Author Topic: Looking for application to determine what folders are using up the most space (Read 32,011 times)

Veign · « **on:** June 16, 2009, 02:07 PM »

I have a friend who has a computer that is running very low on disk space (1.5 Meg free on a 70+ Gig hd). I can't remote in to take a look at it and they said they move all of their files off to the server but no space is being freed up.

I'm looking for an application (no install, free) that can report back what folders are taking up the most hard drive space. Anything?

Lashiec · « **Reply #1 on:** June 16, 2009, 02:12 PM »

WinDirStat. Each folder in the map uses its own colour, so you can quickly tell which is the one taking more space than the others. Although I can't locate the ZIP file in its page, just the installer.

Veign · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2009, 02:13 PM »

That may work. It requires an install so I'm not sure if they have the space for it.

(really wish I could sit in front of the computer)

Lashiec · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2009, 02:16 PM »

Installed it's around 750 KB. You can install it from a USB drive, or even a floppy

EDIT: Whoops, it uses different colours per file type, not per folder

. Still, the list of folders above the treemap is sorted by folder size.

justice · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2009, 02:22 PM »

TreeListFree

f0dder · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2009, 02:36 PM »

Try SpaceSniffer?

Btw, it should be easy enough finding some temp files to delete before proceeding with an install - there's usually lots of junk in easy-to-find locations imho.

Veign · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2009, 03:42 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on June 16, 2009, 02:36 PM

Btw, it should be easy enough finding some temp files to delete before proceeding with an install - there's usually lots of junk in easy-to-find locations imho.

Tried that over the phone. Cleared all temp folders (windows and local setting) and deleted IE temp files but she reports that no space was freed up (yes recycle bin was emptied). Its very strange.

Veign · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2009, 03:45 PM »

SpaceSniffer - looks like it may work.

f0dder · « **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2009, 03:51 PM »

chkdsk /f ?

Steven Avery · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2009, 03:54 PM »

Hi Folks,

And look at Free Disk Analyzer by Extensoft.
http://www.extensoft.com/?p=free_disk_analyzer

Reviewed by FreewareGenius, doesn't bother with beautiful graphs and artwork and space cadets, very practical and simple, you may find it the easiest to use.

And try to figure out this "no space was freed up". If on, you can reduce or turn off system restore, it might be using 10% or more of the disk.

Shalom,
Steven

Hirudin · « **Reply #10 on:** June 16, 2009, 04:14 PM »

I was going to suggest turning off system restore too.

How many folders could they possibly have? I'd go into the folder options and make sure everything (system and hidden files/folders) is visible. Then go one by one to find the folder(s) in the root that is(are) exorbitantly large and start deleting.

Maybe WMP (or iTunes or some other media management program) is automatically copying every CD she plays with her computer or something?

Veign · « **Reply #11 on:** June 16, 2009, 04:33 PM »

Quote from: Hirudin on June 16, 2009, 04:14 PM

How many folders could they possibly have? I'd go into the folder options and make sure everything (system and hidden files/folders) is visible. Then go one by one to find the folder(s) in the root that is(are) exorbitantly large and start deleting.

Start deleting? That's not going to happen. Can't have her just start deleting large folder blindly.

Hopefully I will get some feedback today as what the issue was. Again, you never know what a user is doing and the reason i wish I could get in front of the computer.

wraith808 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 16, 2009, 05:28 PM »

Maybe if not, you can get her to send a desktop support request (or whatever that is) that allows you to RDP in to her desktop.

And definitely a

on the blind deletion thing.

Veign · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2009, 06:04 PM »

Quote from: wraith808 on June 16, 2009, 05:28 PM

Maybe if not, you can get her to send a desktop support request (or whatever that is) that allows you to RDP in to her desktop.

And definitely a on the blind deletion thing.

Tried that but can't since it doesn't have a routeable IP address.

bgd77 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2009, 05:51 AM »

Another free, portable and very nice application: Scanner
http://www.steffengerlach.de/freeware/

Hirudin · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2009, 11:34 AM »

Quote from: wraith808 on June 16, 2009, 05:28 PM

...
And definitely a on the blind deletion thing.

Well duh!

Sorry, I meant that you would also be on the phone with her while that was being done.

Her: Windows is 15 gb
You: Don't delete that
later...
Her: Users\Whoever\Music is 55gb
You: OK, open that folder
Her: 'The Mighty Mighty Bosstones'? I don't like them any more
You: Highlight that folder and delete it
... and so on

If there is seriously 70 gb of data on that machine and she doesn't know what it could be there better be SOMETHING that can be safely deleted.
To put it a different way: What can take up that much space? Music, video, games, and maybe a few programs. If she's not a music or video collector and her Users\Whoever\Video folder is overflowing it's a safe bet you can find something in there that can be deleted.

If she doesn't want to delete The Mighty Mighty Bosstones or anything else, it's time to invest in an external HDD.

fenixproductions · « **Reply #16 on:** June 17, 2009, 12:11 PM »

2Veign
Just

: check for system restore points. Those usually eat too much space and can be trimmed to the last one. Additionally customize Recycle Bin size. It reserves 10% of each partition by default. Next suspect: temporary files. Last thing to check: Java and Flash. These guys can keep their older versions after update (I had 7 Javas here 300-400MB).

tinjaw · « **Reply #17 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:15 PM »

Too late, but for anybody that might come across this in a search...

I would suggest running a program that output that info, and have that file emailed to you. You could then do the analysis and even email back a .BAT file to perform the required operations to "repair" the computer. That could include archiving files to a compressed file to be offloaded to some portable media.

Veign · « **Reply #18 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:49 PM »

@fenixproductions: System restore is something I will have her trim back if she contacts me again

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

Thanx for all the help. Still waiting on a response from my friend.

mouser · « **Reply #19 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:54 PM »

I also always turn off system restore -- as far as im concerned turning it off has two benefits: one is i save space, the other is it keeps me from ever losing my mind and trying to do a restore using this method, which im convinced is nothing but trouble.

fenixproductions · « **Reply #20 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:04 PM »

2Veign

Quote

You can delete all but the last restore point. Open Windows Explorer and right click the C: drive. Select Properties, Disk Cleanup. Once the scanning process is complete, you'll get a new dialog. Go to More Options. You can remove all but the last restore point there. Otherwise, its all or nothing.
Quote

I am not sure should it be done for all partitions but there are also options to reduce the size occupied by restore points:
My Computer -> Properties -> System restore tab -> Available discs -> Settings

By default 12% of each partition can be taken.

2mouser
I always leave 1 restore point because it is additional protection from something bad but I've never been in need to use it

f0dder · « **Reply #21 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:11 PM »

Quote from: mouser on June 17, 2009, 01:54 PM

I also always turn off system restore -- as far as im concerned turning it off has two benefits: one is i save space, the other is it keeps me from ever losing my mind and trying to do a restore using this method, which im convinced is nothing but trouble.

I turn it off on my own setups, but it's been a useful help on other people's computers a few times.

wraith808 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:17 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on June 17, 2009, 02:11 PM

Quote from: mouser on June 17, 2009, 01:54 PM
I also always turn off system restore -- as far as im concerned turning it off has two benefits: one is i save space, the other is it keeps me from ever losing my mind and trying to do a restore using this method, which im convinced is nothing but trouble.
I turn it off on my own setups, but it's been a useful help on other people's computers a few times.

I keep it... it's saved me more than once. I do change the amount of checkpoints it keeps to save space; if I can't reach a checkpoint within the last couple of weeks, I doubt it's going to do me any good.

Steven Avery · « **Reply #23 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:21 PM »

Hi Folks,

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.

Thus gives us more reasons to avoid its use on a well-kept and well-backed-up puter. However it does seem to help some of the people some of the time.

Thanks .. I did not know the recycle bin was customizable (makes sense). Presumably a smaller size handles itself well and simply writes over older stuff if you get too full. This can be helpful on a tight disk, and I wonder how image programs handle this, well you should probably empty before an image (not that I am an image fan anyway).

Shalom,
Steven Avery

f0dder · « **Reply #24 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:23 PM »

Quote from: Steven Avery on June 17, 2009, 02:21 PM

Also it triggers false positive anti-virus stuff.

How?

The only problem I've heard of has been when people have been infected, and infected files got stored in a system restore point.