Full Hard Drive Lenovo Thinkpad Vista - Help

[david1300]

This is asked after searching and not finding a solution, and also in the context that the only dumb question is one you don't ask.

Help please - I have Lenovo Thinkpad running Vista with 160GB HDD. It shows that there is only 65.4GB of free disk space, but I can't find files of folders using this much space. This is a 2nd machine, that I use almost exclusively for web browsing (in place of reading the 'paper) and have about 30GB of music stored on the machine. It is not used for email, or 'work' (as in creating files, storing them, etc - any 'work done on this machine must be transportable so is filed on a removable USB drive)

Where could these 'space hungry' files be, and why can't I see them. Someone suggested they are backups, but how do I find them and manage/delete them.

Any assistance greatly appreciated.

[Saab Dastard]

Have you toggled Hidden & System files to Visible?

How to see hidden files in Windows Vista (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial130.html)

Once you have, then look at each folder in the root of your drive and select properties - that should show you the size of the folder and all sub-folders.

Even then, there's probably going to be a couple that you won't be able to see, unless you change security settings.

For example, in XP, the System Volume Information folder seems to have zero size, but that's because normal users - even admins - don't have NTFS rights. You can easily change that, of course, in order to view the contents (System Restore Points, in this particular case).

Once you have found the disk-hog, you can decide what to do about it - or ask for further advice.

SD

[david1300]

@SD - thanks for that. I found your post useful and am making some progress. I had already toggled 'Show hidden files' to ON, but still had 'Hide operating system files' ON as well. Now that this is OFF I can find 45GB of 'stuff' in files/folder more that 1GB in size (including 33GB in 'users' - this is music and piccies; 3GB in 'SWTOOLS'; 2GB in 'Program Files'; 3.3GB in 'pagefile.sys'; 3GB in 'hiberfil.sys) and there is probably another 3 or 4 GB in smaller files/folders. This probably totals about 50GB.

So, if I can account for (say) 50GB of data/stuff, disk says only 65GB free = 115GB accounted for. "THEY" are still hiding 30 to 40GB of my HDD somwhere.

(Somehow between earlier this morning when it showed only 25GB free and now, showing 65GB free, something happened. I pressed my blue Thinkvantage Button (shortcut to Lenovo Care Quick Links) and it showed that 'No Backup Found' so I initiated a backup. After 2 minutes error message appeared saying that there was inadequate disk space. I cancelled the backup, and suddenly the disk free space jumped from the previous 25GB free to 65GB free. This is what leads me to think that the disk-hog is something to do with backups)

Thanks agin for the help so far. Any further assistance is appreciated.

[Background Noise]

Rather than hidden files, isn't this likely to be a hidden partition - the one with the system backup/recovery files?

Not sure of all the keystrokes in Vista, but (using XP terms) if you go into control panel, administrative tools, computer management, disc management - or something like that - you can see all of the partitions including hidden ones.

Even when you find this, the disc will never actually hold 160Gb, partly due to formatting, and partly due to 1Gb in hard disc terms being 1,000,000,000 bytes but in binary terms being 1,073,741,824 bytes. So you will only get about 149 Gb on your '160Gb' disc.

[Saab Dastard]

<Anorak>

Gb = Gigabit

GB = Gigabyte

1 Byte = 8 bits

Disks are usually quoted in Bytes. Network speeds usually in bits (per second - bps).

:8

</Anorak>

SD

[Keef]

I don't use Vista, but Windows 7 is very similar.

If you hold down the "Windows" key (the one with Start or the windows logo on it) and press "E", then release them both, the Windows Explorer should appear.
You can also get to it via the Start menu.

That will show you the drives on your machine. You'll see something like "Drive C" and 65GB free of 112GB (or whatever).

That will tell you how large your Drive C is. If any other hard drives appear, you can see what they are and how big they are.

If Drive C is a lot less than your nominal hard drive size, and no other drives appear, it probably means you have a recovery partition on the drive. That's not unusual.

If you need more HD space, there are three options:
- replace the existing drive with a larger one (make sure it's the same type - PATA or SATA: they aren't interchangeable in a Thinkpad)
- an external USB drive, or
- a caddy to slot in the drivebay where the CDROM/DVD drive lives.

[Background Noise]

... or delete the recovery partition (if you don't think you'll need it).

[Keef]

... and then create a new drive D. Don't try resizing drive C to use the extra space unless you're VERY sure your resizing software won't wipe the existing drive.

[david1300]

Hi all. thanks for all the helpful suggestions. Completely of its' own volition the free space has increased from the last-reported 65GB to 82GB free tonight ('they' have brought some back!!). The 'partitioned' sector for systems/backup etc is about 16GB (nominal disk size is 160GB and 'C' drive is 142GB).

Thanks again for the help.