free space missing on drive c:

Hello,

I have a 20GB hard drive partitionned in (C: 2 GB, D: 18 GB).

The C: drive appears to be almost full (Windows displays "Used : 1.83 GB, Free : 116 MB"), but when i add up the sizes of all the directories myself, i only reach 1.3 GB. (mainly occupied by C:\Program Files, 360 MB, and C:\WINNT, 877 MB).

How can there be such a difference ?
I have included the "hidden files". Any suggestion is appreciated.

Thanks,

Ozymandias

 

It could be Norton Protect Recycle Bin "saving" junk for you, or if you're running XP, it could also be the system restore points. Also, you didn't specify if you also displayed System Files, since the swap file will be a large file that won't show up if you don't do that.

FWIW, I think you're being a bit tight on space for your O/S, 2gigs is very small for W2K/XP. I'd seriously consider expanding that partition, I normally run the O/S in an 8gig partition. Remember, not only do you have the page file, but the defrag needs 15-20% free to work properly.

 

Thanks for your reply.

I'm using Windows 2000.
I do not know much about operating systems ; are you saying that there are some System Files that do not appear in C:\ ? Where are they stored then ? And also, what is the "swap file", and again, does it appear in C:\ ?

Thanks for your advice on the size of the system partition ; i didn't know it had to be that big.

Ozymandias

 

If you are also adding up the files on your drive and you haven't unhidden the system files they will not show up to be calculated. A megabyte is actually 1,024 Kilobytes and 1,048,576 bytes if you want the true size of your hard drive.

 

ok i used to have the same problem i'd check few of these things(i use XP pro so this might not be exact) for the missing drive space:

1] as mentioned before check your swap file(page file) which is responsible for your virtual memory.

2]If you do not see that file go >Tools>Folder options>view>and uncheck >hide protected operating system files --- this will let you see the 'swap or page file'

3]i don't know if you have hibernation turned off or not. turn it off it can take upto a few hundered megs of drive space. Search for a file hib????.sys and delete it.

4]and finally as mentioned before u might want to turn system restore off and try to increase your drive size.

now hopefully there are be no discrepancy in drive space

 

thanks for your replies.

it was indeed the swap file (nearly 600 MB) that caused the difference.

thanks again

Ozymandias