Member Avatar for StandardsDT

Hello I've had Vista installed for about 3 weeks now at least if not more. For some reason the Hard Disk Quota is reading 53.8 GB. I did a check on every single folder on my computer to see what is taking up so much. The Largest Folder Sizes are about 9 Gigs for the C:\Windows Folder and 1.8 Gigs for Music and 1 Gig for Pictures. Everything else is under that. I didn't do a fresh install (I know I know big mistake but the Vista Upgrade CD was asking for my RAID Drivers even though I don't have the CD for that). I can't seem to figure out what could be taking up so much! I tried disk defragment that brought it up to 62 but then it dropped back down to 53.8 after it was done. Am I better off backing up everything on my computer and just do a fresh install with the upgrade DVD? I own and Alienware m5700 laptop and I wouldn't even know how to get the Raid Drivers.

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Short expert summary: the files named like ntuser.dat and ntuser.dat.LOG* are the per‑user registry hive and its transaction logs. They remain locked while that hive is loaded or while processes hold handles into the profile's AppData. That explains the “in use” error reported by . 's point about system‑reserved space and OEM recovery partitions is also relevant: expect some gigabytes to be unavailable even after user files are removed.

Practical steps (safe order):

  1. Log on with a different Administrator account (or enable the built‑in Administrator) and do not sign in to the old profile. Safe Mode is an alternative if regular sign‑in still holds handles.
  2. Use System Properties -> Advanced -> User Profiles -> Settings to delete the leftover profile entry; this removes the registry profile entry cleanly.
  3. If the folder still refuses deletion, identify open handles with Process Explorer or Sysinternals Handle, then close the handle or stop the owning process.
  4. If permission is the blocker, take ownership and reset ACLs, then delete. Example commands (run from an elevated command prompt):
takeown /F "C:\Users\OldProfile" /R /D Y
icacls "C:\Users\OldProfile" /grant Administrators:F /T
rd /S /Q "C:\Users\OldProfile"

If the hive remains loaded and cannot be unloaded, boot from the Vista DVD/WinRE or a Live USB and remove the folder from the offline filesystem. As an alternative to manual registry edits, remove the matching SID key under
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList only after exporting it as a backup.

Cautions and cleanup: back up data and export the registry before edits. Run Disk Cleanup -> Clean up system files to clear shadow copies and reclaim space, and check Disk Management for any OEM recovery partitions that reduce usable capacity.

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Member Avatar for StandardsDT

anyone please? its been about 24 hrs now and still have received no help.

Member Avatar for blud

Chances are there is a folder on there that is hidden or something that you arn't seeing. Keep in mind that the NTFS parition will reserve space for the filesystem maintnance tools like page files etc, so if you have a 73GB Drive, expect to only use about 60GB once all is said and done. If you have an alienware laptop, chances are they also have a rescue partition on there, which uses about 10GB, so I could see 53GB available out of a 73GB disk.

When you say quota, are you saying 53GB is used or is 53GB available.

Member Avatar for StandardsDT

Chances are there is a folder on there that is hidden or something that you arn't seeing. Keep in mind that the NTFS parition will reserve space for the filesystem maintnance tools like page files etc, so if you have a 73GB Drive, expect to only use about 60GB once all is said and done. If you have an alienware laptop, chances are they also have a rescue partition on there, which uses about 10GB, so I could see 53GB available out of a 73GB disk.

When you say quota, are you saying 53GB is used or is 53GB available.

both...my laptop has a 100GB HDD. and a good half of it is missing. i installed a program that told me what is taking up the most and theres files in my user profile thats taking up a whole lot but i cant tell if they are important or not.

Member Avatar for StandardsDT

I renamed my user account and created a new one and transfered the files I needed over to the new account. I deleted the account and I got back about 20 gigs I now have 70 GB Left of Storage space. This seemed to solve the problem. But now theres a slight problem. The secondary account took over the first user profile folder but the folder it originally was associated with still exists. It cant delete the following files:

ntuser.dat.LOG1, ntuser.dat.LOG2 and the AppData folder.

It keeps telling me they are in use. Any Ideas on how to remove these unwanted files and folders?

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