Windows XP Hidden Files? WinXP Pro

[dejacky]

Micr0$oft disk defragmenter shows my 9.77GB c: partition only has 2.14GB of free space. But, when I select all files and folders in my c: drive, it adds up to 4.99GB. Where is the rest 2GB? I have "show hidden [and system] files" selected in control panel, but I'd like to make space! Thanks in advance.

 

[MedicBob]

Swap file, temporary files, recycle bin files, etc. are my guesses.

 

[Xemus]

Have you also enabled the second hidden file option? Right below the show hidden files button is another labeled "hide protected operating system files". Tick that and see what happens.
What file format are you using? NTFS or Fat32? They use different cluster sizes that give different sizes, but to my knowledge this shouldn't affect it after it is already reported.

 

[dejacky]

"hide protected operating system files"

yes, this is also selected. I'm using NTFS. The page file size is 1.5GB, but i have 1GB memory. Should I change it to something else?

 

[thegorx]

right click on the System Volume Information folder
select properties
is it 0bytes ?

How to Gain Access to the System Volume Information Folder

your system restore folder on a NTFS partition will hide it's size
unless you have access.

so you might try using disk cleanup more options if that's where your spacr has gone

 

[nageov3t]

the recycle bin could be a very probably culprit, as could temp files.

 

[dejacky]

c:Temp and recycle bin are clear. I definitely check out the system Volume Information folder, thanks!

 

[Bloodstein]

Maybe someone stole it?

 

[Sianath]

Also, if you have hibernation enabled, you'll have a file created equal to the amount of RAM you have.

 

[dejacky]

this new STEAM system for counterstrike hosed my entire games partition...had to reinstall all my games.. I think STEAM is caching on my C: partition. Anyone think that's what's taking up the space?

 

[EeyoreX]

If you have some Symantec products, it may have installed Norton Recycle Bin Protector, or whatever it's called This takes up space, unless you empty all protected files. The MFT takes up space, and is not accessable to Explorer/My Computer.

\Dan

 

[dejacky]

I don't have any restore recycle bin norton stuff. what is mtf?

 

[Sianath]

Don't worry about the $MFT. You can't touch it, nor should you ever touch it.

The $MFT is the file allocation table. It's a hidden system data stream (not even a file) that tracks the location of the files in a partition. If a file is 4k or less (depending on cluster size) we will store the file in the $MFT itself, if it's larger, we store the first 4k, then create a pointer that references the rest of the data on disk.

Anyway, as I said, no concern for this issue, and nothing you would ever "optimize".

 

[dejacky]

Here is the strange thing. I formatted my games partition and clicked a ~250mb size "steam half life" install file and it says it found my previoujs ~2GB Half life installation. So it has to be on the c drive, but I don't see it anywhere! sneaky?

 

[dejacky]

bump

help?

 

[Sianath]

Play with SequoiaView. Search for it on google, or find my other post where I link to it.

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: thegorx
right click on the System Volume Information folder
select properties
is it 0bytes ?

How to Gain Access to the System Volume Information Folder

your system restore folder on a NTFS partition will hide it's size
unless you have access.

so you might try using disk cleanup more options if that's where your spacr has gone

From what I've read your answer is right here. By default only the local system has rights to the System Volume Information directory (where system restore information gets stuck). Since your user account has no privilages to it you are unable to see the space when you view the properties for a directory.

-Erik