Q: I have a 250GB external hard drive, formatted NTFS. There are 4.35GB free (convinient, eh?), But when I delete files, free space does not change. (WinXP Pro)
I tried to restart, and reduce the amount of space used for system restore. Neither helped.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Best Answer: Yes, you'll get the space back unless they are still in the recycle bin/trash.
Usually when you delete very large files, Windows will explain it's too large for the recycle bin, and it will be completely deleted. Answer yes to the question, and it will be gone.
You can reclaim more space by opening the recycle bin/trash and either emptying it entirely or selecting individual files/folders and deleting them individually.
Re:Or, try this from a thread on this forum today.
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Originally posted by: GregANDTCH
Here, try this:
http://www.purgeie.com/delinv.htm
I used delinvfile.exe on some "invalid" files I couldn't
get out of "Temporary Internet Files" and it worked.
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So incredibly easy and worked flawlessly, thank you so much!
Re:I once read in one of these AT forums; that when you delete folders or files, the complete data doesn't get eliminated. Only the first digit/letter of the folder/file name; which then would mean that that file/folder can't be found. If this info is true, then scandisc should clean it, and probably defragging would eliminate it as well. Defragging might find the deleted file as a fraggmented file. This is maybe why data can still be retrieved from a HDD when you think everything has been deleted. I have noticed that when I use 'add/remove programs' from the 'Control panel' , the folder still remains in program files, and registry entries to that program still exist. I delete the leftover folder from 'Program Files', then run "Reg Cleaner" ( freebie app ) to clear the unlinked registry entries. I know this seems to work, as I see the free space percentage on the HDD partition increase.
Re:Originally posted by: guy
Better than disk cleanup and a helluv a lot faster:
CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com)
:thumbsup:
Re:I had a similar problem, where nothing worked. I backed up all my files and reformatted. Now it works fine again. You may also try mounting the drive with knoppix and deleting from the command line.
Re:Better than disk cleanup and a helluv a lot faster:
CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com)
Re:just run disk cleanup from your start menu (its under accessories, then system tools). and check everything in disk cleanup except compress old files.
EDIT: and goto your crtl pnl and then goto add/remove programs and uninstall any programs that you dont use.
Re:Either that, or do you have Norton Systemworks, with the Norton Recycle Bin enabled? If so, right-click recycle bin, and select Empty Norton Protected Files.
Re:Prob because windows is placing all of the files that you "delete" into the recycle bin for that drive. Absolutely a brilliant idea because the average user doesn't even know it exists seperately for all drives; doesn't help there not being an icon anywhere either. Right click the drive in My Computer -> click properties -> General Tab -> disk cleanup -> it'll do a scan and you'll see it, make sure the box is check and hit ok.
Re:Try scanning for rootkits, perhaps. http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight for one rootkit detector in beta testing. You play with warez/P2P?
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