1. You are viewing our forum as a guest. For full access please Register. WindowsBBS.com is completely free, paid for by advertisers and donations.

Resolved C drive full? Explorer discrepancy?

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by petergoode, 2009/07/03.

  1. 2009/07/03
    petergoode

    petergoode Inactive Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2009/03/19
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    If anyone can please help me get started with troubleshooting a problem on my son-in-laws Lenovo notebook (Thinkpad T series) running XP Pro SP2 , I'd be most appreciative.

    Though I am not a full newbie, he presents me with a problem I had not seen before. Specifically, he is getting a c: drive full message when he tries to download new files on his PC...it contains a 92 gb c: folder which states that only has 242 mb free...but upon checking each folder on that partition, one by one, we cannot find any files/folders causing the drive to be full.

    We cannot defrag the drive due to the limited remaining free space.

    I am not sure where to start with this...if anyone can please either specify what, if any, additional information would help, or recommend some initial troubleshooting steps, it would be great.

    BTW, we have run a couple programs which typically indicate where bloated files are located, but both Sequoia View and WinDirStat seem to show there to be quite a lot of free space.

    We did remove temp files, and cleared Explorer's cache.

    Thanks so much in advance for any suggestions.

    Peter
     
    petergoode,
    #1
  2. 2009/07/03
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

    Joined:
    2006/09/10
    Messages:
    7,919
    Likes Received:
    511
    Hi Peter. Normally disk space can be used up by System Restore points which by default take up 12% of the harddrives space.

    Try following these steps to free up harddrive space:

    1. Click Start< Control Panel< Add/Remove Programs and remove any programs that you don't use.
    2. While your in the add/remove programs window click the button that says add/remove Windows Components and uncheck the checkboxes next to MSN Explorer and Windows Messenger. When thats done click next and then click finish when the process is done.
    3. You can free up disk space by running Disk Cleanup. Click Start< All Programs< Accessories< System Tools< Disk Cleanup. When you run Disk Cleanup make sure you select all the checkboxes on the general tab and click the advanced tab and remove all the old system restore points. Click ok when you are done to allow disk cleanup to remove the files.
    4. Also download and run ATF Cleaner. Make sure you select all the checkboxes and then click the empty selected button in the program.
    5. Lastly download and run Auslogics Disk Defrag. This tool is much better than the Windows Defragmenter and you can still defragment your system if your harddrive is full.

    Let me know if the computer has more disk space after performing the above steps. :cool:
     
    Evan Omo,
    #2


  3. to hide this advert.

  4. 2009/07/03
    broni

    broni Moderator Malware Analyst

    Joined:
    2002/08/01
    Messages:
    21,701
    Likes Received:
    116
    It simply doesn't work this way.
    Whatever right click on drive C>Propeties says, it's not a lie.
    Windows needs at least 15% of a free space to work correctly.
     
    broni,
    #3
  5. 2009/07/03
    petergoode

    petergoode Inactive Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2009/03/19
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks so much for the list of steps...we had addressed system restore, but will try removing some software and loading the utilities to see what they can do to help...I have used search engines to find other posted suggestions, but none have recovered much space...hard to imagine where 90 gbs of hard drive space is tied up!

    Peter
     
    petergoode,
    #4
  6. 2009/07/04
    surferdude2

    surferdude2 Inactive

    Joined:
    2004/07/04
    Messages:
    4,009
    Likes Received:
    23
    petergoode, There are a couple of other things that you should check. Check the size setting of the Temporary internet Files by right-clicking the IE Icon and selecting PROPERTIES > Settings Button. Set it to 100 Megs which is more than enough.

    If your problem persists after doing all of the steps previously offered, it's possible that you could have some stranded System Restore Point files. That can happen under certain circumstances when some procedure has caused the System Restore Applet to lose contact with the Restore Points and not be able to delete them as it normally does. (Repair Installs have been known to do that.)

    The fix for that is to manually delete those files. If you get an "Access Denied" error when trying to access the System Volume Information folder, you'll have to assign yourself permission to the folder. To do that in XP-Pro you will need to disable Simple File Sharing. Then a Security Tab will be available when right-clicking the System Volume Info folder that will allow you to assign full permissions.

    The Permissions procedure is different in XP-Home. One way is in XP-Home is to run a command session and type:
    cacls C:\system~1 /E /G username:F and press enter.
    <where username is your User Identity and C: is your System Drive>

    It can also be done in XP-Home by booting to Safe Mode and logging on as the Administrator. From there the procedure is the same as for XP-Pro.

    I'm not saying this will fix your particular problem but it's worth checking since I have had it happen on systems before.
     
    surferdude2,
    #5
  7. 2009/07/04
    petergoode

    petergoode Inactive Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2009/03/19
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    Update...maybe a clue

    Well, having travelled through some of the above steps, I still cannot determine what is causing the drive to appear full. However....I note that although windows explorer describes the c drive as having 86.4 gb capacity and only 3.71 gb free, a program such as WinDirStat shows the c drive as having 18.0 gb capacity. So, something obviously is odd here.

    If this might help, here is the disc analysis from disc defragmenter:

    Volume Preload (C:):
    Volume size = 88,527 MB
    Cluster size = 4 KB
    Used space = 84,706 MB
    Free space = 3,820 MB
    Percent free space = 4 %

    Fragmentation percentage
    Volume fragmentation = 16 %
    Data fragmentation = 16 %

    File fragmentation
    Total files = 68,620
    Average file size = 1,453 KB
    Total fragmented files = 488
    Total excess fragments = 22,356
    Average fragments per file = 1.32
    Files with performance loss = 281
    Paging file fragmentation
    Paging/Swap file size = 2,046 MB
    Total fragments = 943

    Directory fragmentation
    Total directories = 8,704
    Fragmented directories = 11
    Excess directory fragments = 83

    Master File Table (MFT) fragmentation
    Total MFT size = 91,456 KB
    MFT records In Use = 77,696
    Percent MFT in use = 84 %
    Total MFT fragments = 9

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Fragments File size Most fragmented files
    2,434 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data87
    2,431 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data89
    2,430 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data88
    2,263 143 MB \Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe.exp.log
    1,351 219 MB \WINDOWS\Installer\1dc25ea5.msp [Excess Allocation]
    1,154 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data86
    1,006 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data90
    458 36,696 KB \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\avg8\update\prepare\incavi.avm
    420 33,980 KB \Documents and Settings\Dawn\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\Updater5\Install\reader8rdr-en_US\AdbeRdr813_en_US.msi [Excess Allocation]
    398 36,232 KB \System Volume Information\_restore{A8393674-085C-4723-B63E-39928C5F4C89}\RP137\snapshot\_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE [Excess Allocation]
    391 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data225
    366 39,360 KB \Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Template Data\mssqlsystemresource.mdf
    322 14,759 KB \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\excelcnv.exe
    306 33,142 KB \Program Files\Common Files\Remote Control Software Common\jre\lib\rt.jar [Excess Allocation]
    302 54,392 KB \Documents and Settings\Chad\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\snxuza1d.default\urlclassifier3.sqlite
    300 36,232 KB \Documents and Settings\Chad\Local Settings\Application Data\Apple\Apple Software Update\iTunes.msi [Excess Allocation]
    290 33,142 KB \Program Files\Logitech\Logitech Harmony Remote Software 7\jre\lib\rt.jar [Excess Allocation]
    285 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data85
    249 17,904 KB \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE
    245 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data234
    244 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data165
    206 68,937 KB \WINDOWS\Downloaded Installations\{0BF4011E-9066-4AA1-ABE5-0C21C7F86E6F}\Rescue and Recovery.msi [Excess Allocation]
    201 39,360 KB \Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data\mssqlsystemresource.mdf
    176 32,965 KB \Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\rt.jar [Excess Allocation]
    166 76,773 KB \SWTOOLS\APPS\rnr\tvtrnr40.exe [Excess Allocation]
    154 25,644 KB \SWTOOLS\DRIVERS\TPBTooth\Win32\vista\btwicons.dll [Excess Allocation]
    147 36,232 KB \System Volume Information\_restore{A8393674-085C-4723-B63E-39928C5F4C89}\RP138\snapshot\_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE [Excess Allocation]
    146 17,508 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\$PatchCache$\Managed\00002119130000000000000000F01FEC\12.0.6215\EXCEL.EXE [Excess Allocation]
    131 25,631 KB \SWTOOLS\DRIVERS\TPBTooth\Win64\Vista\btwicons.dll [Excess Allocation]
    126 16,828 KB \SWTOOLS\APPS\NORTONIS\US\Setup\Setup\APP\Ales.bin [Excess Allocation]
    105 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data84
    96 18,692 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\239e7.msi [Excess Allocation]
    88 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data233
    87 15,998 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\1dc25fba.msp
    87 17,081 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\$PatchCache$\Managed\00002119130000000000000000F01FEC\12.0.6215\WWLIB.DLL [Excess Allocation]
    85 58,531 KB \WINDOWS\Downloaded Installations\{34B5287F-49E4-4E91-9765-7C971E906A69}\Client Security Solution.msi [Excess Allocation]
    80 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data224
    79 15,490 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\$PatchCache$\Managed\00002119130000000000000000F01FEC\12.0.4518\msmdlocal.dll.5DF9D670_534C_4AB2_B0C6_FF0B0C448C29 [Excess Allocation]
    73 15,554 KB \Program Files\Common Files\System\Ole DB\msmdlocal.dll [Excess Allocation]
    71 12,148 KB \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE
    69 9,328 KB \Program Files\Flickr Uploadr\xulrunner\xul.dll
    67 12,513 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\$PatchCache$\Managed\00002119130000000000000000F01FEC\12.0.4518\OUTLOOK.EXE [Excess Allocation]
    67 36,673 KB \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\avg8\update\backup\incavi.avm
    66 66,180 KB \SWTOOLS\APPS\css\tvtcss80.exe [Excess Allocation]
    64 15,544 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\1dc26037.msp [Excess Allocation]
    64 14,331 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\$PatchCache$\Managed\00002119130000000000000000F01FEC\12.0.4518\XL12CNV.EXE [Excess Allocation]
    64 24,372 KB \WINDOWS\Installer\239fc.msi [Excess Allocation]
    63 19,980 KB \Program Files\Common Files\Apple\CoreFP\CoreFP.dll
    63 54,348 KB \SWTOOLS\APPS\DKEEPER\setup.exe [Excess Allocation]
    60 48,832 KB \RRbackups\C\1\Data83



    Once again, thanks for the help in trying to figure this out.

    Peter
     
    petergoode,
    #6
  8. 2009/07/04
    petergoode

    petergoode Inactive Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2009/03/19
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    Solution

    Good news...solution found.

    I identified a web site wherein someone else with a Thinkpad had a similar problem...seems the default setting for the notebook was to create backups of the entire hard drive on a weekly basis, and store those in an inaccessible folder. The only way to access it was via Lenovos' Rescue and Recovery program...so, with five unnecessary drive backups deleted, there is PLENTY of hard drive space.

    Hope someone else runs into this solution if they have a similar issue.

    Thanks again for the suggestions to help.

    Peter
     
    petergoode,
    #7
  9. 2009/07/04
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

    Joined:
    2006/09/10
    Messages:
    7,919
    Likes Received:
    511
    Glad you were able to get your problem resolved. :)
     
    Evan Omo,
    #8

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Accept Learn More...