WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW??!??!? 50gb up and gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Will Hay]

I have a 200gb primary HDD, I reckon I've used 20gb maximum yet the report shows 70gb used!!!!!!!!!
What????
I've turned off system restore, run scan disk and cleared my recycle bin, other than that I'm out of ideas.
Anyone help?
Many thanks,
Willy

[unclebud]

Did you try unchecking hide hidden files and then looking in Windows explorer?

[Jayhawk]

This might make it easier to track it down:

http://www.mousesoft.co.uk/downloads.htm

[ViRaL1]

You may want to check system properties on the folders in your root (C: ) drive to help pinpoint where the bulk of your space is being used.

Do you have more than one partition?

What are you looking at that shows you are using 70GB?

[IAIHMB]

If you are on Windows XP go to the disk degragmenter screen and select analyze, that will give you a good idea of how much memory is used where. For me it was Norton Antivirus's protected files, so if you have Norton Antivirus you might want to give that a shot.

[Will Hay]

Do you have more than one partition?

What are you looking at that shows you are using 70GB?

I right-clicked on the C drive and looked at system properties.

I only have one partititon and this problem hasn't always been like this.
It's worth mentioning this machine, since format, has never been connected to the internet so if it's a virus doing this it's already resident on one of my other drives (the drives connected to my controller card).

You may want to check system properties on the folders in your root (C: ) drive to help pinpoint where the bulk of your space is being used.

I've done this
...including the desktop there's about 20gb listed as used.
Will

[Jayhawk]

I don't thinks it's a virus or spyware. I've cleaned 100 machines in the last couple months and have never run across a virus that stole disk space. I suspect Norton, uncleared Restore files, a fragmentation problem (bad chains), uncleared temp / IE folders, or something along those lines.

[budz]

If you got NORTON'S PROTECTED RECYCLE BIN that could be the problem. Disable it, here is the link for disabling it.

http://service1.symantec.com/support/nsw.nsf/ba62122e5d142a6588256d87006b22be/bb1a4d0a...rc=bar_sch_nam

[Will Hay]

I don't have Norton on my primary drive, but did have before I formatted it.
Strange thing is (as I guess they're protected) they do appear resident on the drives I have connected to my controller card.
I only noticed this when I viewed the drives via Nero, which showed me all these files (which I deleted).
I don't have a space problem with my other HDD's, only my primary drive
I'm familiar with clearing my temp files although as I mentioned this machine has never been connected to the internet.
I did have this problem before which appeared at the same time as a virus; I had to format then.
Is it likely I have a resident virus on one of my other HDD's, which is infecting my primary drive?
I've no anti-virus on now as I'm not at risk, or so I believe.
Will

[Faustus]

You could always try AVG Anitvirus.
Also look here: http://www.crystalmidnight.com/modules/xoopsfaq/index.php?cat_id=2&PHPSESSID=89e983c01...6cb514879c#q19

[zak_swan]

i'm having a similar problem, which i think is norton protection, it says i have 824 protected files and when i purge them they are still there.
tried the link about it but still no good, i seem to be losing 20gb somewhere.
just as well i have another 400 to play with.

[Jayhawk]

NORTON rears it's ugly head again. Beats me why people go near that bloated piece of crap.

[Faustus]

Cause its a big name is the only real reason. My call for years now has been "The day I meet Mr. Norton is the day I punch him in the face!"

[gitreel]

NORTON rears it's ugly head again. Beats me why people go near that bloated piece of crap.

Have you ever heard of a cusrom install? :P

[Will Hay]

I give up, I'm gonna format the ******, install a new 80gb as primary and use the 200gb as storage.
Fuckers
Thanks to all
Will

[LSchafroth]

NORTON rears it's ugly head again. Beats me why people go near that bloated piece of crap.

Have you ever heard of a cusrom install? :P

Welcome to Norton Antivrus Custom install, please choose the options you want:

Install everything 400Mb []
Install without help files 390Mb []

Click OK to continue.

LS

[gitreel]

NORTON rears it's ugly head again. Beats me why people go near that bloated piece of crap.

Have you ever heard of a cusrom install? :P

Welcome to Norton Antivrus Custom install, please choose the options you want:

Install everything 400Mb []
Install without help files 390Mb []

Click OK to continue.

LS

Nope. You can choose options like installing snap-ins for outlook and other programs, and select what you actually want installed and where you want it installed.

[Shocker Milwaukee]

I "lost" about 7-8 gigs a while back. Found it when I read about a flaw in Temp Internet Folder for XP users. It seems that XP can blow right past the set 'limit' for the size of this folder. Had to clear all that crap outta there. I doubt that would account for 50GB disappearing, though. Just a thought...

[bugster]

When you last reformatted/re-installed, you *DID* include Xp Sp1 didn't you??

Disks above 120Gb are not supported without it!

[Jayhawk]

Nope. You can choose options like installing snap-ins for outlook and other programs, and select what you actually want installed and where you want it installed.

Unfortunately, Norton (or McAfee) comes pre-installed on over 90% of the PC's purchased today. The associated options are chosen by Dell, Gateway, HP, etc. Most typical home users are not like the people who visit this form, and most don't want to be. They actually don't want to read PDF manuals, analyze techno-options (how would they know whether they need something),and uninstall / reinstall options (IF they even have the discs) on a brand new PC.

I visit the "world out there" every day, and it's nothing like the world in here. Sad but true.

[Will Hay]

When you last reformatted/re-installed, you *DID* include Xp Sp1 didn't you??

Disks above 120Gb are not supported without it!

They must be, because the maxtor utility I have for this very issue seemed to work fine, and an initial boot after my install showed 6gb-ish used of the 200gb.
Thanks for the thought though.
Will

[makntraks]

When you last reformatted/re-installed, you *DID* include Xp Sp1 didn't you??

Disks above 120Gb are not supported without it!

They must be, because the maxtor utility I have for this very issue seemed to work fine, and an initial boot after my install showed 6gb-ish used of the 200gb.
Thanks for the thought though.
Will

Just becasue the Maxtor utility sees it, does not mean Windoze will...
I would check the SP1 piece..

makntraks

p.s. And I would stay away from Maxtors Maxblast stuff.....

[Shocker Milwaukee]

p.s. And I would stay away from Maxtors Maxblast stuff.....

@makntraks

Did Maxblast crap out on you?

[makntraks]

p.s. And I would stay away from Maxtors Maxblast stuff.....

@makntraks

Did Maxblast crap out on you?

Not crapped out but just was more trouble than it was worth. From what I understand it is a layer between the BIOS and Windoze so the whole drive is seen... even with a BIOS limitation.
I prefer to have my system as clean as possible. I'm running 2 160g drives, a 120g drive as well as the assorted readers/burners... all installed clean with no intermediate "software" to keep it together.

FWIW and YMMV,
makntraks

[Shocker Milwaukee]

Just curious. I used the bundled software to partition my Maxtor, but I couldn't remember if it was 'Maxblast' or not.

[Faustus]

Bundled software sucks, it always has and always will. It pretty much went away a while back and lately is rearing its ugly head again. Just say NO to formatting with bundled software.

Update your OS and Update your firmware, if you still cant format or ID it correct then MAYBE consider the software, but be aware that it sucks.

Meanwhile Will Hay I hope you did click my link and check out the MS KB Article before you decided to format.

[Will Hay]

The maxtor utility must have worked, how else would windows report (after everything was fully installed) that I had circa. 180gb free (of a 200gb drive)?
I don't really understand the SP1 issue.
If I format I have to download again, right?
And if I'm up and running but had to install to a drive too large to be seen by XP it's too late to enable it after an install, right?

Meanwhile Will Hay I hope you did click my link

I did click the link and have yet to try a fix.
I haven't formatted yet and what the **** are you double naming me for?
W.

[Faustus]

and what the **** are you double naming me for?
W.

Whats the mean? I'm now confused.

[Gritz]

System Restore & Recycle Bin by default both reserve a large chunk of hard drive space. Recycle bin by itself takes 10% so if your hard drive is 200 GB that's 20 GB. Just a possibility.

[Will Hay]

and what the **** are you double naming me for?
W.

Whats the mean? I'm now confused.

I'm cool.
I use Craig for Craig Tucker and Cap for Capmaster.
Do you?
Must be a moderator thing, 'I'm on a higher step than you' perhaps
Come to think of it, my boss calls me 'Robert' and all my colleagues 'Rob'
Would you mind using...
...William Hay (from now on?)