What's happening to my hard drive space?

[barrywohl]

I'm installing Windows Vista Express Upgrade Business as a clean install but keeping the pre-boot area.

I used the Vista DVD to format the Windows partition before installing and had no trouble with the install. I've got about 88 gb available on the Windows PRELOAD partitition.

Vista Business, all the Lenovo drivers, and no optional programs consume 9 gb when counted folder by folder including hidden folders and files that I can see with Explorer or DIR.

Backups by way of Rescue and Recovery 4 or Vista Backup Complete PC fit easily on two DVD+R disks.

Before backing up, however, I had 25 of my 88 gb consumed by the install even after removing all the cleanup spots I could including hibernation file (2 gb machine) but NOT deleting restore points.

After running Rescue and Recovery, I had 16 gb consumed.

I know there's a reserved area for files and folders but I thought that showed as available with chkdsk or with Explorer disk properties.

I know there's some space for restore points. But my procedure was install Vista Business, update Vista Business, install Lenovo components. Test Lenovo components. That shouldn't take much space. None of my important applications or files are installed yet.

8 gb for the install. 25 gb consumed. Then 16 gb consumed after running R&R4.

Does someone have a clue?

[chaukap]

I am not sure if I understand everything but I will share my experiences with R&R.
Eventually I will be installing vista business clean install from the lenovo DVD and would like to see what is the resolution to your problem.

Firstly, On Win XP Pro, when I tried to make a backup using R&R it created a 'local back up' on the local hard drive which was hidden. The OS could not see it. The size of this hidden backup file was almost the same as my stuff on the harddrive.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=38106

My guess would be that R&R is doing the same thing on Vista.

[MrSpike]

I'm also not sure exactly what you are saying but on my wifes X60s I originally had 76GB of 88GB free after installing vista ultimate, office 2007 pro, and ~5gb of music. After a few days that number dropped to 68GB of 88GB free and pretty much stayed there. I disabled the restore points and have it back to 72GB free now.

I will probably re-enable the restore point if/when I can figure out how to make it less sensitive. As it is it creates a freaking restore point after EVERY install of software or windows change which is really annoying as the HDD grinding makes noise and consumes battery.

HDD space is not really an issue as my wife never even approaced 10GB on her old 40GB T23 but the constant grinding is not acceptable. Try disabling the restore points and you should see ALOT of space come back.

[barrywohl]

I'm also not sure exactly what you are saying but on my wifes X60s I originally had 76GB of 88GB free after installing vista ultimate, office 2007 pro, and ~5gb of music. After a few days that number dropped to 68GB of 88GB free and pretty much stayed there. I disabled the restore points and have it back to 72GB free now.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear with what I was saying, but it sounds like you had a similar situation.

Let me review the mystery. When I installed Vista Business into a clean partition with 88gb free, the install took 25 gb. As part of the install, I did all the Windows updates and Lenovo Vista updates I could find. So, that process took 25 gb of space according to disk properties and also according to chkdsk. However, in looking at the space wiith Windows Explorer, I could only find folders containing 8 gb. I couldn't figure out where the other consumed space went. Then I ran R&R4 to make a "base backup." I made the backup onto DVD+R disks. I also made a backup using Vista Backup. After that process, I had 16 gb consumed, 9 less than the 25 gb from the initial install and 8 more than I could "justify" by looking at the disk with Windows Explorer.

Can anyone suggest better tools to use to look at the hard drive?

[chaukap]

Can anyone suggest better tools to use to look at the hard drive?

Norton Patition Magic 8.0 gives me correct usage and free space numbers (different from explorer>C:\>properties).

On my machine there is a descrepency of 6 GB between used space from disk properties and adding size of everything on the system.
My first guess is that, I have maximum of 4GB allocated for pagefile which the OS assigns somewhere on the hard drive. Remaining 2GB might be lost in fragmentation and partitions I have on my hard drive.

I have something similar to what you have but I am okay with it for now. My system is Windows XP Pro - Seagate 7200.1 100GB hard drive.