Size difference on C: of about 12GB from actual files,why?

[nub1]

Hi,

I had a quick question guys, I've noticed today that if right click / properties on C: the total used space is 52.9gb but if i go inside C:, select all files (including hidden ones) it reports only 40.9gb, any idea whats going on here ?

System restore is disabled also.

I'll attach a screenshot so you can better see what i am talking about, would appreciate your input on this.

 

[postmark]

Hibernate is the most likely reason.

 

[code65536]

Size totals in Explorer can't be counted on.

Things that are under-counted:

1) Super-hidden files: hiberfil, pagefile, etc. Hidden files have the H attribute set. Super-hidden have both H and S set; to view super-hidden files, you need to uncheck the option to hide system files.

2) Things that you can't access. If there's a folder that you don't have access to, Explorer can't go in and do a count of its contents. Data belonging to other users (including in the recycle bin) and data used by System Restore (which is also super-hidden) will not be enumerated by an Explorer size count.

But there are things that are overcounted. Namely, anything that's hardlinked. Which means the /Windows folder will always appear larger than it actually is, because of all the hardlinking that goes on with SxS.

Bottom line is, usage by file count, at least for the system volume, is never going to be as accurate as the number reported for the volume itself (which is a count done at the level of the volume and is agnostic to all the quirks of a file-level count).

 

[glugglug]

Most likely you have system files hidden, so the page file and hibernate files aren't getting selected there.

It could also be from a large open file that is written and taking space in the volume bitmap, but doesn't have its directory entry committed yet. There is a "temp" flag when opening the file that will usually have this effect, with the file automatically deleted if the process owning it terminates.

 

[nub1]

Thanks for the replies !

I tried earlier to select all the files that are in C: , right click / properties and Unchecked that Hidden box then clicked apply. it started un-hiding all the files took like 10 min but i don't really know if thats good, is it safe to have hidden folders unhidden ?

I am not talking about just seeing hidden folders like when they have that faded look, now they appear just as normal folders after i did that, should i be concerned about this ?

Are there any security risks to it or similar ?

 

[bononos]

I wouldn't mess about changing the default permissions on windows files, it might screw up something on windows, probably not immediately but when new apps and windows updates get installed/uninstalled.

If you want to view hidden foldes and system files, all you have to do is change one setting under folder options.

 

[nub1]

I wouldn't mess about changing the default permissions on windows files, it might screw up something on windows, probably not immediately but when new apps and windows updates get installed/uninstalled.

If you want to view hidden foldes and system files, all you have to do is change one setting under folder options.

Hmm, don't really know what to do now, should i reinstall OS ? that would kinda suck though, what do you guys say ?

 

[lxskllr]

Hmm, don't really know what to do now, should i reinstall OS ? that would kinda suck though, what do you guys say ?

You're fine. There's nothing wrong with unhiding files; I always did. You have to be careful not to screw with important system files, but otherwise, all hiding files does is reduce visual clutter.

 

[corkyg]

You also have quite a few hidden NTFS support files, MFT, and MFT Zone, and some with $ that you normallky will not see. They do take up space. Call it NTFS overhead.

Most are in the C:]$Extend folder - which you will never see. And exasmple is C:]$Extend\$ObjId:]$O:]$INDEX_ALLOCATION. That file on my current system is about 15 MB all by itelf. Then there is also the $USNJrnl file. These are metadata files.

In the above examples, eliminate the ] sign - it simply prents "smilies."

BTW, Hibernation files are not hidden - they show up just as System Restore and Shadow Copies do.

 

[cboath]

I don't think system restore files are counted either as they're also in a hidden system location