Something's Eating My Free Hard Drive Space?

Question

I have win xp with SP2. For a few weeks I noticed that I have less and less free space on my c: drive (system drive).
I scanned my comp with AVG, Ad-Aware, Panda, NOD32 and Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool and found NOTHING.
Can anyone help?

Answer 1

My Computer
C:\documents and settings\your profile folder name
top menu TOOLS\Folder Options\view
Click on Show Hidden Files and Folders
Un check Hide protected system operating files
click apply

Cookie folder, delete all files
Local Settings folder
TEMP folder, delete all entries
Tempoary Inter Net File Folder, delete all entries
Recent Folder, delete all entries
Reset folder options
C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
delete all entries that the system will allow you to delete
Empty Recycle Bin
Defrag Hard drive Use DISKEEPER 10, download trial version

Computer Help Page

http://www.diskgenius.com/

http://www.pcbeginner.com/tools/pcdoctor.htm

http://www.pcguide.com/byop/index.htm

http://www.ntfs.com/boot-disk.htm

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Boot-Manager-Disk/

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/ntfs-boot-iso.html

http://www.disk-image.net/products.htm

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

http://www.winternals.com/

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,25181-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/description.html

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Boot-Manager-Disk/Windows-XP-PowerPacker.shtml

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,674406,00.asp

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
•http://www.bootdisk.com/utility.htm
•Chapter 1: Purchasing Components
•Chapter 2: Component Overview
•Chapter 3: Installing the CPU, Heatsink, and RAM On The Mainboard
•Chapter 4: Installing The Mainboard In The Case
•Chapter 5: Installing Drives
•Chapter 6: Connecting Components
•Chapter 7: Installing AGP and PCI Cards
•Chapter 8: Testing the System and Completing Assembly
•Chapter 9: Installing Windows XP
•Chapter 10: Configuring Windows XP
•Chapter 11: Installing A Dual Boot Operating System (Linux And Windows XP)
•Chapter 12: Home Video -- “So, You Want to Be the Next Steven Spielberg?”
•Chapter 13: What’s Next?

Answer 2

If your system is infected then no scanner can detect the virus. The best thing would be to run the online virus scanner it is available here http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ . This scanner can detect virus on your computer even if you system has been effect because it is being scanned by a remote computer which is virus free. Next go through explorer and locate which folder is occupying more space and try to locate what files are in it. If everything is failing then the best thing would be to format your hard disk and re-install the xp and other allied programs.

Answer 3

Since you seem computer savy, ill put things in my terms. Try to defrag your drive. in the run command, type

cleanmgr

and clear your recycling bin, offline files, temporary internet files, and also clear your printer spooling if you do a lot of printing. This should clear up a lot of space, especially since there is no maliciouse software installed.

Answer 4

How much space are we talking?

If it's a lot of HD space that is being lost, try downloading the free version of Tree Size at www.jam-software.com/software.html This will scan your drive and report the size of each folder in a convenient tree structure.

Answer 5

If the space gets less and less, than more data is being stored over time.

Clear out the internet cache. Usually, large programs will consume space. Large data files such as video and Mp3 files also take up space.

Answer 6

Sounds like its time to Defrag your hard drive

Normal surfing creates lots of little records that get placed on your hard drive. You may "erase" them but it only removes the title of the files not the existance. Defragmenting your drive will combine all these seperate non-titled sections of your harddrive and reopen them for general use.

Answer 7

Right click on local disk (C:)
Properties
Disk Cleanup
check everything
OK.

Answer 8

Do your disk clean up before running defrag.

Answer 9

try defrag and then use disk cleanup

Answer 10

do disk cleanup


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