Aug112012

Why does deleting files and removing programs decrease my amount of free disk space?

Rezy143 asks:

I use CCleaner and try to free disk space but I notice whenever I use them the space on my C: drive has decreased. I uninstalled some programs, but that does not help. It frees space, but deleting files seems to decrease space on my drive.

What should I do?


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System: Windows
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18 Answers -

0 votes

ha14

August 11, 2012

try to defrag your hard drive and run

runs sfc /scannow
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

0 votes

Bruce Epper

August 11, 2012

“It frees space, but deleting files seems to decrease space on my drive.” Nice self-contradictory statement. Are you using any kind of Recycle Bin extension that is saving the files you are deleting for future recovery potential, Comodo Time Machine or a similar program?

0 votes

Manide

August 11, 2012

Hi Rezy143,

What Windows version do you use?
Before CCleaner, use SpaceSniffer ( http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/index.html ) regularly (2-3 times every day for instance) in order to find out which folders/files are getting bigger.

0 votes

Alan Wade

August 11, 2012

What you are saying isnt possible. Best bet for an accurate answer is to review your question and state exactly what is happening.

0 votes

Nagendra kumar Gummapu

August 12, 2012

Empty u Trash then try it

0 votes

Achraf52

August 12, 2012

Is your total system that decreases or available one, if the first is correct then you’re at bad sector problem .

0 votes

Emmanuel

August 12, 2012

Try tuneup utilities which has the option of deleting old backups and unnecessary files left over from installing and uninstalling softwares. On the front pane you will see the Gain disk space option which will show you the amount of space used up by the files.

0 votes

vin

August 12, 2012

When you uninstall a program or application, your computer creates a “Restore Point.”
One Restore Point is about 100MB and up. It depends on the size of what you are about uninstall. Try to delete all your Restore Point. if you don’t know how to delete it, ask brother Google.

0 votes

GrammyBash

August 12, 2012

Your computer may have been compromised by a hacker, who is keylogging you and creating databases on your HDD (harddrive) without your knowledge. This would account for mass losses of space in a short period of time. I would listen to Manide’s suggestion.

This is a good answer. Doing it several times a day will deduce which file(s) are the culprits.
If there was a “thumbs up/thumbs down” button, i would have hit that instead of leaving this comment. (Just a thought)

If you have a hacker, you will need to post another question on how to get rid of the hacking software.

Best wishes to your success

0 votes

echantrea

August 12, 2012

Trying disk error check from Advanced system care 5.2

0 votes

GrrGrrr

August 12, 2012

check the settings for system restore.
Check the free space
Disable it completely.
Check the free space again
enable it again

0 votes

Erlis Dhima

August 12, 2012

Follow this steps here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

Or go to:
1. Start > run
2. Type cmd.exe (better if you run as administrator)
3. After opened type: chkdsk /f
4. When the process will finish restart the computer.

When turning on, a blue screen might appear(or maybe black. I dont remember well…) Don’t worry! Wait for some time, until the process is finished…
It may take some time, depending on your hard disk size, and files stored there!
—————————————————————————————————-

After this process is done, try it again, and see if the problem is still there…
If so, then, you might as well have a worm in your computer…
Try to scan with a good antivirus, like Microsoft Security Essentials, NOD Eset 32, or BitDefender Total Security.. (Other antiviruses are out there… But this ones are the one I prefer…)

If everything is ok then, good for you!

Hope it helps…. Please reply when you can….

0 votes

Lambvolution

August 13, 2012

remove your old system restore

0 votes

Reý Aetar

August 13, 2012

they leave traces in the regestry and unstalling programmes also creates temp files so just delete them
though you do not recover all the space

0 votes

Elijah Swartz

August 13, 2012

Regarding, “It frees space, but deleting files seems to decrease space on my drive” statement:
“You unlock this door with key of imagination, beyond it is another dimension. A dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. your moving into a land of both shadow and substance of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into (DRAMATIC PAUSE) the Twilight Zone.”

I have never heard of this happening ever. It doesn’t make any sense to me at all actually. The number 1 problem solving option though, is to backup all of your data, format your drive, and reinstall Windows.

0 votes

Sharique

August 17, 2012

it happens always… u can get rid of it by using Glary utilities or CCleaner

0 votes

saba

August 20, 2012

You might have noticed the “used space” data instead of “free space”. When you a file the hard disk size should reduce :)

0 votes

Ben Mordecai

August 25, 2012

This is impossible. I think you are making a mistake in how you are tracking your free disk space.