Memory Loss

[Guest]

Hi.

I know similar issues have been discussed on some other threads but i've
read a few and haven't been able to fix the problem. Apologies if I've missed
something.

I'm currently running Windows XP Pro. I have two physical 80Gb hard drives,
one of which is partitioned as C: - 10Gb and D: - 70Gb. I keep all my Windows
and programme files on C and everything else, music etc, on D.

I've recently run out of space on C drive. My Computer shows that I have
600Mb left of the 10Gb and running dir /a/s from the command prompt confirms
this and adds that I have 35178 files and 7293 directories. However, when I
go into C drive and select all, then select properties, I am told that the
entire contents only take up 4.5Gb and that there are 33881 files and 2344
folders.

So there is approximately 5Gb of data and 2500 files unacounted for
somewhere on my C drive. I've also run the Windows cleanup tools aswell as
virus scans and spyware scans but to no effect.

If anyone has any tips on how I can track down this data I would be very
grateful.

 

[John Nice]

Hi.

I know similar issues have been discussed on some other threads but i've
read a few and haven't been able to fix the problem. Apologies if I've
missed
something.

I'm currently running Windows XP Pro. I have two physical 80Gb hard
drives,
one of which is partitioned as C: - 10Gb and D: - 70Gb. I keep all my
Windows
and programme files on C and everything else, music etc, on D.

I've recently run out of space on C drive. My Computer shows that I have
600Mb left of the 10Gb and running dir /a/s from the command prompt
confirms
this and adds that I have 35178 files and 7293 directories. However, when
I
go into C drive and select all, then select properties, I am told that the
entire contents only take up 4.5Gb and that there are 33881 files and 2344
folders.

So there is approximately 5Gb of data and 2500 files unacounted for
somewhere on my C drive. I've also run the Windows cleanup tools aswell as
virus scans and spyware scans but to no effect.

If anyone has any tips on how I can track down this data I would be very
grateful.

Could be a recovery partition installed by the pc supplier. My Dell has one
on each drive - I would dearly like to know how to remove the damned
things - I have all the backup CDs I need.

John

 

[Guest]

I have a Sony VAIO laptop which allows me to remove the partition by
rebooting using the recovery cd (had to burn this first). In the options, I
can either recover programs, recover the full system, or recover the full
system & remove the recovery partition. This may work on other systems???

 

[Guest]

thanks both. sounds like it may be a recovery partition, but i can't find
anything in the windows help that tells me how to identify if i have one. is
there a way of knowing for sure?

 

[DL]

Disk Administration may show something.
Also Tree Size Pro, there is a trial version, may reveal details of files.
PS I'd suggest 10gb is somewhat too small in any case for Win + program
Files
You can relocate both your page file and My Documents, also Internet Options
adjust temp files to 50mb.
I'd be surprised if Disk Cleanup worked with 600mb free space

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi.

I know similar issues have been discussed on some other threads but i've
read a few and haven't been able to fix the problem. Apologies if I've missed
something.

I'm currently running Windows XP Pro. I have two physical 80Gb hard drives,
one of which is partitioned as C: - 10Gb and D: - 70Gb. I keep all my Windows
and programme files on C and everything else, music etc, on D.

I've recently run out of space on C drive. My Computer shows that I have
600Mb left of the 10Gb and running dir /a/s from the command prompt confirms
this and adds that I have 35178 files and 7293 directories. However, when I
go into C drive and select all, then select properties, I am told that the
entire contents only take up 4.5Gb and that there are 33881 files and 2344
folders.

So there is approximately 5Gb of data and 2500 files unacounted for
somewhere on my C drive. I've also run the Windows cleanup tools aswell as
virus scans and spyware scans but to no effect.

If anyone has any tips on how I can track down this data I would be very
grateful.

Please refer to hard disk space as "storage" rather than as "memory".
Memory means RAM.

10 gb is pretty minimal for a Windows XP boot partition and
application programs. You really need to increase the size of that
partition or relocate some of your installed applications from C: to
D:

Many of the files and folders used by Windows XP will have the hidden
and/or system attributes set and therefore will not show always show
up when you select or view groups of files.

In Windows Explorer use Tools - Folder Options and go to the View tab.
Make sure that the selection box for "Show hidden files and folders"
is selected and that the one for "Hide protected operating system
files (Recommended)" is not selected. That may reveal at least some
of the files you did not previously get included.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Guest]

Thanks Ron.

That's displayed all the missing files. Most of the space is being taken up
by folders called 'FOUND.00#'. each folder have files in it called
'File####.CHK' and a description saying 'Recovered file fragment. Pieces of
file found when your disc was scanned.' Some of them are as much as 1.5G. Do
you think it is safe to delete these files, as i haven't noticed any missing
data on my computer?

oh yeah, thanks for the memory/storage clarification.

Dave