Where are my files?

[KLC]

I'm trying to set up some backup parameters. I have a Win Vista Home premium that I use with Media Center and an xbox extender. I don't want to back up recorded tv.

So I go to explorer and look at my C: drive. Properties tells me that there are 316 GB of used space. I then go through the first level of subfolders on the C: drive and look at properties:

NVIDIA 90 mb
Program Files 10 gb
Program Data .5 gb
Users 11.1 gb
Windows 15.9 gb

So, less than 38 gb of files in those folders. The other folders are empty. Where is the rest of the 316 gb?

 

[Rhonda the Sly]

System Restore

Edit:
Pagefile: 1x RAM + 300MB
Hibernation: 1x RAM

 

[KLC]

Thanks for that. Is there any way I can set Vista Explorer to see all files on my hard drive? Or is there a 3rd party explorer that I can use to do that?

 

[Absolution75]

control panel->folder options->show hidden files and extensions

 

[KLC]

Absolution, I wasn't able to get back to this, I'm right in the middle of the SoCal brushfires. But anyway, I do have show hidden files selected as an option but I don't see the missing 250+ gb of files on my C: drive. What else can I do to see everything on a drive? More generally, I've used Windows since 3.1 but Vista Explorer with the media center and other components really throws me, I have a hard time finding things, including that extra hard drive allocation.

Edit: Rhonda, I just saw your edit. I don't have hibernation activated, does it still use up disk space?

 

[Underclocked]

You might try XPlorer2 Lite http://download.cnet.com/Xplor...0-2248_4-10407731.html

 

[Jeff7181]

Are you right clicking each folder and selecting properties or just mousing over? If you just mouse over you usually won't get an exact number if there's more than a few gigs. For example when I mouse over Program Files it says larger than 6.89 GB. When I right click and choose properties it says 75.8 GB.

 

[KLC]

right clicking, thanks for the replies, I'll keep playing around with this

 

[n0tdan]

windirstat

http://windirstat.info/

This is all you'll ever need to figure out where your disk space is going

 

[KLC]

n0tdan, perfect, thanks for the help.

Edit, n0tdan that is the coolest little app I've used in a long time. Thanks for the link

 

[n0tdan]

np i accidentally ran into this program when i was looking up portable apps for my flash drive. great tool when you need to find what the heck is eating your disk space

 

[Raduque]

I <3 windirstat. So, what was using the space, KLC?

 

[KLC]

Raduque, recorded TV shows in Media Center.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

MC says, "They're MINE!!! ALL MINE!!!!"