Looking for application to determine what folders are using up the most space

[wraith808]

My understanding is that System Restore does not always play nice with low-level programs, including image save-restores.  Also it triggers false positive anti-virus stuff.  So to me the only issue is whether to get rid of it completely or leave it at minimum size. 

-Steven Avery (June 17, 2009, 09:21 AM)

I'd also like to know more about that, as I've never heard about the AV before.  And I use Acronis religiously and have never had a problem with it, and I keep system restore around because I don't want to have to restore the whole partition whenever I have a problem; I like to go back to the last checkpoint and see if it works.

[tinjaw]

That would be great idea if I could find something that a novice could do.

-Veign (June 17, 2009, 08:49 AM)

I am not in a position to test it, but...

• WinDirStat has a portable version.
• WinDirStat has the ability to email a directory listing ("Report") directly from the main menu.
• WinDirStat can be configured to do "Cleanups"

Based on that I would postulate that you could repackage the portable version into a self-extracting compressed archive that auto-executes WinDirStat upon completing the decompression. Provide simple instructions to collect data on the computers hard drive and send the report to you. You then create the appropriate "Cleanups" and repackage the app again. They would then run the cleanups you configured, rerun the report and send it to you. Lather, Rinse, Repeat, as necessary until things are cleaned up.

Again, just assuming here; I haven't tested this.

[added] I further postulate that the "cleanups" might be stored in a config file that would allow simply sending a config file instead of a whole new compressed archive.

[Veign]

Just got an email.  She was able to clean a little more but the computer got filled up again.

[Veign]

Ok.  Little more information.

Windows folder is 60+ Gig.  Most files are in folders named D1 - D8 (I think these are system restore).

Had her turn down the system restore down to 3% and clear restore points.  Still won't recover any space.  I think I am going to drive in a check it out.

[tinjaw]

Do you have access to experts-exchange? It looks like this exact scenario. I don't know if the answer is a good one as I don't have access.

http://www.experts-e...inXP/Q_21782878.html

Here you go...

http://blogs.msdn.co...003/08/27/54712.aspx

[Veign]

I think I found what it is.  The folders are created and used for offline browsing of network folders and files.  The computers at this location are all setup in a weird way (Windows systems on a Linux server with each system running Apache) so she is going to contact someone who can handle their server configuration.

Thanx Tinjaw.  You don't need to access Experts-Exchange to get the answer (read how here).

Thanx all

[wraith808]

Thanx Tinjaw.  You don't need to access Experts-Exchange to get the answer (read how here).

-Veign (June 18, 2009, 09:42 AM)

Oooh... thanks!

[Steven Avery]

Hi Folks,

My point was that the same false positive can show up five times in various System Restores (try putting UBCD4 on an .iso for a similar experience, and some of the anti-virus scans only include folders, not exclude ! ).  And you may end up having to edumacate your various scans again and again. 

My apologies for the unclarity.  Note, I agree that System Restore can be a big help to some of the people some of the time, for me it is a close call what to do.  The 15% stuff is weird tho.

btw, sometimes I see Experts Exchange get ripped (e.g Web of Trust gives them a mediocre rating). Yet, I found that a lot of times they deal with techie issues quite well and that they can be a good resource properly used.  Somehow I tend to see the answers, even without bypasses, maybe it they have a mixed policy.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

[f0dder]

btw, sometimes I see Experts Exchange get ripped (e.g Web of Trust gives them a mediocre rating). Yet, I found that a lot of times they deal with techie issues quite well and that they can be a good resource properly used.  Somehow I tend to see the answers, even without bypasses, maybe it they have a mixed policy.

-Steven Avery (June 18, 2009, 12:22 PM)

You always get the full answer if you go there through a google search - not if you hit upon the answer elsewhere.