Size of folders on hard disk
Windows 7:
I've noticed that my main hard disk (partition) is starting to get low on space. If I open windows explorer I can see the files and folders and if I select a folder from the properties I can view the space taken up on disc.
By doing this I have found that my windows folder has about 23GB of space and the system folders that I can't view take up about 12GB (all folders I can get the sze of taken from the total size of the disc gives...)
This seems rather excessive to me.
Two questions.
Is there a setting to allow me to view the size of a folder directly in windows explorer ?
Is there a setting to allow me to explore the system folders such as system volume information ?
I've noticed that my main hard disk (partition) is starting to get low on space. If I open windows explorer I can see the files and folders and if I select a folder from the properties I can view the space taken up on disc.
By doing this I have found that my windows folder has about 23GB of space and the system folders that I can't view take up about 12GB (all folders I can get the sze of taken from the total size of the disc gives...)
This seems rather excessive to me.
Two questions.
Is there a setting to allow me to view the size of a folder directly in windows explorer ?
Is there a setting to allow me to explore the system folders such as system volume information ?
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yobri
^ In addition to segment #3 above, you can also unhide system files from Folder Options by unchecking Hide operating system files (Recommended) to see other files and folders as well.
Another factor is the allocation unit (cluster) size...
File space on disk is in cluster units which is a function of the hard drive physical size... The larger the physical disk, the larger the cluster size.
For example, if you happen to be using a 16K cluster size, you might have as much as 16K EXTRA for each file on your hard drive if they miss the border and require an extra cluster for as few as 1 extra byte! For smallish files, this is also a minimum file size, even if the file a single byte it will "consume" a full cluster of file space on the drive.
File space on disk is in cluster units which is a function of the hard drive physical size... The larger the physical disk, the larger the cluster size.
For example, if you happen to be using a 16K cluster size, you might have as much as 16K EXTRA for each file on your hard drive if they miss the border and require an extra cluster for as few as 1 extra byte! For smallish files, this is also a minimum file size, even if the file a single byte it will "consume" a full cluster of file space on the drive.
ASKER
Thanks to both.
Folder size.
A crude example of a detail view in explorer
Name size
file1 25KB
file2 173KB
dir1
dir2
file3 4KB
Hence: Is there a setting to allow me to view the size of a folder directly in windows explorer ?
Folder size.
A crude example of a detail view in explorer
Name size
file1 25KB
file2 173KB
dir1
dir2
file3 4KB
Hence: Is there a setting to allow me to view the size of a folder directly in windows explorer ?
ASKER
I've had a look at system protection from system properties/control panel.
Setting - System protection is deactivated, current usage 0 bytes.
Setting - System protection is deactivated, current usage 0 bytes.
ASKER
@n2fc - good point but I suspect not too relevant. I'm trying to find where many GB's have gone to.
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Try OverDisk from following location.
http://users.forthnet.gr/pat/efotinis/programs/overdisk.html
Thanks
Saugata
http://users.forthnet.gr/pat/efotinis/programs/overdisk.html
Thanks
Saugata
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ASKER
Thanks.
I've not tested OverDisk as the website said it was alpha version.
I agree that recursive searching of folders to calcualate their size is a slow process BUT the properties window of a folder from explorer will do so on an individual basis. In other words the code to do it already exists in explorer, odd it isn't possible to activate it as an option for all folders rather than going through a lot of hoops to get that info.
I've not tested OverDisk as the website said it was alpha version.
I agree that recursive searching of folders to calcualate their size is a slow process BUT the properties window of a folder from explorer will do so on an individual basis. In other words the code to do it already exists in explorer, odd it isn't possible to activate it as an option for all folders rather than going through a lot of hoops to get that info.