# Help! My Hard Drive is full of hidden junk!!



## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

According to my Computer, I have used up about 80% of my hard drive. However, when I look at what I have on my computer it accounts for a little over on third of the space. I ran my Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox Drive Space Manager and it was not able to scan 48.84% of my hard drive! Showing "files left unscanned due to access restrictions" Here's what it was able to scan: Pictures, music/audio, video, documents, web files, compressed, free space and other (not sure what the "Other" is). How do I grant access to these files so I can free up the rest of my hard drive? Please help! Thanks.


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

More than likely it is system restore files.

If you know that your system is in good shape you can delete all but the most current restore point.

If you go to start|all programs|accessories|system tools|disk cleanup.
Select cleanup for all users.
Select the more options tab.
System Shadow copies and restore cleanup.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Also, run *chkdsk /r*


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks for offering to help! I followed the directions for system restore files and that did not make much of a dent. Then I tried to run chkdsk /r and and got this message "Access Denied as you do not have sufficient privileges. You have to invoke this utility running in elevated mode" How do I enter an elevated mode? It seems no matter what I do I am only affecting the less than half of what's on my computer the other seems to be restricted or hidden??


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Use your OS DVD or preferably the recovery partition to boot into recovery. Try Windows System Restore there.


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

To get an elevated mode start the command prompt by right clicking it
and select Run as Administrator.
Then type chkdsk /r<enter>

It will ask if you want to do a boot time scan.
Go ahead and tell it yes by pressing Y and enter
Reboot and go have lunch for about an hour or so.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Okay, I was able to run the chkdsk command however, that did not made any dent at all. Now, without me putting anything more on my computer (not even a document) I have lost more space! When I run the Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox Drive Space Manager it now shows 58% of my hard disk was not scanned due to "access restrictions" It appears that I am only able to use less than half of my hard drive space capacity! How do I allow access to these unknown files so I can go through them and either delete or save to external space?


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

Can you go to administrative tools|computer management|disk management and post a screen shot please/


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks! Here is my screen shot you requested! I appreciate all your help.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi run this http://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/ and post the results someone will be able to advise you


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## thetechsupport (Feb 8, 2010)

I found an excellent guide for data recovery from hard drive.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Check VSS/ System Restore points.

Download the zip file, extract the batch script - save it to Desktop. RIGHT-click on the batch icon, select "Run as Administrator"

http://www.techsupportforum.com/att...-vss_system_restore_01-2010_jcgriff2_.bat.zip

A notepad will open. Attach it to your next post.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

I did the jamsoftware for my tree file size. Since I could not capture the entire screen in one shot I had to do two - so scroll down to the bottom of the second one to see the rest of the tree.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Okay, here is the Vss . . .


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

Please post a screen shot of the admin disk management screen as stated above.

The tree size above is odd and I would like to compare this to yours and another thread
that seems to have a similar problem.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

I hope this is the screen shot you can use to help! This is so frustrating that I am not able to scan or clean more than half of my drive capacity! Thanks


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

You're using 33.9 GB for system restore.

That's 14.6% of c: drive, which is perfect.

What's not perfect is seeing 46GB+ in the users folder, unless you have a ton of pics, movies, mail etc... and know about it. Also I saw "My Music" and others in the c:\ root - which do not belong there.

Run this - 
START | type *cmd.exe* into the start search box | right-click on cmd.exe above under programs - select run as admin. Then paste the following and press enter -

```
[font=lucida console]
dir /a /q c:\ > "%temp%\0" & tree c:\ /a >> "%temp%\0" & start notepad "%temp%\0"
[/font]
```
It will take 10-20 seconds to run, so don't be concerned if the cmd/DOS screen appears to be hanging. A notepad will open with the results. SAVE it and attach to next post.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks again. Here's the results of the cmd.exe . . . 
Also, I have attached the result of my drive space manager which shows my pics, music . . . . . not taking up a lot of space . . .


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Today, my "unscannable" disk space has climbed up to 57.96% overnight! Please help!


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

What is in the 46 GB user folder?

The text file shows just over 5 GB space remaining on c:

What do you mean by "unscannable" disk space @ 57.96%?

Get a screen shot of Disk Management - be sure to maximize the screen - 
START | type *diskmgmt.msc*

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

By "unscannable" I mean when I run the Drive Space Manager via my Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox it is only able to scan and show the results for less than half of my drive? I attached a screen shot of the results in my earlier post. I will run the Disk Management again and post later today. Thanks again


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

In the tree size program please click the arrow next to users and post a screen shot.

It would seem that the space is being consumed in there and finding the directory that is growing will help to identify the culprit.

Also please post a screen shot of the task manger processes tab with the show processes from all users box at the bottom unchecked.

When you have done these feel free to delete any screen shots that you have posted from your computer in order to reduce the space being used.


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## i MaRk i (Dec 29, 2009)

how many users are saved on the computer and how many people use the computer?

also jcgriff2, possible failing hard drive? or is this software related not hardware?


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

There are three users set up on the computer. One main user (me) one occasional user (mainly online games) one rarely user.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

There is also the Guest account + the hidden admin, if it was ever activated.

PLEASE, PLEASE - what is using up 46 GB in the users folder???


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Here is the TreeSize with me clicking on the Users . . . Also, I do not see Guest when I log on just the three user names?


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

What is in the 38 GB in the "MOM" folder, the ~ 3 GB in Public, etc... expand each and look.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

I will go through this and see what's in each. What I am most concerned about is what the computer is not able to scan and tell me about?? This takes up more than half of my drive space! Any way to allow access to this area? I posted previously a shot of my Drive Space Manger screen from my Lenovo Tool Box Drive Space manager which shows how much was unscannable.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

I am sorry, but I am unfamiliar with the Lenovo scan. I don't know what it is scanning, why it is scanning what it is scanning, nor the contents of the area it says it cannot scan.

Please take a new screenshot of Disk Management - maximize the screen
START | type *diskmgmt.msc*

Did you look to see what is using ~46GB of space in the user folder "Mom"?

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

Here is a screen shot of Mom expanded . .


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

Are you adding things to the pictures directory?
If not then it is reasonable to assume that is where the problem is occurring.
Now we must find out why.

I think what will help would be to delete any unimportant files from within there
and create some space before it is too late.
Then use the link in Jcgriffs post for BSOD Posting Instructions.
Follow the instructions and post the results.
The information that it will present will help us to determine what is running and possibly 
offer a explanation as to what is causing this.

I'm not sure why the Lenovo scan is having problems.
Did the computer come with Vista preloaded and was the Lenovo sacn part of that?


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## snowbird32 (Feb 6, 2010)

No, I am not ading things to my pictures directory. Yes, Vista came preloaded however the ThinkVantage Toolbox is a new program recently downloaded. I will go through everything and save or delete my unimportant stuff and then "use the link in Jcgriffs post for BSOD Posting Instructions. Follow the instructions and post the results." Thanks again for hanging in there with me to help solve my issues!


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

I am wondering if the Toolbox could be a XP program and that
could be the reason why it isnt working correctly.


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## brotherbock (Aug 30, 2010)

Thread necromancy!

I don't know if this problem was ever resolved, but I had the same problem, and found the solution online:

From Mili on the Lenovo forums:

"Hi I wrote couple of days ago about my problem with used disc space... I red suggestions posted by you guys but before I implemented any of them I came to an idea of my own and it worked. I had 34gb free out of 143gb and now I am back to 109gb of free space without loosing any data. This is how I did it. Go to start/lenovo care/back up/cancel back up(may take a minute or so)/go to schedule/your back up and unclick/advanced/delete back up. Choose the back up you want (or all of them) to delete from the list below and delete. I hope this helps..."


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