C Drive full!!!!

karlqui

Totally baffled...my c dive on my laptop(windows vista) is totally full...i have gone through every program and nothing could possibly be using 94GB! I have deleted programs and all my 3,500 photographs and still the C Drive is full...the laptop defragments every week automatically...i have CCleaner and clean out all temporary folders and cashes frequently...i have run scans and there are no virus'....Please help?

Wetai

http://windirstat.info/ (if it doesn't fit, look for the portable version and 'install' on a USB)

Tazium

Is system restore enabled? (right click my computer, choose properties and click system protection. You can see how much space it's using. clean it up if it's of concern)

When you deleted 'stuff' did you empty the bin?

Have you updated/patched the system? If so, you'll find that the installable versions of the patch have created a self containing compressed copy of themselves into the windows folder (normally identified in BLUE font and prefixed with KB), these are safe to delete.

Most browsers cache to the hard drive, I don't know any that does not impose a cache size limit, but I suppose it's possible, so check the internet options to empty the cache and ensure it's not using a huge amount of space.

Are you running Symantec? I've seen the AV product folders grow to huge sizes due to some storing of virus definition files. Check it.

Lastly, were you running any media programs or convertors? I've used a product that encodes one format to another and it had a problem half way through so created this massive 98GB log file. This was stored in the temporary files folder. In vista the location is easily accessed by click the start orb and then run, then enter %temp% the % signs are required, this is intrepreted by the OS as a system variable pointing to the location of the temp folder. Delete what you can in the location it opens. Some files will be in use by the system and won't delete.

A simple cleaning product is CCleaner, it's free and very good (in my opinion).

marco_polo

karlqui wrote: »

Totally baffled...my c dive on my laptop(windows vista) is totally full...i have gone through every program and nothing could possibly be using 94GB! I have deleted programs and all my 3,500 photographs and still the C Drive is full...the laptop defragments every week automatically...i have CCleaner and clean out all temporary folders and cashes frequently...i have run scans and there are no virus'....Please help?

Make sure you have emptied the recycle bin, because any space take up by deleted items is not freed up for other usage until you do this.

Kadongy

look at the system folder sizes.
Also if you reinstalled windows, a backup of the system folders would probably have been created, which can be very big.

PogMoThoin

marco_polo wrote: »

Make sure you have emptied the recycle bin, because any space take up by deleted items is not freed up for other usage until you do this.

Ccleaner empties it by default

MarkR

I've seen temp directories filled by antivirus software logs going crazy. Use the above directory scanner to see where the files are.

hearny

Vista may have allocated the storage to System Restore Storage.

Have a look at :

http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to-change-and-limit-system-restore-storage-space-usage-size-in-vista-with-vssadmin/

Running the command vssadmin List ShadowStorage in a command prompt window with Elevated priviliges will show you what is being used up.

karlqui

Most grateful for all suggestions...I have freed up about 40GB. Thanks again online community.