Incorrect remaining space?

si_edgey

Hi there guys,

Please help a newbie to the forum - you all seem so friendly! I have recently upgraded to Windows Vista, although I had this problem in XP too (I have only just noticed it!).

In "My Computer", windows shows my partitioned 39GB of C: space as only having 3GB remaining, however right clicking and selecting everything on the drive in Explorer shows on 20.7GB has been used.

I have delved deeper and run Space Monger on the advice of someone in this forum - which indeed shows 3GB remaining and the remaining files dont even nearly add up to 39GB! (image attached). In fact, it only adds up to 61.6% of my drive space within the program. Tried running chkdsk - apparently I dont have the priviledges to run it in Vista even though I am the only user and an administrator!

I have looked about - I know a fair bit about computers - but I just cant find where the extra 15 or more GB is, it's not showing anywhere.

Any ideas?

Many thanks in advance,

S

Ryder

I have not run Vista, but does it have "system restore" like XP did? I know that by default XP would allocate as much as 12GB on larger drives for system restore.

Also...how big does it say the Paging file is set to?

si_edgey

Thanks for the reply! YEs Vista does have System Restore, it's pretty much exactly the same as the XP version too. I have it disabled so nothing being taken up there!

My paging file is 1.5GB at the moment. I did notice on a Disk Cleanup (thought I'd already run one) that Windows had backed up all my XP stuff and I deleted that which freed up 6GB when viewed from the "My Computer" screen but selecting everything on C: and choosing properties still brings up 20.7GB used - God knows where it was storing that 6GB!

So the long and short of it is I am still 'missing' 7GB somewhere!

Thanks

Ryder

Ok, so if I understand this correctly,

Right clicking the C: Drive in Explorer and choosing properties says 39.0GB total space 2.8 GB free (now 8.8GB after the delete) with 36.2 GB (now 30.2GB after the delete) used.

Highlighting the root of the C drive in Explorer then "selecting all" in the right hand pane > Right click and choose properties - shows 20.7GB of stuff.

Do I have that right?

si_edgey

Almost perfect - some of the above figures were estimates, actual figures:

Right clicking C: and selecting properties:

Used space: 31.1GB
Free Space: 7.91GB

Double clicking C: and selecting all file and folders, right clicking, properties gives:

Size / On disk: 20.7GB

Many thanks

Ryder

Open Explorer, go to Tools > Folder Options > Click the View Tab. Now scroll down and make sure that "Show Hidden files" has a green circle next to it and Untick the "Hide protected Operating system files" (say yes to the warning asking "are you sure?")

Now select all under C and see if the numbers are closer.

I just did it here both ways.... 1st time it nets me 11.1GB.... after unchecking it nets me 14.4 which is almost bang on what Right clicking the C: Drive gives. I think there are just more hidden and protected operating system files in Vista.

si_edgey

Ooooh you might just have cracked it there! I'm now sitting at a lowly 2GB out which I can handle!

Many thanks,

S

Straight_Man

si_edgey wrote:

Almost perfect - some of the above figures were estimates, actual figures:

Right clicking C: and selecting properties:

Used space: 31.1GB
Free Space: 7.91GB

Double clicking C: and selecting all file and folders, right clicking, properties gives:

Size / On disk: 20.7GB

Many thanks

That size on disk on disk of 20.7 GB is minus all hidden files (Paging file is
hidden, for instance, as is the overhead of the file format used)
The automatic system restore point generated when upgrading by
installing a Service Pack for XP like SP 2-- this restore point does get
installed regardless of the settings for restore points and is in the SP
install pack is also hidden and should be a hidden file.

Now, next thing is that HD volume uses base 10 and not base 16 as does
RAM. there is some loss in that factor also. HDs use 1000 where RAM uses
1024 in base 10 for kilobyte. That difference set should explain a bunch also.

Ryder

The OS uses the proper Base 2 ( ?) system to report drive space (1024 bytes is 1KB, 1024KB is 1MB) though and this is where we are reporting the losses...he is not comparing to the actual labeled HD capacity by the HD manufacturer which yes, they use base 10.

Pterocarpous

si_edgey wrote:

Hi there guys,
Please help a newbie to the forum - you all seem so friendly! I have recently upgraded to Windows Vista, although I had this problem in XP too (I have only just noticed it!).
In "My Computer", windows shows my partitioned 39GB of C: space as only having 3GB remaining, however right clicking and selecting everything on the drive in Explorer shows on 20.7GB has been used.
I have delved deeper and run Space Monger on the advice of someone in this forum - which indeed shows 3GB remaining and the remaining files dont even nearly add up to 39GB! (image attached). In fact, it only adds up to 61.6% of my drive space within the program. Tried running chkdsk - apparently I dont have the priviledges to run it in Vista even though I am the only user and an administrator!
I have looked about - I know a fair bit about computers - but I just cant find where the extra 15 or more GB is, it's not showing anywhere.
Any ideas?
Many thanks in advance,S

Good call RyderOCZ (re: hidden files)!

Thanx for the reference to Space Monger, si_edgey. Looks like a nifty little utility. (It's freeware, btw, to those who might be interested...) Gonna check it out mahsailf. :smiles: