Lost space on Vista HDD

blibbax · Apr 21, 2009, 06:39 PM

Hi all,

I've recentley installed Vista Ultimate 64. I'm used to and like using Vista, and have had Vista 32 bit for ages, so this isn't a Vista bashing thread. My issue is that I now have 417GB of 596GB free in my primary HDD, yet the total size of everything in the C drive (including hidden and system files) is only 95GB. I have tried using Disk Cleanup and CuperUtilites Disk Cleanup, to no avail.

Any idea where all the lost space is? I don't particularly mind, I'm just curious as to where it's all gone.

(P.S. Post no. 400!)

Tyrsonswood · Apr 21, 2009, 06:43 PM

system restore.... or what ever they call it in vista, could be what you are talking about. I don't have vista but I've heard similar from others

lepel · Apr 21, 2009, 06:50 PM

I have a 150GB OS drive and I've got 80GB free, though I never filled it up that much. Probably system restore and such things like Tyrsonswood said.

blibbax · Apr 21, 2009, 07:39 PM

Thanks, but I have already cleared all system resotre points except the most recent using both the aforementioned cleanup utilities.

It is worth mentioning that with almost exactly the same programs and documents on my previous (32 bit basic) installation only 100GB was used, compared to 180 now.

Al_Vampyre · Apr 21, 2009, 08:45 PM

My guess would be the virtual store, MS hides some stuff away so that you can't delete it accidentally! That and on X64 you have two program files folders (one for 32 bit and one for native 64 bit apps) now I've never checked but there may be some duplication there

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 08:57 PM

if you didn't wipe the drive 100% clean (delete everything) it'll store (hidden) the previous installation or old files in a folder

Disable all the hide options and check again...

Mr cairo · Apr 21, 2009, 09:19 PM

seem to recall hibernation took a chunk up of HDD space in Xp is it the same in Vista ?

Judas · Apr 21, 2009, 09:33 PM

yeah... but it seems to be far better at managing that... vista is also better at managing restore space to...

unlike some XP machines where over 130gb had been set aside for restore.... my gaud that took ages for the machine to shrink down... I typically don't let any restore space get beyond 1.5gb, 500-800mb is plenty usually

blibbax · Apr 22, 2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al_Vampyre

My guess would be the virtual store, MS hides some stuff away so that you can't delete it accidentally! That and on X64 you have two program files folders (one for 32 bit and one for native 64 bit apps) now I've never checked but there may be some duplication there

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

if you didn't wipe the drive 100% clean (delete everything) it'll store (hidden) the previous installation or old files in a folder

Disable all the hide options and check again...

I did wipe the drive 100% clean, and the 100GB figure includes al hidden folders and both program files folders. The 64 bit (native) program files folder does not account for anywhere near the space I'm missing compared to the 32 bit installation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr cairo

seem to recall hibernation took a chunk up of HDD space in Xp is it the same in Vista ?

I have hibernation disabled and all hibernation related files are wiped.

I think it might be SP1 installation files - I seem to remember ereading somewhere that Vista didn't always delete them when the upgrade was done? If so, how would I delete them manually?

Al_Vampyre · Apr 23, 2009, 04:07 PM

Finished Installing Windows Vista SP1 ? Now Remove All The Junk Files

blibbax · Apr 23, 2009, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the link, but I was wrong - this freed up less than 1gb of space.

Any other ideas?

Judas · Apr 23, 2009, 07:37 PM

run a full chech disk... and lastly.. run a hardrive diagnostic utility.... there is a chance it's reporting things completely wrong.. or something might be buggered up

procupine14 · Apr 24, 2009, 09:27 PM

Yeah my HTPC reported its HDD free space wrong quite a while the first time I threw Vista 64 at it. I don't know why but mine eventually started reading right once I started filling up the HDD

blibbax · May 1, 2009, 09:20 AM

Fixed it... Quite the obvious solution too.

The space was being consumed by shadow storage, which for some reason was not being picked up by any of the disk cleaners.

I've now used command prompt to limit usage to 10GB (down from 90GB).

chrisdude94 · Oct 25, 2009, 02:46 PM

Hey, I have the same problem. I was formating my pc, not so long ago, and suddenly, it says I still only got 32 gb out of 284. Still I don't have anything on that disk, I still have 32 GB.

SeraphicSorcerer · Oct 25, 2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blibbax

Fixed it... Quite the obvious solution too.

The space was being consumed by shadow storage, which for soe reason was not being picked up by any of the disk cleaners.

I've now used command prompt to limit usage to 10GB (down from 90GB).

Not exactly obvious, since a lot of people don't know about shadow storage, especially since it's strongly recommended YOU DO NOT EVER decrease it. Because it CAN cause serious problems later. It usually self corrects itself after a while. And if you do use more HD space it automatically decreases itself.

MitchRapp · Oct 28, 2009, 08:40 PM

check:

System Restore
Hibernation
Recycle Bin reserved space (not sure if it actually uses it up right away)
Swap file

blibbax · Oct 29, 2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchRapp

check:

System Restore
Hibernation
Recycle Bin reserved space (not sure if it actually uses it up right away)
Swap file

Hi MitchRapp, I don't know if you read the above thread, but the problem was resolved a long time ago (this htread was dead for some time) and was not any of your suggested issues.

Thanks anyway!

Apr 21, 2009, 06:39 PM	#1
blibbax What does this do? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 3,697 Rep Power: 169 System Specs	Lost space on Vista HDD Hi all, I've recentley installed Vista Ultimate 64. I'm used to and like using Vista, and have had Vista 32 bit for ages, so this isn't a Vista bashing thread. My issue is that I now have 417GB of 596GB free in my primary HDD, yet the total size of everything in the C drive (including hidden and system files) is only 95GB. I have tried using Disk Cleanup and CuperUtilites Disk Cleanup, to no avail. Any idea where all the lost space is? I don't particularly mind, I'm just curious as to where it's all gone. (P.S. Post no. 400!) __________________ Donate the spare computing power of your PC to help to cure Alzheimer's, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and cancer: Fold for HH!

Apr 21, 2009, 06:50 PM	#3
lepel HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Belgium Posts: 552 Rep Power: 39 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD I have a 150GB OS drive and I've got 80GB free, though I never filled it up that much. Probably system restore and such things like Tyrsonswood said.

Apr 21, 2009, 07:39 PM	Thread Starter #4
blibbax What does this do? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 3,697 Rep Power: 169 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD Thanks, but I have already cleared all system resotre points except the most recent using both the aforementioned cleanup utilities. It is worth mentioning that with almost exactly the same programs and documents on my previous (32 bit basic) installation only 100GB was used, compared to 180 now. __________________ Donate the spare computing power of your PC to help to cure Alzheimer's, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and cancer: Fold for HH!

Apr 21, 2009, 08:45 PM	#5
Al_Vampyre HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,532 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD My guess would be the virtual store, MS hides some stuff away so that you can't delete it accidentally! That and on X64 you have two program files folders (one for 32 bit and one for native 64 bit apps) now I've never checked but there may be some duplication there __________________ "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad" - Brian O'Driscoll - Ireland Rugby Team 2009 Grand Slam winning Captain.

Apr 21, 2009, 09:19 PM	#7
Mr cairo F0rum For Humans Only Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Slightly to the left Posts: 1,764 Rep Power: 87 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD seem to recall hibernation took a chunk up of HDD space in Xp is it the same in Vista ? __________________

Apr 23, 2009, 04:07 PM	#10
Al_Vampyre HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,532 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD Finished Installing Windows Vista SP1 ? Now Remove All The Junk Files __________________ "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad" - Brian O'Driscoll - Ireland Rugby Team 2009 Grand Slam winning Captain.

Apr 23, 2009, 06:24 PM	Thread Starter #11
blibbax What does this do? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 3,697 Rep Power: 169 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD Thanks for the link, but I was wrong - this freed up less than 1gb of space. Any other ideas? __________________ Donate the spare computing power of your PC to help to cure Alzheimer's, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and cancer: Fold for HH!

Apr 24, 2009, 09:27 PM	#13
procupine14 Why is it Beeping!?!?! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA, Missouri Posts: 1,400 Rep Power: 56 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD Yeah my HTPC reported its HDD free space wrong quite a while the first time I threw Vista 64 at it. I don't know why but mine eventually started reading right once I started filling up the HDD __________________ HTPC/file server: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom x4 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 800 (2x2GB) - 1TB WD Black - 4 x 1TB Hitachi DeskStar in RAID 5 - ATi TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner - HIS Raedon 4850 512MB - ASRock N68C-S UCC mobo - OCZ ModExtreme Pro 500W PSU GF's Gaming PC: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 1066 - 500GB Western Digital GP - HIS Raedon 5770 1GB - ASUS M3A78-EM - Zalman 650W PSU Media Streamer: Win 7 Pro 64-bit - AMD Athlon x2 3200+ - 4GB SuperTalent DDR2 800 - 250GB SeaGate Barracuda - MSI K9N6PGM2-V2 - ASUS Raedon 5450 SILENT - FSP group 250W PSU

May 1, 2009, 09:20 AM	Thread Starter #14
blibbax What does this do? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 3,697 Rep Power: 169 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD Fixed it... Quite the obvious solution too. The space was being consumed by shadow storage, which for some reason was not being picked up by any of the disk cleaners. I've now used command prompt to limit usage to 10GB (down from 90GB). __________________ Donate the spare computing power of your PC to help to cure Alzheimer's, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and cancer: Fold for HH! Last edited by blibbax; Oct 29, 2009 at 10:30 AM.

Oct 25, 2009, 02:46 PM	#15
chrisdude94 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD Hey, I have the same problem. I was formating my pc, not so long ago, and suddenly, it says I still only got 32 gb out of 284. Still I don't have anything on that disk, I still have 32 GB.

Oct 28, 2009, 08:40 PM	#17
MitchRapp a.k.a. pepiman Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Montreal Posts: 998 Rep Power: 49 System Specs	Re: Lost space on Vista HDD check: System Restore Hibernation Recycle Bin reserved space (not sure if it actually uses it up right away) Swap file