[PowerCycle]

I found my C:\ to have used 120 gigs. Puzzled by this I searched through my HDD and found folders taking up 75 gigs. The rest must be in this folder called Documents and Settings. I want access to it to see what is taking up so much space. Doing the usual secruity rights change will not work. Is there an option I have to change or how can I 'hack' into it? Please let me know!

Thanks,
Richard

Edited by PowerCycle, 04 January 2007 - 10:26 AM.

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What do you mean exactly, can you not access the folder, why you cant access it might be a start is it from another system is it encrypted(remember vista has encryption its possible someone doesnt want you to access it and has encrypted it.

We need a little more information before we can start helping you. Keep in mond though we cant help you gain access to something you shouldnt intentionall have access to. What version and build of vista are you using?

[warriorscot]

What do you mean exactly, can you not access the folder, why you cant access it might be a start is it from another system is it encrypted(remember vista has encryption its possible someone doesnt want you to access it and has encrypted it.

We need a little more information before we can start helping you. Keep in mond though we cant help you gain access to something you shouldnt intentionall have access to. What version and build of vista are you using?

[PowerCycle]

I found my C:\ to have used 120 gigs. Puzzled by this I searched through my HDD and found folders taking up 75 gigs. The rest must be in this folder. I want access to it to see what is taking up so much space. Doing the usual secruity rights change will not work. Is there an option I have to change or how can I 'hack' into it? Please let me know!

Thanks,
Richard

No, I have 2 drives and I did a clean installation of Vista on it. This is the folder Vista makes when you install it. Documents and Settings - I don't think anyone else has access to it on Vista.
I'm running Vista Ultimate.

-edit- I realized before I forgot to say the folder name/type. No wonder lol - sorry.

Edited by PowerCycle, 04 January 2007 - 10:27 AM.

[warriorscot]

Vista doesnt have a documents and settings folder thats XP, Vista has a User folder that stores your Documents personal files etc. can you access it at all, are you logged in as administrator.

Are you using the RTM or the RC or one of the olders Betas, whats the path to the folder you cant access?

[PowerCycle]

Vista doesnt have a documents and settings folder thats XP, Vista has a User folder that stores your Documents personal files etc. can you access it at all, are you logged in as administrator.

Are you using the RTM or the RC or one of the olders Betas, whats the path to the folder you cant access?

RTM. I have the Users folder. I'm running the Ulimate, a legimate copy. Yes, I'm Administrator.

C:\Documents and Settings

[warriorscot]

Yeah i cant see that, im fairly sure that shouldn't be there its not in RC2 at least im sure they got rid of that way of organisation in Vista, did you upgrade from XP that might be where that came from?

Ive PMed another member of staff that uses vista he might be able to identify if its actually supposed to be there or not.

PS can you see inside the folder or is access restricted to it, any error messages would be useful.

Edited by warriorscot, 04 January 2007 - 10:48 AM.

[PowerCycle]

Yeah i cant see that, im fairly sure that shouldn't be there its not in RC2 at least im sure they got rid of that way of organisation in Vista, did you upgrade from XP that might be where that came from?

Ive PMed another member of staff that uses vista he might be able to identify if its actually supposed to be there or not.

New HDD.

It's got around 50 gigs in it.

I just checked when it was created. 1 day after the system files..

Access restricted - when I try to change the secruity options - access denied. I scanned it with AVG and there's over 50,000 files in it.

Edited by PowerCycle, 04 January 2007 - 10:53 AM.

[warriorscot]

Hmm Strange because after some double checking you shouldnt have a documents and settings folder at all let alone one using up allot of space, ild probably try to delete it but im impulsive that way ive PMed another member of staff we can wait for a second opinion there might be a reason you shouldnt delete it(not that i think there is) the reason for its existance is the more puzzling thing.

I would normally send you over to the malware section to get checked out as well but im not sure if we are geared up for Vista i dont think there is even any malware doing the rounds for it especially none that would do that.

Edited by warriorscot, 04 January 2007 - 10:55 AM.

[CJIS]

OK first of all, it is pointless trying to delete it as access is completely denied to that folder. It IS supposed to be there and is there on every Vista install, but it is a hidden folder (I think if you enable 'show protected system files' it will appear). for example where the 'Music', 'Pictures',etc folders are there are still the old 'My Pictures' and 'My Music'. The Documents and settings folder shouldn't take that much space, I don't think, but as I am not at my PC I cannot tell you.

[warriorscot]

It ISNT a hidden folder and unless they suddenly had a change of heart and put it one the RTM(unlikely) it shouldn't be there at all as MS intentionally chucked it they also got rid of the "My" thing because it always received negative press from what ive been reading it shouldn't be there the only possibility of it being there is from an upgrade install from XP.

If you cant take ownership of the file i would delete it, shouldnt be there and if its a clean drive itll have none of your files in it or at least certainly shouldnt.

If you cant delete it normally there are a few ways to get round it.

[PowerCycle]

I used a shredder program. All fixed.

[diggeryo]

I'm pretty sure CJIS was correct. Though Vista doesn't have the usual XP folders ("Documents and Settings", "My Pictures", etc.), it does have "shortcuts" to these folders to keep up backward compatibility with programs created with XP in mind. But these aren't really folders more than they are "pointers"...they are just pointing to their Vista counterparts...i.e. I believe if you clicked on "Documents and Settings" in Vista, you would actually go to the "Users" folder. Or maybe you wouldn't go to the "Users" folder, but internally, Vista knows that if a program requests "Documents and Settings," it will actually access "Users."

Perhaps the information you are seeing for the "Documents and Settings" folder is actually the information for the "Users" folder? just a thought.

Edited by diggeryo, 07 January 2007 - 11:06 PM.

[warriorscot]

It isnt the redirects are done out of anything the user would see anything like that is automatically rerouted there isnt a shortcut or anything, documents and settings isnt and shouldnt ever exist or be visible and certainly not be 75Gb on a fresh HDD and OS install.

[IO-error]

The size it's showing from the "Documents and Settings" folder is the size in the "Users" folder... Because it's a shortcut, right?