I just lost 20 GB of free hard drive space!

[Tim]

Someone else was using my computer for a while today, and it wouldn't surprise me as to what kind of sites they may have visited.

But I have 2 hard drives in my computer.

1. C drive is 80 GB, with about 20 GB unused space. This drive has the XP Home operating system on it.

2. D drive is 20 GB and was already nearly full.

I came back to the computer this afternoon after a few hours, and there's a mesage saying I'm running low on hard drive space.

So I look, and C drive has about 26 MB free space!

What the hell can take up 20 GB of space in a few hours ?!?!?!

Ad-Aware SE only found a few things, clearing the Temporary Internet Files only opened up about 260 MB, and AVG antivirus is scanning right now.


Here's a HiJack This log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 7:59:21 PM, on 3/17/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Sygate\SPF\smc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgwb.dat
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\winzip32.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Tim\Local Settings\Temp\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = sas.r6.attbi.com:8000
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.r6.attbi.com
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Security Programs\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdaptecDirectCD] "C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SmcService] C:\PROGRA~1\Sygate\SPF\smc.exe -startgui
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_EMC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [P2P Networking] C:\WINDOWS\System32\P2P Networking\P2P Networking.exe /AUTOSTART
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ViewMgr] C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RemoteControl] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: WinZip Quick Pick.lnk = E:\WinZip\WZQKPICK.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: ComcastHSI - {669B269B-0D4E-41FB-A3D8-FD67CA94F646} - http://www.comcast.net/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Support - {8828075D-D097-4055-AA02-2DBFA9D85E8A} - http://www.comcastsupport.com/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Help - {97809617-3937-4F84-B335-9BB05EF1A8D4} - http://online.comcast.net/help/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE
O9 - Extra button: WeatherBug - {AF6CABAB-61F9-4f12-A198-B7D41EF1CB52} - C:\PROGRA~1\AWS\WEATHE~1\Weather.exe (HKCU)
O12 - Plugin for .mpeg: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\npqtplugin3.dll
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {2B96D5CC-C5B5-49A5-A69D-CC0A30F9028C} (MiniBugTransporterX Class) - http://download.weatherbug.com/minibug/tricklers/AWS/MiniBugTransporter.cab?
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1117629037684
O16 - DPF: {928626A3-6B98-11CF-90B4-00AA00A4011F} (SurroundVideoCtrl Object) - http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/external/MSSurVid.cab
O16 - DPF: {F04A8AE2-A59D-11D2-8792-00C04F8EF29D} (Hotmail Attachments Control) - http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/activex/HMAtchmt.ocx
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPodService - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Sygate Personal Firewall (SmcService) - Sygate Technologies, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Sygate\SPF\smc.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe



Any ideas on what's wrong? This is a new problem for me.

[Tim]

I did some investigating, looking at the file sizes of various folders on the C drive. Program Files was at 20.8 GB, which seemed excessive. In it, the Folding@Home folder was at 16.7 GB, and in that, the "FAHlog-Prev" document was 16.6 GB!

When I tried to open it, Microsoft Office Word said that "There is a serious disk error on FAHlog-Prev. Yeah, no kidding! About 16.6 GB worth of error!

So, what can be done to fix it? Delete just that file? Delete FAH entirely? I use the 5.03 version which can show a graphic display.

[Trogan]

Hi Tim,

Your log is mostly clean. Just the following line should go:

O16 - DPF: {2B96D5CC-C5B5-49A5-A69D-CC0A30F9028C} (MiniBugTransporterX Class) - http://download.weatherbug.com/minib...ansporter.cab?

Do you use WeatherBug or Viewpoint? Did you install them?
-

The folding folder seems way too big. My F@H folder size is 32.9MB and im running 5.02 console version.

I would delete the folder entirely and start again?

[Tim]

I deleted that line.

I've had Weatherbug installed for a few years now. It's worked pretty well for the most part, but in the last week or 2, when I go to open Weatherbug, sometimes it'll pop open another screen with all kinds of advertising BS on it. And the only way to get rid of that screen is to go into Task Manager and shut down Weatherbug, then restart it normally and the pop up screen doesn't reappear.

My FAH work unit count on this computer is up to 262, I sure hate to lose that number if deleting that FAH file will do that, but if it has to be done, then it has to be done.

I don't know what Viewpoint is. I don't remember installing it if I have it already.

Thanks.

[Trogan]

At one point, Viewpoint was told to be uninstalled but that is now questionable. Read here (http://castlecops.com/s4102-ViewMgr_exe.html) and here (http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3561546). You can easily uninstall it from Add/Remove programs...your choice!

Again, WeatherBug used to be considered Spyware but I think thats changed and its now users choice whether they want it or not.

Yeah, I hate to lose a F@H folder aswell. Whatever you decide, let me know if it made a difference.

Good Luck! :)

[Tim]

I deleted that FAH folder, and it didn't seem to affect anything else. I got my hard drive space back. The count in the FAH display hasn't changed yet. Still at 262 work units on this system. We'll see what it does after this work unit completes.

[Trogan]

Let me know how it goes :)