Member Avatar for Steve2000

When I check the properties of my C drive I see I have used roughly 11.0 Gig. However when I open the drive and 'add up' the sizes of the files there (from windows to my documents etc) I only get 4.0 Gig in use. The other 7.0 is apparently missing. When I search my system for large files I find nothing. Is this normal or do I have a big file hiding somewhere?

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Dani AI

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Small drives and a few gigabytes of "missing" space are a common worry. Explorer's visible folder totals can omit several system allocations and hidden data structures, so the numbers you add up by hand will not always match the drive Properties value. Below are practical checks and quick actions that find most invisible usage without repeating the obvious suggestions already in this thread.

Typical but often-overlooked sources

  • Hidden system files that live at root (for example pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys) and the System Restore data inside the System Volume Information folder.
  • Backup caches, antivirus quarantine, Windows Update temp files and other app caches.
  • NTFS metadata (MFT, $LogFile) and file-system slack when many small files exist.
  • Mounted volumes, junctions or hard links that make storage live elsewhere while appearing under a folder name.
  • Sparse files or alternate data streams that Explorer does not present in folder totals.

Practical diagnostic steps

  • Enable viewing of hidden and protected system files in Folder Options so those root files appear.
  • From an elevated command prompt, get a full listing including hidden files:
    dir C:\ /a /s > C:\allfiles.txt
chkdsk C: /f
  • Run a disk-visualizer as Administrator (WinDirStat, TreeSize Free, SpaceSniffer). Those tools map where the big blocks live and expose hidden/system folders quickly.
  • Check System Restore and pagefile settings (adjust limits or move/re-size carefully) and disable hibernation from Power Options if not used.

Safe clean-up and cautions
Use Disk Cleanup (More Options on XP) to remove old restore points, uninstall unused programs, and back up before deleting anything under System Volume Information or root system files. If totals still disagree after these checks, file-system corruption can be the cause — back up and run a thorough check (and consider imaging the drive before further changes).

Credit to and for prompting measurement and media-file angles; the checklist above covers other hidden allocations that Explorer’s folder sums often miss.

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Member Avatar for Catweazle

Are you 'adding up' the file sizes or the folder sizes?

Member Avatar for Steve2000

I'm adding up the folder sizes. Most of the 4gig is made up of my docs, windows and my programme files. I've never noticed this till recently but it looks wrong to me. My attention was drawn because I recently started working with DVD files and wanted the extra space to allow for processing. Thought I may have one 'lost' in the system somewhere but I'll be damned if I can find one! I'm not new to computers by any means but I'm stumped here.

Thanks for replying.

Member Avatar for Thong_Ispector

Tough question to answer...

My base system XP is 4 gigs...
That is OS plus Office, Browser, IRC, and basics..

If you are playing with DVD's you could quickly lose 7 to 10 gigs and they are not just one big file.

Have you checked for smaller files with vob cue or iso extensions...

They are probably in a default folder under whatever tool you use for DVD's

Hope that helps

Member Avatar for Steve2000

Thanks for replying guys...I've found the slippy little buggers! Remarkably the were in the recycle bin, set to hold only 1 gig and not restored by the disc clean-up I ran before posting this thread or, indeed, found by system search. Explain that one I dare you!

What was it he said 'once you eliminate the impossible whatever remains, however inprobable, must............ Holmes or someone.

Cheers all.

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