Windows 2000 Disk Space Problem

Hi!

When you navigate with Windows Explorer do you find a lot of 0 byte files -
often with strange, random names?
Have you noticed any other strange behavior?
It's sounds like you may have a "Rootkit" on your system.
Unusual Internet activity?
Do you have a firewall?
Let us know.

RF

Also, just to add to what nedvis suggests - run Rootkit Revealer (free) from:
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/rootkitreveal.shtml
Wouldn't hurt to run "Blacklight", too!  :)

Good luck!

RF

I would say its the pagefile ... Specially when there is little space on the HD you get this behaviour ... at least I always have ...

After cleaning everything up, try defragmenting your PC ... you'll notice a 2x improvment in preformance.

Remember to always backup your PC before "trying" any of this out ....

I looked at the properties of C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files.  It reaches to 2.1GB but when I looked at it. It only has cookies in it. Nothing more....then when I chooses select all, then looked at its properties, it is just 55KB.  But outside the directory, it has 2.1GB. What is wrong with it???

I run the iDisk and i found out that inside the temporary Internet files contains a folder named Content.IE5 which contains 3 objects like GDQ7KH2F that has the size over 200MB.  I was wondering if it is safe to delete them or not??  What are those?

insanekid;

  Reboot the computer, and log on as another user (With Administrative Rights)
If you do not have another User, Create one:

Control Panel [Users & Paswords]
Create another User, with Administrative Rights.

Then Reboot the computer, logon as that user.

Then Browse into your Main User folder.
First Set:   From the Menu: Tools | Folder Options
[View] Tab

Check :  
[x] Display the full path in the address bar
&
[x] Show Hidden Files and Folders.

-------------

Then browser into your Main user account

C:\Documents and Settings\Your Main User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

You will see all the folders here. Simply Delete everything except the
index.dat
Depending on how big it is.
The one in one of my users folder is only   122KB

By the way. These files are nothing really. just internet junk files.

Take Care.

Carrzkiss

The Content.IE5 folder contains all the files cached during a browse session. Based on the settings you have configured, IE lets those folders grow upto a set limit, which is what has happened here.
Its safe to delete those folders manually, but you might want to use the interface to do it. To delete them safely,
Fire Up IE, select Tools menu -> Internet Options, Click on the delete files button, which pops up a dialog to confirm whether you want to really delete all the files IE has cached. Selecting the checkbox deletes any offline content you might have saved. If you are sure you haven't explicitly saved any sites as offline, you can check that box, else leave it unchecked and click on OK.
Once the deletion is complete (it might take a few minutes to delete 2.1 GB if your machine is slow), you come back to the same settings dialog, wherein you can click on the Settings... button to configure the amount of disk space that IE should use for cached files. Drag the slider or type the value in the box to set the size as per your requirements (2.1 GB is too high, it causes unnecessary load on the disk, since IE will try to load the file from the cache first, and then check if the site has a new version of the file available. Personally, I wouldn't set it to more than 250 MB or so.)
Hope that helps,
Vinil

Also, you might want to clean out the                 \Local Settings\Temp
All that stuff in there is Safe to Delete.

Being signed in as a Different User, you will also be able to Delete files that
would other wise be a pain to Delete.

Take Care
Carrzkiss

Thank you guys for helping me out!

insanekid;

  Could you let us know what steps that you did to fix this problem?
This way when others come in that have the same problem.
They will be able to see what you did exactly?

Thanks for the points.
Carrzkiss

SUre...

First of all, I want to make something clear....Actually it is mistake on my part to put the accepted answer on nedvis's answer, the accepted answer should be on vinil's assisted answer but anyway the three of them (1 accepted answer & 2 assisted answer) are useful to my solution.  

So here is what I did...First I tried to look for a possible rootkit via F-Secure mentioned above and I found none.  Then I downloaded the idisk as what vinil suggested and I found out that my temporary internet folders has been stacking up all of the load.  I mean it reaches up to 2.1 GB just on the temporary internet folder!  So I asked you guys if it is okay to delete the Contents.IE and in which you guys responded with "yes, it is  safe to delete it but just don't delete the index.dat" so that is what I did.  I deleted the contents inside the Contents.IE5 and freed up a lot of disk space.  

That's it.

Thank you guys again!

Sorry to hear I earned undeserved points. I wouldn't mind if you change the score.

apropos  index.dat :
< quoted carrzkiss>
You will see all the folders here. Simply Delete everything except the index.dat
Depending on how big it is.
The one in one of my users folder is only   122KB
By the way. These files are nothing really. just internet junk files.

"According to Microsoft, these files are used to cache visited Web sites to help speed up the loading of Web pages in Internet Explorer. Obviously this cannot be the case because when you clear the Temporary Internet Files the "index.dat" files remain behind and continue to grow. If you delete or clear the Temporary Internet Files, there is absolutely no need to index the URL cache because those files no longer exist."
http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm

Download one for youself :
http://www.topshareware.com/Index.dat-Viewer-download-1761.htm

I would really want to hear one sigle reason/explanation why not to delete index.dat file(s)?
I use to delete them automatically from the command line launched from autoexec.bat file.
 
sincerely
nedvis

nedvis; & insanekid;

   I made a mistake on that one.
There is another index.dat file that should not be deleted, And I just got the 2 confused some what ;-)

Sorry guys

hi nedvis...

NO! I didn't mean it that way... I am sorry if how I said it is kinda misleading...and can be easily misunderstood

I personally think you deserve the points that i gave you.  I would like to let you understand that it is just in my situation that the reason that my computer is low in disk space because the temporary internet folder was huge and i was able to detect/see this one is because of the idisk suggested by vinni so I think the accepted answer should be vinni's.  

In your part, you did helped me in introducing F-Secure so that I would be much aware on defending my computer against Rootlink in which thank goodness, it doesn't have one and that is why your answer should be the assisted answer.

And also i gave carrzkiss the other assisted answer because he helped him in the step of deleting the contents in the Contents.IE5 inside the temporary internet folder.

I'm sorry guys to create such big blooper and cause some problems to you guys by hurting some other's feeling.

I guess I was just tired last night, I don't know what I am clicking....

The points the I gave was right. I always base on my scores on the issue that helped me solve the problem the most.  As much as possible, I tried my best to be fair in giving out the points.

I'll try to be more alert and be much careful next time so that I won't make the same mistake...

Hopefully there are no hard feelings in this one....I want this forum to be a happy forum...

okay?? Peace!

Thanks!

insanekid;
Man do not worry about it.
We all make mistakes in here and mis [click] the wronge eccept member.
It is alright. I doubt that nedvis; will have any hard feelings over it.

Did you also read the part I wrote about "Norton".

What you Deleted. Well it is still sitting on your Hard Drive.
And it is taking up space.

Do the following:

Depending on the drives that you have:

C:\  <-- Write down the Total Disk Space FREE
D:\ <-- the same
E, F, G, H, I, J, K and so on, depending on the Drives "HD" on your machine.

If you have Norton Protected Recycle bin (Follow the instructions above)
And then check your disk space on all drives, after you have [Deleted] everything out of there.
And get back with us on what "They were" And "What they are now"

hi carrzkiss,

ah i see...but i'm sorry but I don't have  norton protected recycle bin.

I don't think i can do it as of now. is there any other way?

thanks!

Peace with all of you guys.
No, my feelings aren't hurt , honestly. Just wanted you to rearrange scores and that's it.

In addition to what I posted already here is a little bit more exhaustive Windows laundry list:
                        My antivirus/antispyware repair tool kit ( I'm running Win2000) consists of following ( all free) programs:
Ad-Aware
Spy Bot Search-Destroy
Spyware Blaster < http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html >
SpywareGuard < http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html >
Spy Sites < http://camtech2000.net/Pages/SpySites_Program.html >
Spy Holes List < http://www.greatis.com/security/spyholeslist.htm > 
Bazooka also : < http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/index.html >
_______________________________________________________________
microsoft.com/spyware
and well crafted  HOSTS  file  ( various versions for diffrenet OS-es) http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
________________________________________________________________
there are also http://www.grc.com tools ( disable messenger, Unplug'n'pray, dcombobulator, shields up...)
F-Secure Blacklight Rootkit revealer http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight 
Microsoft Basic Security Analyser :
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q320454&ID=KB;EN-US;Q320454
Process killer from Blumental Procview  http://www.ltn.lv/~kblums/
and Zero-Day Intrusion Detection software PrevX Home. http://www.prevx.com
________________________________________________________________
hard-disk and registry cleaners:
CCleaner : http://www.ccleaner.com
BeClean : http://boozet.xepher.net/beclean/download.htm>
and Dustbuster http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22384,00.asp
MRU Blaster ( Most Recently Used files list) cleaner:
 http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/mrublaster.html

good luck
nedvis

No!

No need to rearrange scores....

Thanks!

insanekid.
What AntiVirus program are you using?
And what version?

insanekid.

  what [nedvis] means: rearranging Scores.

  He is simply stating that you can post in the Commmunity Support.
To have the "Accepted" Answer given to the proper person.
This will help those that have similuar issues that come in here.
To find there problem faster.

Take Care