Invisible file(s)

I got a new laptop, it had 16 gb populated on C. I have been removing trial software, it is now down to 11.2 gb. However, the component directories of C only total about 5.9 gb. This is with hidden folders/filed displayed in windows explorer.

Is there any software I can use to find the files/folders that are hidden from Windows explorer?

Tom

 

Start, Run, cmd

cd \
attrib *.*

cd \windows
attrib *.*


Note that Virtual Memory, System Restore cache, Hibernation if enabled storage cache, your registry hives and your SAM database, your Client Side Caching cache, your filestore metadate and metafiles, your MFT or other directory structure elements, are all hidden even when you ask to show hidden files and folders.

 

Bill,

You said: "Note that Virtual Memory, System Restore cache, Hibernation if enabled storage cache, your registry hives and your SAM database, your Client Side Caching cache, your filestore metadate and metafiles, your MFT or other directory structure elements, are all hidden even when you ask to show hidden files and folders. "

Hmmm- so if I use Ghost 10 to backup the c drive, then the backup should be much smaller if it runs off the CD? I assume these files only excist at run time.

It seems like Ghost 10 should know better than to
backup these files. The Ghost ten backup is 8.9 gig. Standard compression.

Tom

 

The files persist post-runtime, although you can set a Group Policy Object or do a registry edit to have XP clear its pagefile during shutdown. The other elements persist unless disable or handled outside of the Operating System.

I cannot speak of what Ghost does or does not do. The current version of Ghost is based on Drive Image, and it would make a copy of all the hidden files I mentioned except the drive MFT.

.

 

No I am not.

But I was not aware that you could restore to a nonpartitioned and non-formatted volume.

And this feature would cause me some concern if you were cloning a smaller drive to a larger one.

But I honestly do not know.

One thing I do know is that what you are referrring to as "One Session" files does not mean they are removed when you logoff. They are persistent into the next session unless special steps are taken. Disable Hibernation, Disable System Restore, will make a difference. You can ask XP to remove the pagefile on exit, but that will not answer your question of missing space.

.