My PC seems to keep losing HD space unnanounced to me......

[RKelly]

I am not installing any new programs, nor am I continuously adding information to my hard drive. In fact, I have been deleting several programs, but it just seems like my disk space is continuously shrinking. Anyone know what's the problem? In terms of a hacker, I have several firewalls along with antivirus and ad-aware type programs, but maybe somebody has gotten in and is storing info on my drive? Otherwise, I don't know what gives.

[Tommyknocker]

It could be temporary files. I have Gold Wave on my computer and it uses temp files for every project I do. I would suggest running Disk Defragmenter and printing out a report to see where the biggest unused files are.

[iooi]

You got System Restore enabled ?

[Hardcoreruss]

Norton ?

[handyguy]

What kind of computer? What OS? What HD? Can we have some specs?

System restore uses 12% of your HD space...

[indolikaa]

System Restore would've been my first guess, followed by large temporary files from SoundForge or another wave-editing program...

[Guest]

This brings me back to an unanswered question. Supposedly, files are never truly erased. I use norton wipe anyway. If you fill up your hd with movie files, will performance be slowed even after you delete/wipe them?

[stiltman]

This brings me back to an unanswered question. Supposedly, files are never truly erased. I use norton wipe anyway. If you fill up your hd with movie files, will performance be slowed even after you delete/wipe them?

Files that are deleted are mark $filename and hidden. If you write over then, they're gone. In most cases if you run a defrag program, they'll be gone. The best way to keep performance on your HDD is to defrag and consolidate your folder structure with a defrag program on a regular bases.

If you want to find what's left on your hard drive after deleting/repartitioning/formating, I have found restorer2000Pro does a decent job, not the best but it works.

[RKelly]

Running Windows XP on a sony Vaio PCRZ-14G, the HD I am referring to is the "initial" HD used to hold program files (14.9 gb), otherwise I have a large secondary HD (80 gb) to store files. Last night my HD went from 1.84 down to 1.81 free space! Being this low the system does not "recommend" running disc defrag, although when I was at about 14% free space I ran it anyways. I do a lot of dvd burning, but I always save the files in a third HD I split off from the secondary HD to store the files. I do have system restore enabled, is that the culprit? Otherwise I do not have a ton of expertise, but I have scoured my initial HD trying to find an unusually large amount of data, but I can't seem to find where! Thanks for the help, please let me know.

[stiltman]

1.84 to 1.81...300mg?
IMO,That's nothing

[zak_swan]

are u using emule?
emule reserves full size of file on hard drive even if it's only downloaded a tiny bit.
well this used to be the case.
i almost never use it now anyway.
but as stiltman says 300mb is nothing

[RKelly]

right its not a lot, but still it I am not dl or installing anything and I am losing space.

[babyboo]

Isn't that just 30 Megs and not 300???

[stiltman]

Isn't that just 30 Megs and not 300???

me did a booboo...correct