[HDD] I filled up my TB... But I actually haven't

[Wazzup4567]

So apparently my 1TB Seagate Barricuda is filled to the brim almost... only 40.3 GB left.

The thing is, when I check all of the properties that I have on the PC, I have only apparently used about 400GB...



I'm guessing there are some bad sectors here?

(Currently, Id just like to check whats wrong to see if I can get it fixed as I don't have the money for a backup drive.)

 

[John_VanKirk]

Hi there,

Well that's not due to bad sectors! Could be due to a full recycle bin, on a Norton protected recycle bin, temp files or temp internet files that have never been cleaned out, or many other causes.

I'm assumming you checked and it was clean, and empty with all free space when you started?

Download and run the small appl called WinDirStat. It will show you graphically what is hogging all the space, and how much & how much each program or folder is using.

Here is the website if interested. http://windirstat.info/

Should get you back in control.

 

[Wazzup4567]

Ive had this drive for a few years but when I got it, it was a sealed, new drive.

Using WinDirStat, It still says I have only used 398 GB.

 

[Wazzup4567]

Ive had it for about 2 years now.

I somehow still have the receipt...

 

[John_VanKirk]

Hi again,

Don't see anything suspicious on WinDirStat! Great image and worth a thousand words!

There are virusus known to fill up a HDD, so first thing run a full virus scan with your antivirus software. Also run Malwarebytes fu;; scam afterward in case anything bad was missed.

Couple other things to try then - the best way for you would be to double click on My Computer, then right click on this drive. then properties.
On the general tab, click on CleanUp. It will check your drive show you how much "cleanable stuff you have in each category. Check the Downloaded files, temporary internet files, temp files, error log files, system crashdump files, etc. Pretty much all of them you don't specifically need. There should be the two Windows.Old and Windows.Old.000 folders which are backed up Windows system files when you installed this present Windows verson over an already present version in 2012 and 2009. Those can go also. If they are not in CleanUp, you can delete them in the file structure, being careful NOT to delete your present Windows folder.

When done, then click on the Tools Tab, run Defragmentation. Finally run ChkDsk (Check for Errors) also, with a check mark in both check boxes. Will require a reboot to do that.

See if that restores your free space.

 

[Wazzup4567]

Alright I defragged it... Somehow I now only have 20 GB available according to Windows.

I seriously think something is wrong now.

 

[Wazzup4567]

And my antivirus ESET NOD32, didn't pick up anything.

Neither did Malwarebytes.

 

[John_VanKirk]

And my antivirus ESET NOD32, didn't pick up anything.

Neither did Malwarebytes.

Go to Tools \ Folder Options \ View - and click the radio button to show ALL hidden files and system files. Possibly these files are hidden (by mistake or a virus) Look again with WindDirSTAT with all previously hidden files visible

Open the C: file structure, and open each subfolder. right click to check the properties to see where all this extra data is being stored.
Also I don't see your recycle bin, which could have a ton of files there.

Let us know.

 

[Wazzup4567]

Alright, apparently Windows Image Backup is housing a whopping 156 GB of stuff.

Im going to check if anything else is hidden

 

[Wazzup4567]

Should I just delete that folder? Or will that effect my HDD

 

[John_VanKirk]

Hi again,

Making progress!!!

Well, you have Win-7 BackUp and Restore turned on, which is great. Normally it runs once a week, I think on Sundays, but you can set the schedule and the target drive.
It initially does a full system Image, then incremental backups for about 3 months, then a new system image and so on.

The thing is, you need to store the Backup and Restore on a separate HDD, so if your boot C drive dies, you will have the image file safe and ready to restore it back to your new drive replacement. If it's on the same drve (this situation), if anything happens to your boot drive, all is lost.

If you have a secondary HDD, that's where the target should be directed.
You can delete all the old backups (except the most recent) by clicking BackUp and Restore, Manage space, System Image, Keep only the latest.

You can change the target by clickiing on Change Settings, choose the target drive. If you do that, then make an initial Image for safety, you can delete the C: WindowsImageBackUps and recover that needed space.

 

[Wazzup4567]

I think that is a backup of my other computer (I had this drive in another PC) as the other PC was James's PC

Should I erase it?

 

[John_VanKirk]

You are not doing any BackUp & Restore on this C drive? If not you can erase that folder. Just to be certain, go to Control Panel, BackUp and Restore. It should not be set to backup,. If it says turn off schedule, then you are doing backups.

 

[Wazzup4567]

Phew, that removed 100 GB of files, Thanks for that. In the mean time Ill just keep trying to find what the heck is taking up all of the space.

Any idea where all of that extra space might be held?



Edit 1: There was a backup for my other PC called James PC and it says it was 0 Bytes... Deleted that and I now have 400 GB free. Thank god.

 

[Wazzup4567]

Best answer selected by wazzup4567.