Lost a minimum of 100gigs - HELP

I have been using defraggler for a while now. However since the last update. Every time I defrag, I have noticed, I have been losing hd space very quickly. I currently have a 12MB left on my 750 GB HD.

To say the least I am very disturbed at this. I tried to "check drive for errors" in defraggler, however it couldn't find anything, and said I had to to a CHKDSK /F command through ms-dos at the next restart. So I said Yes, and restarted. The scan commenced, and started windows after it finished. I was not prompted by anything telling me there were errors, and the words didn't stay on the screen long enough for me to read them all. Windows started normally. I am still having the same problem. I know I should have around 150-200 GB free on my HD.

I even tried do this:

http://docs.piriform.com/defraggler/technical-information/windows-vista-and-volume-shadow-copies

Still nothing. Microsoft system restore said I didn't have any restore points, and thus I had no options to delete any. The instructions on the page at the link above, need to be updated. I am running Vista64bit and the GUI options were nothing like ones listed on that page.

Anyone have any suggestions?

D/L and install Windirstat and/or TreeSize Free to see what is using your space.

D/L and install Windirstat and/or TreeSize Free to see what is using your space.

Wow, bad ass program!

Ok i installed windirstat. I ran it, and apparently there is 62 GB in the recycle bin. But the recycle bin registers as empty in windows. I use CCleaner to empty my recycle bin.

But that still doesn't seem like all the space that should be cleared up. But I may be wrong.

Any suggestions on how to empty the files from the recycle bin, even though windows says it's empty?

I am guessing the "Delete(no way to undelete)" is the option I use for that?

In Windows Explorer, enable hidden & system folder view, then go in C:\$Recycle.Bin ;)

This was my advice in the past, but strangely my pc is not showing my $RECYCLE.BIN folder now:

Locate the $RECYCLE.BIN folder in the root directory under C: by ➜ organize \ folder and search options\ view \ show hidden files and folders. Delete the contents of $RECYCLE.BIN.

This was my advice in the past, but strangely my pc is not showing my $RECYCLE.BIN folder now:

Locate the $RECYCLE.BIN folder in the root directory under C: by ➜ organize \ folder and search options\ view \ show hidden files and folders. Delete the contents of $RECYCLE.BIN.

Interesting, even after I selected to show hidden files and folders, \$Recycle.Bin doesn't show up. \$Recycle.Bin only shows up in windirstat.

Should I just delete the files under the \$Recycle.Bin from windirstat, using the "Delete (no way to undelete!" option?

Actually, the $Recycle.Bin folder is not shown in Explorer - but you can still see it if you type its path in the address bar. ;)

ok I typed: C:\$Recycle.Bin in the explorer bar, and it said "this folder is empty" but windirstat says it's not

It's been a while since I did this and I just remembered I left out an important item.

Untick ☐ hide protected operating system files below ☑ show hidden files and folders. That will expose the $RECYCLE.BIN folder in the C: root directory.

Stomper all three of us are working on this now. Gangbusters! :D

Edited

It's been a while since I did this and I just remembered I left out an important item.

Untick hide protected operating system files just below show hidden files and folders. That will expose the $RECYCLE.BIN folder in the C: root directory.

ok, that worked, it showed up. and under properties of the folder it says there is 61.9 GB in the folder, however when I open the folder, it is empty.

Next step?

Delete the $RECYCLE.BIN folder. Ignore the warnings, Win will create a new one on reboot. (Or eventually, at least it did for me.)

Delete the $RECYCLE.BIN folder. Ignore the warnings, Win will create a new one on reboot. (Or eventually, at least it did for me.)

lol, ok, lets hope you're right.

lol, ok, lets hope you're right.

ok, well that worked. Thx for the help guys, i was seriously getting worried. I guess CCleaner was what caused the problem?

ok, well that worked. Thx for the help guys, i was seriously getting worried. I guess CCleaner was what caused the problem?

Who knows?! Anyway, let's congrat ourselves. :)

Now that your adventure succeeded, go back and undo those three changes you made under organize \ folder and search options \ view so that you don't accidentally delete any hidden system folders and files.

Thanks for reporting back! We wish everybody would.