How can I manage/access System Volume Information to free up space?

[Bill Smitty]

How can I access System Volume Information? I scaned my drives with a
software tha scans to display folder sizes, Any way, I saw System
Volume Information with 17GB!! So, how can I access/free up space in
System Volume Information?

TIA

 

[John John - MVP]

The System Volume Information folder contains Restore Points, you may
want to take a look at your System Restore settings to reduce space
usage. You can use the CACLS command to gain access to the folder:

cacls "driveletter:\System Volume Information" /E /G username:F

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309531
How to gain access to the System Volume Information folder

John

 

[Singapore Computer Service]

Hello,

System Volume Information is used to store System Restore information.
System Restore can be used to restore your system to a previous state - see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084

To reduce the space used by System Restore: Start > Control Panel > System >
System Restore > (move the slider to the left to reduce space usage by
System Restore) > OK

Regards,
Singapore Computer Home Repair Service
http://www.bootstrike.com/ComputerService/
Video Conversion VHS Video8 Hi8 Digital8 MiniDv MicroMv
http://www.bootstrike.com/VHSVideoConvert/

 

[Bill Smitty]

I can not find "use simple file sharing (Recommended) check box". FYI
I'm running XP HOME Edition.

 

[Daave]

How can I access System Volume Information? I scaned my drives with a
software tha scans to display folder sizes, Any way, I saw System
Volume Information with 17GB!! So, how can I access/free up space in
System Volume Information?

I like Singapore's suggestion.

How much space do you really need to free up? (How large is your drive
and how much free space is there? Or do you have several partitions that
may need to be resized?) If 17GB makes that much of a difference, you
should consider purchasing a new (much larger) hard drive. They are
affordable and they come with software to clone your current drive to
the new one.

 

[Jose]

How can I access System Volume Information? I scaned my drives with a
software tha scans to display folder sizes, Any way, I saw System
Volume Information with 17GB!! So, how can I access/free up space in
System Volume Information?

TIA

That would be right if you have about a ~150GB hard drive. What size
is your HDD?

RPs take up 12% of your HDD space by default. As time goes on, old
RPs are pushed out to make room for new ones.

If you think that is too much space, adjust the space as Singapore
indicated. You will reduce the number of accumulated RPs and will not
be able to restore as far back as a result. This may be fine for you.

There is no need and some risk to adjusting access settings to files
and folders that are out of reach. They are that way for a reason,
but accessible for advanced troubleshooting.

I don't think you are troubleshooting. You seem are curious as to
why. Now you hopefully understand and can make an informed decision
about what to do next (if anything).

Here is a nice article to read about System Restore:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/getstarted/ballew_03may19.mspx

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

How can I access System Volume Information? I scaned my drives with a
software tha scans to display folder sizes, Any way, I saw System
Volume Information with 17GB!! So, how can I access/free up space in
System Volume Information?

System Volume Information is where Restore Points are stored. You
don't need to, and shouldn't, access it directly.

If you have 17GB, you almost certainly have the default amount of
space allocated to it (12% of your drive). I recommend that you reduce
the amount to a week or two's worth (around 1-2GB); the number you get
with XP's default allocation is too large. If you go back too far, you
tend to get the registry out of synch with other files on the drive. A
lot of restore points aren't really useful.

To change the setting, go to Control Panel | System | System Restore.

 

[John John - MVP]

With XP Home without a doubt the easiest way to do it is with the cacls
command, there is no need to change Simple File Sharing or anything else:

cacls "c:\System Volume Information" /E /G "Your User Name":F

Use the "quotation marks" to encapsulate spaces in the path or user name.

John

 

[Jim]

How can I access System Volume Information? I scaned my drives with a
software tha scans to display folder sizes, Any way, I saw System
Volume Information with 17GB!! So, how can I access/free up space in
System Volume Information?

TIA

Since that folder contains restore points, and the easy way to clean the
folder is by turning off system restore. After the system finishes this
task, restart system restore and reduce the amount of space that the restore
points may occupy. About 6% of the drive capacity is much more reasonable
than the default of 12 %.

Jim