Thread: Hard Drive - 0 bytes free

My computer keeps saying that my 465 gig harddrive is full when it's not. I really don't know what to do. Should I get a new harddrive? Or is it a problem with some other computer part? Or is it because of Vista?

This is what happens every time I turn on my computer, if I click on C: drive properties:

- It says about 250 GB are free. This is fine, what it should be.

- A couple hours later, it says around 200GB are free

- A couple hours later, it says around 100GB is free

- This continues until it says 0 bytes are free. This usually takes about 5 hours after turning on the computer. The computer acts as though there really are 0 bytes free. I can't save anything, even text files, my browser won't load any web page images, and it keeps telling me to do a disk cleanup to save space.

- At this point, if I delete a file, it will say the space is free. For example, if I delete something that's 1.5mb, it will say 1.5mb are free on the harddrive. But, after a minute or so, there are 0 bytes free again.

- I restart my computer, and everything is fine again. 250 GB are free.

- This process repeats.

Additional information:

- I usually keep my computer on almost all the time. However, since this started a few weeks ago, I've tried turning it off as often as possible. I need to sleep with it on during the night to drown out the sound of my dad snoring. Turning it off for hours at a time while at school doesn't seem to help. When I turn it back on, it's as bad as before.

- This has happened before with this computer, about a year ago. I went on a trip for a week, and when I came back, the problem no longer existed.

- I'm running Vista (is this the problem?)

- I've scanned my computer for viruses multiple times with a couple different antiviruses, and nothing has been found.

- Doing a disk cleanup doesn't work. All that does is delete some useless files, which temporarily makes the computer say a few bytes are available, but within a minute or seconds it's down to 0 bytes again.

I really don't mind it that much. It isn't a huge issue, since restarting my computer every 5 hours is a minor inconvenience. I'm just worried that it will begin not to work even after restarting, because my computer is very important to me. I'm on it almost all day, almost everything I do involves it, and the few times it's been unusable in the past for whatever reason, it's been hell. When it's saying 0 bytes are free, it's basically unusable.

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any advice.

Install Gentoo

Originally Posted by Keresztanya

Install Gentoo

Mind elaborating?

Sounds like a virus. Keeping your computer off won't help, but it won't hurt either. It sounds like a program that fakes how much space you have left on your hard drive. Every so often it will decrease it. That's why restarting helps. When you turn on your computer, it starts up all of the basic software you have on it. This includes windows (or mac osx), any firewalls, antivirus software, or any other software on bootup; including viruses.

Try running msconfig and see if there are any suspicious programs on startup. Also, use Ctrl+alt+del to get to task manager, then look through the processes for any unfamiliar programs.

If all that went over your head, get a friend who knows about computers to help.

Start it in safe mode. If the problem goes away in safe mode, you can probably chalk it up to a virus or a program doing something it isn't supposed to be doing.

Thanks for the replies. I went to msconfig and disabled everything I haven't heard of, restarted my computer but the problem is still occurring.
I don't think there are any processes in task manager that are suspicious.
I'll try running it in safe mode sometime, although that's going to be annoying.

Sounds like its most likely malware to me as well, but seeing as you said you ran multiple scans it might be a Windows error. Since it resets on restart it might be a virtual memory issue, I doubt it's the cause but worth trying anyway:
Right click Computer>Properties>Advanced System Settings>Advanced Tab>Performance Settings>Advanced Tab>Virtual memory Change
Make sure the box at the top that says Automatically manage paging file... is checked.

Another thing to check, if you hit Start and type resmon and go to the Disk tab you can see all the processes that are writing to your HDD this will hopefully show you what is causing it.

Oh and for clarification, does the max capacity stay the same as the free space decreases? When you are at 0bytes does it say 0 of 465gigs or does it say 0 of 215gigs? If the maximum capacity is whats shrinking the Hard Drive could be failing and need to be replaced.

If all else fails you could try backing up all your data onto another drive, reformatting your entire hard drive, and reinstalling Vista. As long as it isn't the Hard Drive that's failing this would fix your problem. Collecting all your valuable data can be a pain if you don't have it all in one place, but installing an OS is as easy as installing any software.
Hope this helps, GL to ya!

Thanks a lot for your reply.

The box was checked. Typing 'resmon' yields no results. The capacity remains 465 gigs.

I suppose I'll have to reformat my hard drive some time. What's strange is, last time this happened, leaving the computer off for a week made the problem dissappear. Maybe I just need to deal with it until I go on another trip. I wouldn't mind it if I wasn't afraid it would completely crash. I have nothing backed up. I need an external hard drive or something.

Stupid Vista... You should be able to get to the resource monitor by opening Task Manager, Performance Tab, and clicking resource monitor at the bottom. But I did just see a screen shot of Vista's version and it isn't quite as useful as Win7s. Under disk, in the Image category if there is anything other than system, svchost, or any programs you have opened, that could be the cause.
Did you see if it was still happening in safe mode like someone mentioned? Just press F8 as the computer boots and then choose safe mode from the menu.
I'm assuming that the Vista you're running was installed before you bought the computer? What computer is it?(make and model)
That doesn't make any sense that it would stop happening if turned off for a week, but then start happening again later.. Hmm...

Have you tried deleting .trash (hidden) files in your recycle bin?

And also try disabling Windows search indexing:
How to disable Vista

If nothing helps, I think repartitioning the drive should be able to fix it.

Safe Mode
I've been a while because I've been procrastinating running in safe mode. I did it, and at first it said there were only 96.5 GB left, but about an hour later it still said 96.5. So it started out low but wasn't increasing.
I tried it again, and this time there were a good 236 GB left at first, and about 3 hours later there were still 236 GB. So I don't know why it was low the first time, but it seems in safe mode the hard drive doesn't mysteriously fill up gradually. Maybe I'll try it again soon and leave it for a longer time to make sure. So this means it's probably a virus?

Manufacturer
Vista was installed on the computer already. I don't know the make of the computer. It was a birthday present from my parents. I'll ask my dad next time I remember. I asked a friend how to find out (via command prompt), but under manufacturer it just said INTEL_ which can't be right.

Resource Monitor
In Resource Monitor there are many processes I don't recognize, but they might all be fine. As I look at it, new ones keep appearing and old ones disappear. Examples:
fsdfwd.exe (I think it said it was in C:\actionlog, don't remember the extension, it seems to have disappeared from the list).
fssm32.exe C:\pagefile.sys
tracerpt.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\PC Tools\Monitor\logfile.etl
lsass.exe C:\pagefile.sys
There was also one that appeared with about 20 instances at a time and I think it was called "consent", but is gone now.

Recycle Bin
Are there hidden files in the recycle bin which aren't deleted when it's emptied normally? I've emptied it normally and don't see an option for deleting hidden files. It seems all files are deleted.

Windows Search Indexing
I just disabled it, and I'll post back here if it makes a difference.


Thanks to everyone who replied. If you have other ideas that come to mind right away they're welcome, but I don't really expect anyone to be able to solve the problem without being here themselves.

WinDirStat - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com
TreeSize Free - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

Try these. They'll show you exactly what is taking up memory and where it's at, then let you delete it.

Originally Posted by Mario92

WinDirStat - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

Thanks. I downloaded the program and saw that 2 files (cputime.xml and logfile.etl in C:\Program Files\Common Files\PC Tools\sMonitor\) were taking up 185gb and 56gb. I couldn't delete them because they were "in use by another process" but could delete them in safe mode. Now it says 307 gb free and hasn't changed in 2 hours.

Yea, if the problem isn't persistent in safe mode it is most likely a virus. You could try running a virus scan in safe mode. Viruses are less likely to be able to avoid detection in safe mode. I've had malware that was able to avoid detection from multiple different scans even in safe mode though. The only sure fire way to completely delete a virus is to completely reinstall the OS
If you know someone who knows a lot about computers you could ask them to look at it. Or pay a technician to come look at it. As you mentioned the only way someone could fix this would be to physically sit down at the computer. Communicating over a forum isn't adequate for this kind of problem. GL to ya.

Glad to see you figured it out and that it wasn't a virus! Looks like it was caused by Registry Mechanic, and a lot of people are having this same bug. It might start happening again if you continue using it. I would suggest uninstalling it and using CCleaner instead. CCleaner is by far the best free registry cleaner.

Apparently, a few people have been have that problem on the net. I suggest uninstalling that PC tools

EDIT: <someone beat me to it