Comments on: What is “<Unknown>”? http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/ News and discussions around WinDirStat Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:50:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: belltelphoneman http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-14840 belltelphoneman Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:09:37 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-14840 I have 51 GB of unknown in my Vista machine. My HDD is 372GB so it is no hardship so far. If it is restore files and I am going to check I can probably change the size of the alloted memory for this. Thanks for the info on this page. I have 51 GB of unknown in my Vista machine. My HDD is 372GB so it is no hardship so far. If it is restore files and I am going to check I can probably change the size of the alloted memory for this. Thanks for the info on this page.

]]> By: Brady http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-10983 Brady Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:11:40 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-10983 Ah that makes sense. I recently bought a 1.5TB HDD and theres 217GB of . Now that I know what it is, time to fix that problem. if you do the math, its 16% of my total space...that's a lot considering the drive. Ah that makes sense. I recently bought a 1.5TB HDD and theres 217GB of . Now that I know what it is, time to fix that problem. if you do the math, its 16% of my total space…that’s a lot considering the drive.

]]> By: Oliver http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-2109 Oliver Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:07:52 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-2109 A newer article which summarizes the whole procedure in three simple steps can be found <a href="http://blog.windirstat.info/20070321/unknown-again/" rel="nofollow">HERE</a>. // Oliver A newer article which summarizes the whole procedure in three simple steps can be found HERE.

// Oliver

]]> By: Dan http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-56 Dan Thu, 21 Dec 2006 22:18:42 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-56 My situation regarding "unknown": The pagefile always is reported correctly, btw at around 300MB to 800MB. The doesn't always appear after running WDS. is always exactly 3GB when it does show up. The 3GB does not figure into actually counting the WDS reported free space with "all the rest" of the C: drive's files (which is 40GB) I have a 4GB HD and with this 3GB of "unkown" - by merely adding - I have 43GB, and that would be impossible. Today I ran chkdsk from a DOS Window (OS is Windows2000Pro SP4), re-ran WDS - all on a hunch - and the 3GB extra unkown space vanishes from the WDS report. I only run WDS as an Administrator, Hobernate is OFF, and so also just 1 partition. My situation regarding “unknown”:

The pagefile always is reported correctly, btw at around 300MB to 800MB.

The doesn’t always appear after running WDS.

is always exactly 3GB when it does show up.

The 3GB does not figure into actually counting the WDS reported free space with “all the rest” of the C: drive’s files (which is 40GB)

I have a 4GB HD and with this 3GB of “unkown” - by merely adding - I have 43GB, and that would be impossible.

Today I ran chkdsk from a DOS Window (OS is Windows2000Pro SP4), re-ran WDS - all on a hunch - and the 3GB extra unkown space vanishes from the WDS report.

I only run WDS as an Administrator, Hobernate is OFF, and so also just 1 partition.

]]> By: Oliver http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-48 Oliver Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:27:11 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-48 Alright. Great to hear that. // Oliver Alright. Great to hear that.

// Oliver

]]> By: dazster http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-47 dazster Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:06:12 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-47 After some investigation, it turns out that this WAS to do with the Lenovo backup facility. I was able to play a little with the facility and thus reduce this space by deleting all previous backups and creating a new one which does not include the larger, non-essential files. Thanks for your feedback. After some investigation, it turns out that this WAS to do with the Lenovo backup facility. I was able to play a little with the facility and thus reduce this space by deleting all previous backups and creating a new one which does not include the larger, non-essential files.

Thanks for your feedback.

]]> By: Oliver http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-46 Oliver Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:07:11 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-46 Fragmentation could cause such a waste only with huge cluster sizes and very many small files, so this can be ruled out. So you ran chkdsk with the command line I suggested above to force it to check for and repair errors?! Well, that's basically the last idea. I have no clue then what it could be and it is hard to diagnose from remote anyway. Sorry, Oliver Fragmentation could cause such a waste only with huge cluster sizes and very many small files, so this can be ruled out.

So you ran chkdsk with the command line I suggested above to force it to check for and repair errors?!

Well, that’s basically the last idea. I have no clue then what it could be and it is hard to diagnose from remote anyway.

Sorry,

Oliver

]]> By: dazster http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-45 dazster Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:52:54 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-45 The lenovo software is managed in a separate 10Gb partition - nothing to do with this 25Gb unknown space. I have tried running chkdsk and can see no other hiden partitions. Also, the results from chkdsk agree with what I'm seeing in explorer - i.e. far more disk usage than expected. I have also defragmented the hard drive to no avail. I am seriously considering running PartitionMagic on it and attempting to reclaim this space and use it as a Linux partition. I wouldn't mind so much if it was a few hundred meg - but 25Gb?! The lenovo software is managed in a separate 10Gb partition - nothing to do with this 25Gb unknown space.

I have tried running chkdsk and can see no other hiden partitions. Also, the results from chkdsk agree with what I’m seeing in explorer - i.e. far more disk usage than expected. I have also defragmented the hard drive to no avail. I am seriously considering running PartitionMagic on it and attempting to reclaim this space and use it as a Linux partition. I wouldn’t mind so much if it was a few hundred meg - but 25Gb?!

]]> By: Oliver http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-44 Oliver Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:02:53 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-44 I am not sure as I don't have access to your software. But, it might have to do with this Lenovo software. I know from other backup software that they are keeping a "secure zone" which is either a special protected area on the system partition or an extra partition. In your case the first one sounds reasonable. Try to find more information about this program. Also run <code>chkdsk /r /f C:</code> (modify C: for each HDD partition on your system), in case there are file system inconsistencies. // Oliver I am not sure as I don’t have access to your software. But, it might have to do with this Lenovo software. I know from other backup software that they are keeping a “secure zone” which is either a special protected area on the system partition or an extra partition. In your case the first one sounds reasonable. Try to find more information about this program.

Also run chkdsk /r /f C: (modify C: for each HDD partition on your system), in case there are file system inconsistencies.

// Oliver

]]> By: dazster http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-43 dazster Mon, 20 Nov 2006 09:14:03 +0000 http://blog.windirstat.info/20061013/unknown-space/#comment-43 I have a 25Gb chunk of "unknown" memory which I would so dearly like to reclaim for myself. I previosuly had SRP enabled (up to a maximum of 12% of my HDD) - when I disable it the unknown area still remains. It's a bit of a joke having a 50Gb HDD and half of it being wasted by this Windows "feature-ette" (big thanks to Mr Gates et al). I have Lenovo recovery and restore so do not really need the Windows XP restore facility. Do I take it then that the only way I can reclaim this space is to re-format my HDD and re-install Windows XP and start all over again with SRP disabled? I have a 25Gb chunk of “unknown” memory which I would so dearly like to reclaim for myself. I previosuly had SRP enabled (up to a maximum of 12% of my HDD) - when I disable it the unknown area still remains. It’s a bit of a joke having a 50Gb HDD and half of it being wasted by this Windows “feature-ette” (big thanks to Mr Gates et al).

I have Lenovo recovery and restore so do not really need the Windows XP restore facility. Do I take it then that the only way I can reclaim this space is to re-format my HDD and re-install Windows XP and start all over again with SRP disabled?

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