a "vault", that when closed are always the same size, and does not reflect actual amount of data on the disk.
(It's about 2-300GB free space inside)

It is clean, scanned with MalwareBytes. The drive has been used exclusively to store personal and family photo+video.

What did you mean disable...?
-You mean disable protection/ or un-locking the files with Folder Lock?
The problem is FL can't do anything until drive looses its compressed -status!

 

[torchwood]

Dissable

All AntiVirus and a lot of other Security/Encription programmes have the facility to dissable/stop parts of the program, either totally or for a certain amount of time.
Allowing you to do anything you cant usually do, or run other AV's mostly

Open folder lock> select options> security??- dissable, see whats there.

Dont use it myself but the above are standard.

Roy

 

[mp5]

Only option is to uninstall program, but that does leave files the way they're now - hidden in the "vault", which is a .flkb -file.
So uninstalling is only an option if I were able to move files from there to another disk first!

 

[torchwood]

Version 7

If your using FL7 then theres an awfull lot more options than that!!!

 

[mp5]

Yes, this is all the option!

 

[mp5]

And this is how it looks when I try to open my files, and where I'm stuck:

 

[mp5]

I'm not too sturdy in English, so I add some Windows screenshots for better illustrating my problem:

1. Right click on file, select properties,
2. select show advanced file attributes,
3. deselects "Compress to save space"
4. Clicks OK..
5. ..and then I get the system error message:

"An error occurred while setting file attributes. There is not enough disk space"

 

[torchwood]

properties

Have you changed the default option here, according to your screenshot drive should be H.

Roy

 

[mp5]

Thank you Roy, for taking time helping out with my problem!

Yes, I have tried changing attributes for drive H, in addition to the single file on the drive.
Compression for H can be set ON/OFF without getting Windows error message.
(Tried both options: Only H, and H incl. folders/ files)
However, the box is always unchecked when I go back to see properties status.

Properties for the .flkb file on drive H remains stuck with a checked box, I get a Windows error message when trying to disable.

The :devil: paradox is that Windows never started the compression process in the first place, it only marked the file as if!

 

[torchwood]

whats here

What settings here,

Roy

 

[Ztruker]

I have this squirrelled away, maybe it will help:


Compression is sometimes turned on by disk cleanup, to prevent this from happening again delete this registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress old files

You can export the key before deleting it, just in case you want it back. Disable compression from disk properties or use the following command:

compact /u /a /f /i /s:c:\

Change c:\ to the letter assigned to the drive you are working with.

 

[mp5]

What settings here,

Roy

I have the very same settings!

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm surly no expert but is it possible that their isn't enough room on the drive to decompress it?
The picture only shows 2.1MB free space.

 

[mp5]

I have this squirrelled away, maybe it will help:


Compression is sometimes turned on by disk cleanup, to prevent this from happening again delete this registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress old files

You can export the key before deleting it, just in case you want it back. Disable compression from disk properties or use the following command:

compact /u /a /f /i /s:c:\


Change c:\ to the letter assigned to the drive you are working with.

• 
  I was me that unfortunately tried to turn on compression! This is explained in my first post!
  But Windows aborted immediately with an error message; Not enough space!
  So main issue is Windows marked the file's properties with "compression ON" and now refuses to turn it off for the same reason; Not enough space!

• I don't have that registry key! Don't know how or why it disappeared..

• I ran your suggested command. It does not say OK for the Locker -file yet, but I guess the blinking cursor means it's working on it?
  It's been running for a two hours now.. Since the Locker -file is not really compressed physically, I would've thought it go rather quick!?

 

[mp5]

I'm surly no expert but is it possible that their isn't enough room on the drive to decompress it?
The picture only shows 2.1MB free space.

It is NOT enough space for decompression, but thing is nothing has ever been compressed!
Please read my first post!

Thanks...

 

[Pyprohly]

There is an 'Uncompress' method of the CIM_Directory WMI object. It's worth a shot...

Enter these lines in a PowerShell shell.

$folder = (gwmi -q "SELECT * FROM CIM_Directory Where Name='[COLOR=red]C:\\folder\\to\\uncompress[/COLOR]'")
$folder.Uncompress()