Small Mystery: Losing Available Disk Space

[vagabond48]

I have a 5 year old Dell running XP-Pro SP3 which I have still not retired. My C drive partition has approx 1.5G available. Every so often, I seem to lose up to 400M which may re-appear in 1 to 3 days.

I have gone through the usual suspects routine,

no new software installed,

empty recycle bin,

run CCleaner

no new windows update

run disk defragmentor

run chkdsk /F

I checked my Documents and Settings folders for any unusually large files

I checked my task manager to see if there are any processing I don't recognize.

I run Zone Alarm and Avast AV (updated hourly)

I have done these steps a number of times when this happens and have found nothing.

Any clues?

[Chicog]

Try this, it's free.

[vagabond48]

Try this, it's free.

Can you give the actual url so I can see what I am accessing.

Thanks

[vagabond48]

I should also add I use the paging file (virtual memory) but have assigned a fixed size so it remains the same.

[Chicog]

Try this, it's free.

Can you give the actual url so I can see what I am accessing.

Thanks

Huh?

Click the link and read, you don't have to download anything unless you want to.

[Tywais]

Try this, it's free.

Can you give the actual url so I can see what I am accessing.

Thanks

Huh?

Click the link and read, you don't have to download anything unless you want to.

Just to clarify the issue, note the forum rule below:

23) To use discretion when using blind references in any post or signature. Not all users of ThaiVisa.com are experienced enough to understand where these links may point.

[MJCM]

Chicog link points to: http://www.uderzo.it...ffer/index.html

Edited September 20, 2012 by MJCM

[MJCM]

Just to clarify the issue, note the forum rule below:

23) To use discretion when using blind references in any post or signature. Not all users of ThaiVisa.com are experienced enough to understand where these links may point.

Tywais,

wouldn't it be better then to de-link all Urls like this ??

-http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/index.html-

Edited September 20, 2012 by MJCM

[Chicog]

And we have six posts we don't need because someone couldn't be arsed to click a link.

Still, learned a new rule in TV that could have put me on the naughty step again.

[Tywais]

Just to clarify the issue, note the forum rule below:

23) To use discretion when using blind references in any post or signature. Not all users of ThaiVisa.com are experienced enough to understand where these links may point.

Tywais,

wouldn't it be better then to de-link all Urls like this ??

-http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/index.html-

Certainly one way to do it but if you supply a reasonably accurate description or make it obvious to where the link goes that would be somewhat better. The problem with your example, most members would not be as aware as you that prefixing the URL prevents the board software from producing a hot link. 2nd, not convenient for members due to having to cut/paste the valid portion of the URL. For example, if I quote CNET or ZDnet or similar I will use CNET as the source with the URL embedded in it.

[aarn]

XP does some strange things with system restore points - at least, what is going on was more obscure than with win7. I seem to remember, also, the ccleaner couldn't reduce the 'page file' thingy, which could blow out to 1Gb.

Maybe worth monitoring your system restore facility, reducing the amount of hard drive devoted by default to it (I think win7 starter allocates 4%!).

Good luck, AA

[dave_boo]

aarn stated what I was just going to suggest; system restore.

"Start"->Help and Support Centre->Undo changes to your computer with System Restore

Leave the option to "Restore my computer to an earlier time" and choose "Next>".

Look at all the bolded dates...any of those dates you 'lost' 400 MB?

Hold down the Windows key and hit Pause/Break. Click on the "System Restore' tab. Move the slider to the left to decrease space used; but be warned that doing so could jeopardise stability if you need to roll back and an acceptable restore point is no longer kept on the system. The same box has an "Advanced" tab with a "Performance" setting to adjust your swap file size. Seeing as your computer is 5 years old, I'd suggest going ~1,5x the size of the RAM not to exceed 3GB. Anymore is just a waste and it will be hard to tell if you have a runaway programme (in fact I really wouldn't recommend more than 2GB as that's the max allocation of memory for a single programme in X86-32) or it's just business as usual with Windows swapping out because it can.

As an aside, could you take a look at your Task Manager's process tab (sorted out by VM size) as this would help you determine any programme that was taking up a large amount of virtual memory.

Edited September 20, 2012 by dave_boo

[Chicog]

But when you know the space is being gobbled up, download SpaceSniffer from the link I provided and it will give you a visual map of your disk showing which directories are taking up space.

Should then be easy to drill down and find the cause.

[vagabond48]

XP does some strange things with system restore points - at least, what is going on was more obscure than with win7. I seem to remember, also, the ccleaner couldn't reduce the 'page file' thingy, which could blow out to 1Gb.

Maybe worth monitoring your system restore facility, reducing the amount of hard drive devoted by default to it (I think win7 starter allocates 4%!).

Good luck, AA

I have never used windows backup and restore points.

As I wrote, the the page file is set to a fixed size. I don't let windows control it.

I also want to make it clear that the disk space seems to disappear and reappear days later. I am just trying to figure out where it is going.

Edited September 20, 2012 by vagabond48

[Chicog]

I am just trying to figure out where it is going.

And I've given you the solution. Have you tried it?

[ITGabs]

If you don't find the size lost in the files and folders could be:

sometimes these files are in the recycle bin or in the system restore folder, the reason that you can't see the size is because their are not owned and not have read access to administrators or users group. Probably is normal but you discovered because the few space that you have

the unique another way to hide files is a mix of permisions, ilegal folders ( com1, lpt1, tmp, nul, aux, empty, etc) or ilegal chars like * \ / ...usually worms or botnets hide files in this way on vulnerable computers.

chkdsk /f must give some details about size and files in general too

[LongTimeLurker]

Chicog link points to:

That's not really helpful either as the link is truncated.

So what to do is to hold the mouse over the link then look at the bottom left corner of your browser.

See the full address?

Edit: I had to delete your link as I'm not allowed to post links.

Edited September 23, 2012 by LongTimeLurker

[ITGabs]

Chicog link points to:

That's not really helpful either as the link is truncated.

So what to do is to hold the mouse over the link then look at the bottom left corner of your browser.

See the full address?

Edit: I had to delete your link as I'm not allowed to post links.

-http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/index.html-

it so complicated to you read a forum or see a entire link?

[Chicog]

I actually identified it as SPACESNIFFER so if that doesn't do it, then I'm f***ed if I'm going to bother offering help again.

[vagabond48]

I am just trying to figure out where it is going.

And I've given you the solution. Have you tried it?

No I haven't as of yet. I am appreciate your suggestion. I am currently traveling in China and don't have internet access all the time. As my thread is titled, it is a small mystery but hasn't cause me any problems. It isn't as serious as the ones I found through my search where people lose lots of disk space that reduce their free space to nearly 0.

[LongTimeLurker]

Chicog link points to:

That's not really helpful either as the link is truncated.

So what to do is to hold the mouse over the link then look at the bottom left corner of your browser.

See the full address?

Edit: I had to delete your link as I'm not allowed to post links.

-http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/index.html-

it so complicated to you read a forum or see a entire link?

Clicking your text doesn't work, whereas if you hover the mouse over the link and read the address as I described then you can easily click the link if you want.

[ITGabs]

Chicog link points to:

That's not really helpful either as the link is truncated.

So what to do is to hold the mouse over the link then look at the bottom left corner of your browser.

See the full address?

Edit: I had to delete your link as I'm not allowed to post links.

-http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/index.html-

it so complicated to you read a forum or see a entire link?

Clicking your text doesn't work, whereas if you hover the mouse over the link and read the address as I described then you can easily click the link if you want.

hahaha ok

http://www.uderzo.it...ffer/index.html

as you see in your on post http://www.thaivisa....25#entry5695230 is a features of the forum for resume long links

Edited September 24, 2012 by ITGabs

[tinfoilhat]

I think the bigger issue, in this day and age a drive with only 1.5 GB available is for all intensive purposes full.

I would seriously consider upgrading to a larger drive.

[Chicog]

I think the bigger issue, in this day and age a drive with only 1.5 GB available is for all intensive purposes full.

I would seriously consider upgrading to a larger drive.

Only if you're dealing with a large volume of data like video.

Otherwise that's more than enough for most things.

[tinfoilhat]

I think the bigger issue, in this day and age a drive with only 1.5 GB available is for all intensive purposes full.

I would seriously consider upgrading to a larger drive.

Only if you're dealing with a large volume of data like video.

Otherwise that's more than enough for most things.

i gig free is in many cases not enough free space to even attempt to defragment

[Chicog]

I think the bigger issue, in this day and age a drive with only 1.5 GB available is for all intensive purposes full.

I would seriously consider upgrading to a larger drive.

Only if you're dealing with a large volume of data like video.

Otherwise that's more than enough for most things.

i gig free is in many cases not enough free space to even attempt to defragment

Using what?

[vagabond48]

Finally by accident I discovered the reason for the disappearing/reappearing disk free space. I was doing a defrag on my drive C using a portable app program when I happen to notice files being compressed in the system volume folder. That struck me as curious because in the past when I displayed the property of the folder, it was always empty so I did a google search. I found out that this folder is used for system restore feature which I was not aware was on since I have never used it. When I suspended the system restore and did a disk cleanup, it returned the missing space which has now been pretty constant. I read on google that people have mysteriously lost many gigs of storage and resolved their problem by either suspending the system restore feature or reducing the amount of disk space for storing the system restore points.

I thought this might be of some interest to some of you.

[Chicog]

Praise the lord and pass the Chang. Although I'd leave System Restore on. I've only found I ever need one iteration, so it doesn't have to take up that much space.

[bangkokburning]

I can recommend Bleachbit, its better than CC. You are not a dumb guy and have covered the basics. Rather than getting all arcane - just reinstall, system will be fast and fresh. Yrs ago when I was on xp I used to reinst annually.

Do note xp is a dead os. Really time to move on...

Turn of Sys Restore and del file - totally worthless.

Edited October 19, 2012 by bangkokburning

[vagabond48]

I've had this Dell for over 5 years and it's been my only PC. I've clocked many thousands of hours on it and was never forced to reload XP. It has slowed down which is either a sign that it is on its last leg or it's time for a OS re-install. When I get a new laptop in a couple of months, I'll re-install XP and see if my Dell regains some of lost its youth and vigor once. As far as XP being dead, for me, it continues to provide what I need.

Edited October 19, 2012 by vagabond48